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Mayoral Candidates Share Their Innovation Platforms Ahead of Primaries at Tech Inclusivity Forum

By Alesia BaniOn May 9, nine candidates vying to hold the title of Philadelphia’s 100th mayor joined WURD Radio at the University City Science Center to discuss how Black Philadelphians will be included in the city’s growing technology and innovation ecosystem.To set the tone, candidates were asked about their usage of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot that took the world by storm to assist people with tasks from composing emails […]

May 15, 2023

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Commentary

MOVE’s revolutionary stance has been overlooked — and is needed more than ever

By Dylan Lewis | WURD RadioThe story of MOVE often starts with the end.It begins with a standoff between the organization and the police and concludes with the catastrophic bombing of Osage Ave on May 13, 1985. We often miss some of the most crucial details that started way before we like to acknowledge. The dreams of MOVE were revolutionary to the core, especially when it came to their fierce […]

May 12, 2023 2

Every Voice Every Vote

A Place to Call Home: Philly’s Mayoral Candidates on Housing Challenges

WURD Listeners at the Paul Robeson House asked the candidates about housing.By Denise Clay-MurrayIf you haven’t had the chance to visit the Paul Robeson House, you really should.The house, located at 4951 Walnut St., was the home of the actor, athlete, and activist who found himself in the crosshairs of the House Un-American Activities Committee for his Civil Rights activities. It’s operated by the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.Recently, the street […]

May 11, 2023

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Politics & Government

THE PHILADELPHIA MAYOR’S RACE COULD USE A BLACK VOTER INDEX RIGHT ABOUT NOW

Philadelphia must elect the Blackest 100th mayor it can find in 2023By Charles Ellison | WURD National Public Affairs CorrespondentIf you haven't already noticed, Philadelphia is (yes, still) a mostly Black city: 44 percent of its residents identify as Black. Yet we seem resigned to the fact that even as citywide poverty dropped, more than half of all Black Philadelphia still grinds in poverty.Philadelphia persistently remains the poorest of America’s […]

May 5, 2023 2

ICYMI

This week’s news: Black Folks on the Moon, but There’s still Asbestos in Our Schools

LocalLt Gov. Austin Davis joined Wake Up with WURD to highlight the role of the Center for Families and Relationships in providing critical services to Pennsylvania communities. Councilmember Isaiah Thomas spoke with Solomon Jones about the issue of asbestos in Philadelphia schools. He shared his plans to address the need for greater transparency and accountability in ensuring safe learning environments for students.NationalNASA engineer Nicole Cummings touched down on Evening WURDs to […]

April 28, 2023

Politics & Government

Why I Do Not Endorse the Endorsement of Candidates By Ministers

By W. Nick Taliaferro | WURD RadioAmong other things, first and foremost I am a minister; and more specifically, a Black, protestant Christian minister. I have had the privilege of serving this city as its first faith-based initiatives director, and because of that, I have enjoyed the rich benefit of close fellowship with a wide variety of ministers from around this city and its vicinity.And as a Black minister, I […]

April 28, 2023

ICYMI

Mayoral Candidates Come to WURD Plus Ending Fear-Based Violence

Listen to Solomon Jones interview the mayoral candidates on Wake Up with WURD: Just a few weeks before one of the most significant elections in recent Philadelphia political history, candidates for the city's mayoral office will speak to Solomon Jones, host of Wake Up With WURD on WURD Radio. Use these interviews to help inform your decision on who to vote for when you make your voice heard on May […]

April 21, 2023

ICYMI

This Week in Politics

This past week was a big one in both local and national politics, and we've got you covered...Mayoral raceMaria Quiñones Sanchez dropped out of the race to be the 100th mayor of Philadelphia. She joined Joann Bell to discuss her leaving the race.The Philadelphia Board of Ethics accused mayoral candidate Jeff Brown of illegally coordinating with a Super PAC. Shane Creamer, executive director of the Board of Ethics, joined Evening […]

April 14, 2023

ICYMI

The Indictment of Donald Trump

Criminal Justice: Hassan Freeman is a member of the REFORM Alliance Advisory Board. After spending 14 years in Pennsylvania prisons, he founded an anti-violence organization that helped reduce gun violence during some of the City’s most violent years. He joined Wake Up With WURD to speak about a community day of action for those hurt by the criminal justice system. https://soundcloud.com/onwurd/wake-up-with-wurd-452023-hassan-freeman Donald Trump: David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and […]

April 7, 2023

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Commentary

‘Reality check’ on health: A farewell from Charles Ellison

By Charles EllisonOn Tuesday, April 4, we shared our very last broadcast of Reality Check with Charles Ellison on WURD Radio. That happened after a full month of being off the airwaves, dogged by a bit of speculation over what had happened: Why had I suddenly, without warning, disappeared?Monday, March 6, was that fateful day when it all happened. I was struck with a very sudden seizure during a live […]

April 6, 2023 4 206 4