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This week on WURD: Philly teachers fight for more, Black federal workers under threat, the story behind Gladys Knight and the Pips

U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, who represents Pennsylvania’s 5th District, joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to unpack the ongoing fallout from Donald Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.” Scanlon highlighted the lack of bipartisan collaboration and warned of a projected $4 to $6 trillion deficit resulting from the bill’s passage.Arthur Steinberg is the president of both the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) and the American Federation of Teachers, Pennsylvania. Steinberg spoke with Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDs about the union’s […]

todayJuly 10, 2025 2

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This week on WURD: Trump’s “mega bill,” Medicare cuts, U.S.-Iran tensions

PA State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who represents the 181st District, joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to discuss the Trump “mega bill.” Kenyatta highlighted that the bill includes tax increases on economically disadvantaged Americans, investing billions of dollars towards U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the military and significant cuts to programs like Medicare—impacting seniors and people with disabilities.Megan Piphus, a four-time Emmy-winning producer and artist, gained national recognition as a ventriloquist and has played Gabrielle on "Sesame Street" since […]

todayJuly 3, 2025 4

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Teens Cultivate Soil and Safety at Sankofa Community Farm

By Lanaa Dantzler | Love Now MediaTucked on the edge of the Schuylkill River, Bartram’s Garden is dedicated to offering a home for horticulture, an ancient riverfront, and a place of untold histories to the broader Philadelphia Area. Despite being the oldest surviving botanical garden in North America, Bartram’s community farm, Sankofa, continues to serve as a resource for the younger generation.The Sankofa Community Farm Youth Internship intends to expose local high school students to African diasporic agricultural knowledge. Going into her […]

todayJune 30, 2025

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This week on WURD: Musiq Souldchild shares his journey, PA’s budget delays, Sherri Shepherd’s latest role

Musiq Soulchild - Photo credit: Adam Bielawski | GNU Free Documentation License.Sherri Shepherd is an actress, comedian, author and the host of her own talk show, "Sherri," which has earned five Daytime Emmy nominations. Shepherd joined The Midday Break Room with Tiffany Bacon to talk about her show, journey and struggles in the entertainment industry and about her new film, Tyler Perry's "Straw."Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to talk about his pending budget proposal, which has […]

todayJune 27, 2025

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This week on WURD: Philly teachers on strike, SEPTA’s funding issues, Sankofa through farming

Philadelphia Inquirer Education Reporter Kristen Graham, joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to break down the latest on the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers' strike authorization. She laid out the union’s key demands, explained the timeline for a possible strike and clarified that it’s not just teachers, but a broad coalition of school staff fighting for improvements.Senator Nikil Saval represents Pennsylvania’s First Senatorial District, which runs through the heart of Philadelphia. He joined Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDs to explain SEPTA’s transit […]

todayJune 20, 2025

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This week on WURD: I.C.E. in Los Angeles, “No Kings Coalition” march, Philly Black business market

Photo by U.S. Northern CommandForeign policy analyst Malcolm Nance joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to break down the ongoing ICE protests in Los Angeles. Nance explained how the paramilitary-style operation is being federalized and shed light on the tension between state and federal powers.Shekhinah B., curator of Philadelphia’s third annual Juneteenth Wine & Arts Festival, spoke with Soulful Sunrise host Karen Taylor Bass about her decision to remove vendor fees this year. Shekhinah emphasized the importance of uplifting Black-owned […]

todayJune 13, 2025 2

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This week on WURD: Lemon Hill shooting, first Black Heiress, Trump’s executive order

Portrait of Madam C.J. Walker | Photo Credit: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History: Archives Center. P.O. Box 37012Carl Singley is a retired dean of Temple University Law and founded one of the largest Black law firms in Philadelphia. Singley joined Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDs to talk about how Trump is eroding the structure of American democracy through his flurry of executive orders.A'Lelia Bundles is an American journalist and author, best known for her biographies of her great-great-grandmother, […]

todayJune 6, 2025 1

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The week on WURD: Trump budget bill, AI setting rent prices, Mark Dial mixed verdict

Congresswoman Lauren Underwood of Illinois joined Solomon Jones on Wake Up With WURD to discuss the recent House Republican budget proposal, which she said cuts healthcare and nutrition programs to fund tax breaks for the rich. She emphasized the importance of flipping key PA House seats to ensure access to essential services like Medicaid and SNAP. Ellie Rushing is a criminal justice reporter at the Philadelphia Inquirer. She spoke with Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDs to discuss the mixed verdict in the […]

todayMay 30, 2025

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The week on WURD: Trump’s Qatar jet gift, Black wealth disparites through land, Remembering George Floyd 5 years later

George Floyd mural Mauerpark Berlin | Photo Credit: Leonhard Lenz Congressperson Mary Gay Scanlon joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones about Donald Trump’s recent jet gifted by Qatar. Scanlon spoke about how the present is unethical and unconstitutional and the plans to investigate Trump’s deal. George Fatheree is the founder of the Black Land Loss Narrative Archive Project. A nonprofit initiative dedicated to collecting, preserving and amplifying the overlooked stories of Black land loss in America. He joined Wake Up […]

todayMay 23, 2025 1

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