WURD’S 2023 FOUNDER’S DAY CELEBRATION

Join WURD Radio for our annual Founder’s Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., August 18, from the future home of WURD Radio, 3601 Haverford Avenue!

Founder’s Day festivities will include a tribute to Dr. Lomax, food, music, vendors, health screenings, and more.

And if you’re not a member, make sure you join the forWURD movement at the discounted rate of $80, which will be available ONLY on Founder’s Day! If you sign up for a membership on Founder’s Day, you will be entered into a chance to win a pair of tickets to see The Lion King and you will also be able to get a discounted ticket price for WURD’s 20th Anniversary celebration. Remember, membership has its privileges!

Click here to learn more about the life and legacy of Walter P. Lomax Jr., M.D.

Founder’s Day will feature a main stage where WURD personalities will moderate conversations curated in the mold of Dr. Lomax’s legacy and the themes that defined his work – community health and wellness, economic empowerment, and business ownership.

The event will open with ceremonial libations offered by Groundings host Brother Shomari, a land acknowledgment, a performance by drumming group Music Over Matters, and a rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by Valerie Gay. Throughout the day, the stage will feature two panel discussions – Equitable Development moderated by Brother Shomari and Violence as a Public Health Issue moderated by Solomon Jones, host of Wake Up With WURD – as well as a special tribute to Dr. Lomax featuring his family’s reflections on his enduring legacy.

Several elected officials including District 3 Councilmember Jamie Gauthier and State Sen. Vincent Hughes will make remarks, and WURD Creative and Production Director Tiffany Bacon will present WURD’s third annual Community Impact Awards to five recipients chosen for their contributions to Philadelphia’s cultural and civic landscape, Nick Taliaferro, who recently stepped down as host of Evening WURDs, will receive a special acknowledgment for his longtime contributions to the station, and much more!

Special Guests, Hosts and Panelists

• Members of the Lomax family: Beverly, Laura, Thomas, Charles, Sara, Bennett

• On-air hosts Brother Shomari and “The Rappin Professor” Dr. Aaron Smith

• Event emcee Tiffany Bacon, Creative and Production Director at WURD

• A special recognition of WURD host Nick Taliaferro

• 3rd District Councilmember Jamie Gauthier

• State Sen. Vincent Hughes

• 2nd District Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson

• Love Now Media presenting the “Wisdom Democracy” story and audio booth

• Performing artist Valerie Gay

• A panel on Equitable Development Panel moderated by Groundings host Brother Shomari featuring:

• • Charles Lomax, Chairman and CEO Lomax Real Estate Partners, LP

  • Donald Moore, Senior Vice President, Real Estate, Facilities and Operations at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

  • Tayyib Smith, founding partner and chief strategist at The Growth Collective

  • Maitreyi Roy, executive director of Bartram’s Garden

  • De’Wayne Drummond, president of the Mantua Civic Association

• A conversation on Violence and Poverty as a Public Health Emergency featuring Penn Medicine emergency care physician Chidinma C. Nwakanma, MD and Wake Up With WURD host Solomon Jones

• Winners of the third annual Community Impact Awards:

• • Meeka Johnson, CEO of All Black Everything Pop-Up

  • Dr. Delana Wardlaw & Dr. Elana McDonald, The Twin Sister Docs

  • Jazmine Smith, Founder Of Eyekonz Lacrosse

  • Rev. Dr. Andy Jenkins, Community Organizer

  • Troy Wilmore, Technical Production Manager, Radio Show Producer and Remote Broadcast Éngineer For WURD Radio