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This week on WURD: firing of Philadelphia DEI official, former Disney star shines, community input on Philly schools

Former City of Philadelphia DEI head Brandee Blocker Anderson joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to talk about her recent termination from her position with the city after reporting that a senior city official sent a sexually suggestive image to one of her direct reports. Anderson explained why she felt her firing was unfair, citing retaliation after reporting misconduct, a culture of fear and a lack of DEI support, and a pattern of retaliatory firings. Kelly Richards is the president and director of […]

todayAugust 8, 2025 1 2

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It’s Time to Embrace the Small Axe Agenda

By James Peterson | WURD Radio“If you are the big tree, we are the small axe.” —Bob MarleyWhere we are now in America is perilously close to the brink of democracy’s demise. The doomsday clock for democracy—if there ever was one—is ticking. Not just from the top down, but from within: corrupted courts, compromised media, and an increasingly autocratic executive vision for this nation. The signs are unmistakable. And in moments like these, we must remember the power of the […]

todayAugust 1, 2025

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Six Kids, Six Clinics, and a Lifetime of Care: My Father’s Health Care Journey

By Sara M. Lomax | WURD Radio My father, Walter P. Lomax Jr., M.D., was a rare breed – a talented physician with the spirit of an entrepreneur. One of four children, he was the only son of a shipyard worker and lampshade maker who worked long and hard to become a medical doctor. He practiced in Philadelphia for 32 years, building full-service medical centers throughout Philly’s underserved, mostly Black neighborhoods. At the height of his business, he owned and […]

todayAugust 1, 2025 1

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This week on WURD: SEPTA cuts, Clipse’s latest album, motherhood and reproductive justice

SEPTA Director of Media Relations Andrew Busch joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to discuss SEPTA's structural budget deficit and how this will impact commuters in Philadelphia and surrounding areas. Busch also explained how the deficit will lead to significant service cuts and fare increases if the budget is not finalized before August 24.Journalist and Media Personality Justin Hunte joined Evening WURDs with Dr. James Peterson and discussed the return of hip-hop group Clipse with their latest album "Let God Sort […]

todayAugust 1, 2025

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This week on WURD: Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s legacy, centering Black educators, examining Breonna Taylor’s case

Photo courtesy of FloNight | Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 InternationalFilm critic Tim Gordon joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to reflect on the life and legacy of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, what his legacy meant to the Black community and how he will be remembered as "America's son" because of his iconic role on "The Cosby Show."Dr. Alaysia Black Hackett served as chief diversity and equity officer at the Department of Labor under the Biden administration. Dr. Hackett joined The Midday Break Room with Tiffany Bacon to talk […]

todayJuly 24, 2025

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This week on WURD: Philly’s mental health crisis, attack on civil rights, new student loan law

Congresswoman Summer Lee represents Pennsylvania’s 12th district. Congresswoman Lee is the first Black woman from Pennsylvania to be elected to the U.S. Congress and has worked to get money out of politics, advance environmental justice, and advocate for criminal legal reform. She joined Wake Up With WURD with guest hosts Dr. James Peterson and Keir Bradford-Grey to discuss the new student loan law, the lack of federal aid and how that may affect students.Dr. Phillip Roundtree is the founder of Quadefy, LLC, which promotes […]

todayJuly 17, 2025

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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 4 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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