Blog masonry

Philly Asian Americans have experienced a year of hateful acts, and fear it’s going to get even worse

By Erin McCarthy | Inquirer.comThe rise in reported acts of hate has left people in the Asian community shaken and traumatized, constantly on edge, and worried they or a loved one could be the next person assaulted or killed.Stephen Kulp was walking on a Center City street this summer, adjusting his face mask to ensure it covered his nose and mouth, when he was attacked for existing.“Chinese virus, go back to where you came from!” the man shouted, his voice […]

March 18, 2021

News

WE NEED A GUN VIOLENCE “MARSHALL PLAN”

By Curtis Jones | thephiladelphiacitizen.orgI couldn’t sleep last night trying to dissect all of the causes for the pandemic-level rise in gun violence in Philadelphia. It is a multi-pronged problem that will require an all-hands-on-deck solution. This national problem shocked Overbrook Park, an otherwise peaceful neighborhood in my district, with a shootout that resulted in two deaths, including that of a 16-year-old boy who had his whole life ahead of him.No neighborhood should consider this normal—or acceptable. The opioid crisis […]

March 16, 2021

Coronavirus

Pa. easing restrictions on restaurants, Gov. Wolf says

By Erin McCarthy and Michael Klein | Inquirer.com The idea of drinks at a bar on Easter Sunday is a real possibility throughout much of Pennsylvania, as Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday announced an easing of restrictions at restaurants outside of Philadelphia.Effective April 4, Wolf said, restaurants will be allowed to seat up to 75% of their capacity indoors, serve alcohol without food, resume bar service (with barriers to create social distancing), and move last call past 11 p.m., while gyms, […]

March 16, 2021

Education

A flood of money is coming to local schools: How should they spend it?

By Avi Wolfman-Arent | WHYY.orgFor Pennsylvania schools, the flood is coming.In this case, it’s the good kind of flood — a flood of money.“Everybody overuses the word ‘unprecedented,’ but it really is an unprecedented amount of federal funding coming to schools in a really short amount of time,” said Hannah Barrick, assistant executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO).Barrick’s referring to the new federal stimulus bill, which — when signed, as expected, by President Joe Biden — […]

March 12, 2021

Commentary

Philadelphia district will get more than $1 billion from rescue plan

WURD Radio is one of more than 20 news organizations producing Broke in Philly, a collaborative reporting project on economic mobility. Read more at brokeinphilly.org or follow at @brokeinphilly.By Dale Mezzacappa | ChalkbeatThe Philadelphia school district stands to receive almost $1.3 billion from the American Rescue Act that passed Congress Wednesday and is expected to be signed by President Biden on Friday.That is nearly a quarter of the $5.1 billion allocated to Pennsylvania for K-12 education. The aid will be […]

March 10, 2021

News

SOUTHERN POLITICS | Jackson’s water crisis: How you can help

This story was originally published by Scalawag, a journalism and storytelling organization that illuminates dissent, unsettles dominant narratives, pursues justice and liberation, and stands in solidarity with marginalized people and communities in the South. Scalawag and WURD are part of the URL Media Network.By Tim Majors and Scalawag EditorsPhotos Credit: Tim MajorsThe water in Jackson, Mississippi, is still not safe to drink. The same winter storm that rocked Texas and much of the Gulf coast last month has caused catastrophic infrastructure failures and […]

March 10, 2021

Coronavirus

Heard On WURD: Nick Taliaferro Interviews Dr. Chidinma Nwakanma

An Emergency Room physician in a leading professional team at Penn Medicine, Dr. Chidinma Nwakanma doesn’t hold back in her interview with Nick Taliaferro on Evening WURDs about her experiences as we approach a year of this pandemic. Being face to face, daily, with patients who were, “on death’s door,” especially in the beginning of the pandemic, Dr. Chidinma stresses that many of the horrors she witnessed were much worse than anything the media could have depicted. In fact, without […]

March 9, 2021

Events

Press Release: WURD Level Up Contest 2021

March 4, 2021THREE RADIO STATIONS ACROSS THE NATION JOIN FORCES TO CELEBRATE BLACK WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS WITH LEVELUP CONTEST WURD Radio in Philadelphia joins WVON Chicago and KJLH Radio Los Angeles to activate #LevelUP, a contest for women entrepreneurs in celebration of Women’s History MonthPHILADELPHIA—In recognition of Women’s History Month, WURD Radio is launching the 2021 #LevelUP Contest Celebrating Black Women Entrepreneurs and Innovators. This exciting three-city contest will call on Black women entrepreneurs to share their empowering stories and compete for […]

March 4, 2021

Commentary

Mike Tyson is right: Hulu’s exploitation of his story is more Hollywood racism

By Solomon Jones | Inquirer.comThe tale of Mike Tyson’s life is riveting.Abandoned by his father at age 2, Tyson and his two siblings were raised by a single motherwho moved the family to a crime-ridden Brooklyn neighborhood called Brownsville. Tyson learned to fight, joined a gang, and was arrested repeatedly before he was sent to the Tryon School For Boys, which eventually led him to legendary trainer Cus D’Amato. It was D’Amato who took custody of Tyson when he was released from Tryon at […]

March 3, 2021

Keepin’ It Real with Rev. Al Sharpton