Philly Rising: Difference Makers from KYW Newsradio: Recent Episodes
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From KYW Newsradio, these are the stories that highlight our region's grit and grace - ordinary people of Greater Philadelphia becoming difference makers.
As Philadelphia’s gun violence crisis continues to affect young people, a group in West Philly has stepped up to the call to serve, with hopes of saving lives.
As founder and executive director of the Elevation Project, LaTrista Webb has helped thousands of formerly incarcerated people find new pathways in life after time served. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee tells us more about what sparked this career path for her. (Photo credit: Mansfield Media)
Cycling gave Ajoa Abrokwa a level of physical activity that also helped balance her emotions. Through her nonprofit, she’s encouraging young women and girls to get into the sport not just for wellness but for the paths it may take them down. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more on Philly Rising.
After more than a decade in state prison, Kashif Jones went back into the courtroom to ask for help from the judge who sentenced him. Jones now has his own nonprofit Relentless Community Development dedicated to helping at-risk youth.
Like many Americans, cancer patients struggle to juggle their health and financial hardships. That’s where Legacy of Hope comes in. The organization raises money to move needy Philadelphia families into liveable homes with comfortable arrangements. KYW's Antionette Lee has the story.
Amira Williams started her business Henna with a Twist as a hobby, helping women who had lost their hair due to alopecia or cancer. Now, she does henna all over the body and for any occasion. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
Rodney and Erika McLeod’s nonprofit, Change Our Future, is hosting the third annual Sneaker Ball, which raises money, school supplies and kicks for students in the community. They hope to double their fundraising goal this year.
(Photo credit: Change Our Future Foundation)
Prom “send offs” have become one of the most anticipated events of the year for Philadelphia high schoolers. It’s a time when families and friends turn dreams into reality for their kids. Dedicated moms like Angelia Ayres have put several hundreds of dollars and countless hours into planning the perfect night for their children.
Dorothy Johnson-Speight has been working toward gun violence prevention, education and intervention through her organization, Mothers in Charge, for nearly 20 years.
On a nice day, the Chamounix Equestrian Center, home to the Work to Ride program, is filled with kids taking horseback riding lessons, as well as dozens of cats, dogs and a billie goat named Yoda.
The one-of-a-kind program in the country gives kids of color a shot at mastering horses on the polo field. And recently, they’ve gained a lot of attention, as one of its students, Alyssa Perren, is Harvard-bound to play polo.
Diona Murphy has spent the last four years advocating for equity in birthing experiences like access to reproductive health care and resources for Black women through her nonprofit, Barren Fruit.
On Sunday, Salim Weldon will host dozens, including those who went to Mecca with him in 2016, for an iftar meal at the Ubuntu fine art gallery in Germantown where they will break fast at sunset.
“...No matter your wealth status, we are all fasting,” he said. “So from the richest to the people that are less fortunate than us – we're all on the same level. We're all fasting and we're all trying to please Allah and then when we are breaking fast, it doesn't matter who it is if you know this person or not. All Muslims are trying to feed other Muslims, fasting Muslims.”
After more than 15 years of working in the health and wellness industry, Ayana Bennett quit her corporate gig to open Da Smoothie Jawn on Girard Avenue.
“I want to provide education in a space where people feel comfortable asking questions that they wouldn't feel comfortable anywhere else,” she explained.
After a long career in the fashion industry, Cheryl Wadlington switched her style to service. She founded the nonprofit Evoluer House in 2004 to empower young girls of color in Philadelphia.
Breaking Bread on Broad started as a summer meal program for students five years ago, but when the pandemic hit, needs began to change and so too did the organization.
“We realized that their parents also were impacted in terms of their ability to provide for their families,” said Ellen Poster, the program’s co-chair. “And so we turned our program into a food pantry, which is what we have now.”
When Monica Miraglio purchased her first home, it was also the groundbreaking of her career in design and construction. She said she did all the projects in the house on her own.
“I started laying tile. I started putting in cabinets,” she said. “I would go back and forth to Lowe's or Home Depot, and I would ask constant questions to the guys there.”
That was 20 years ago. Today, as the founder and CEO of Girlbuild, Miraglio is helping women gain the tools they need to build whatever they want — whether it be their homes, their lives, or their dreams.
Autumn Womack is an assistant professor of English and African American studies at Princeton University. The Philadelphia native is also a Central High school alumnus, and the scholar’s latest project is turning pages across the country.
“It’s called the Cado Experience,” said Deborah Charmelus, creator of the Cado Experience. “It’s a day-long Black creative market that brings together more than 50 Black vendors in one space for a chance to exchange goods, ideas and culture.”
Felicia Harris-Williams has blended her passion for tea, holistic healing and wellness into the perfect brew. The mother of three, and volunteer for the Philadelphia Commission for Women, started Gynger Tea House in 2015 after a major health scare that required open heart surgery.
She uses her brand to fight racial inequities in health care by educating and empowering other Black women and advocating for their wellness.
“I'm privileged to be able to have a platform to advocate for women, to raise these concerns, to share resources about things that can save our lives,” she says.
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow is a teacher-turned-best-selling author. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee talked with Thompkins-Bigelow about her journey.
Dr. Guthrie P. Ramsey goes by many titles. He’s an author, musician, composer, and a retired professor of musicology. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee talked with Ramsey about how he is fostering the arts in Germantown.
Hakeem Devore is your everyday guy. He’s the father of a 6-year-old, a business owner, South Philly-born-and-raised, and a concerned community member who saw a need.
It’s been a big year for community activist Ryan Harris. The founder of the nonprofit As I Plant This Seed has helped put Philly’s needs on the map through his gun violence prevention efforts. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more on Philly Rising.
Nikki Bagby, founder of the Philadelphia nonprofits A Humbled Heart and The International People’s Storehouse, is setting an intention to make sure certain groups of people are not forgotten this season.
Caring for each other is the ethic that runs through the group Philly Moms Helping Moms, which Sharita Jones founded in 2015. Sharita Jones understands the importance of sisterhood. At a young age, she experienced a tragedy.
A question about road safety in his own neighborhood led this Philadelphia father, realtor and youth basketball coach on a quest to decode the "confusing and overwhelming" inner workings of the city. The result is the public resource Instagram "Local Politics First," which lends some transparency to Philadelphia politics and helps citizens understand its complexities.
Eight-year-old Gideon Ansah, who goes by the stage name “Star Jr.,” braved the cold for several hours, bringing beats to the ballot box at a West Philly polling location.
KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares his story on Philly Rising
Addie Auth and her mom Bernadette know a thing or two about overcoming the odds. At age 4, Addie was diagnosed with T cell lymphoblastic leukemia.
During the pandemic, Maureen Carreno of Delaware County became known as "Souper Mummum," sharing her soup recipes on Facebook and doing weekly soup drive-bys. The deliveries have ended, but the giving hasn’t. Carreno has been using her passion and talent for cooking to help families fleeing abuse at the Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares more on Philly Rising.
At a gift shop called Something Different by Eric, the goal isn’t making a profit; it’s creating a community.
YEAH Philly (Youth Empowerment Advancement Hangout) is one organization out in front of the fight against gun violence in Philadelphia. Executive Director Kendra Van De Water says YEAH Philly takes aim at the root causes of the issue from several directions at once, including food giveaways, employment assistance, conflict resolution programs and more.
Crystal Jackson is the founder of the Perfectly Flawless Foundation, a Philadelphia nonprofit that clothes people in transition. Jackson began her journey in community service by opening up her own clothing boutique in Germantown. But she says she always knew she wanted to parlay her business into a way to lift up her community.
Abdellah Abdul Qawi is tackling food insecurity in Philadelphia and Camden as director of Muslims Serve, an organization that prepares and serves free meals to those in need. KYW Newsradio's Sabrina Boyd-Surka reports.
For decades, nonprofit Esperanza has been dedicated to uplifting Philadelphia’s diverse Latinx communities. And now is a time when that kind of lifting up is needed, with Hispanic Heritage Month running through Oct. 15, and Puerto Rico, once again, rebuilding after a devastating hurricane.
When Antionette Campbell started her career in forensic science — and even earlier, while studying chemistry at Temple — she didn’t find many people like her in the field. So she did something about it. KYW Newsradio's Sabrina Boyd-Surka reports.
September is National Recovery Month. Darnell Hinton is on a mission all year long to help people in every stage of recovery from addiction. He runs a nonprofit called Teach One Feed One.
Philadelphia Family Pride focuses on building a community for LGBTQ+ parents and kids of all ages. It also offers support in challenging times, particularly during the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. The nonprofit has received calls every day since the ruling. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares more on Philly Rising.
The Father’s Day Rally Committee has prioritized supporting and celebrating Black fatherhood in Philadelphia for decades. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee describes the organization's mission and actions, and what they're doing for Father's Day.
Bird-watching has become a popular hobby during the pandemic. The activity requires little gear, and since it’s outdoors, it’s COVID-safe. That’s part of what led Elise Greenberg to start a group called Philly Queer Birders a year ago. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares more on Philly Rising.
Vincent Garrett didn't have a father, growing up. His experiences as a young man drove him to create his nonprofit, Mentor Leaders Produce Mentor Leaders, to do what he can to give young men today what he did not have then.
Sister Ann Provost, a pillar of her North Philadelphia community, is retiring as executive director of Mercy Neighborhood Ministries after 30 years of service to her neighbors. But what will she do now? "Well, we don't really ever actually retire. So I will be doing something. I just haven't found what it's going to be just yet."
Joel Wilson is hacking the diversity issues in STEM fields by creating a pipeline to success. His nonprofit, TechCore2, teaches coding, robotics and other programs to students from kindergarten all the way through high school. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
As a Delaware County District Judge, W. Keith Williams II can sometimes meet young people in the wrong place – inside the courtroom. "It's been my experience that, unfortunately, sometimes kids just don't have proper direction," he says. Through his volunteer work and the organization Men on Mission, he’s trying to prevent those encounters. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
Shane Darby experienced homelessness during her first pregnancy and didn’t have a lot of support. Now, she’s building that support system for others. She founded Black Mothers in Power to address the Black maternal mortality crisis in Delaware. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
Born to activist and organizer parents, it’s no surprise that Adjoa B. Asamoah's path has led her to become a political strategist and a champion of the CROWN Act, which legally bans race-based hair discrimination.
Leo Abelo Perry is only 9 years old, but he's already made his big break. The Doylestown native stars in the new Disney remake of "Cheaper by the Dozen," and uses his platform to make change in the world.
Nairobi Colon is a nonbinary art teacher at KIPP Whittier Middle School in Camden. One day, Colon realized they were tired of being called "miss," so they asked students to refer to them simply as "Teacher Robi," with pronouns they/them. The kids immediately embraced the name. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
Nearly 3 decades ago, Carol Wong noticed a need in the Chinatown community. That's when she founded the Chinatown Learning Center.
West Philly native Lorene Cary goes by a number of titles — she's a bestselling author, a playwright, a mother, and a senior lecturer at University of Pennsylvania. Not just during Women's History Month in March, but nearly 365 days out of the year, she uses her craft to preserve stories, especially Black legacies, for future generations.
Delana Wardlaw and Elana McDonald are two of a kind: They’re identical twin sisters who are both physicians in Philadelphia. Growing up in Strawberry Mansion, their community inspired them to help build access to quality, equitable health care and education for underserved Black and brown communities. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares their story on Philly Rising.
Linda Shockley is dedicated to preserving Black history, not just in the month of February, but every day of the year. Though many people may not be familiar with it, the community of Lawnside, New Jersey — right across the bridge from Philadelphia in Camden County — is rich with the relics of nearly 100 years of history and truth.
Dr. Sheena Howard is a trailblazer when it comes to documenting Black history through the lens of the comics industry. KYW Newsradio's Antoinette Lee highlights her in this week's "Philly Rising."
MyKey Cooper is a 16-year-old from North Philadelphia with a lot of talent and charisma. The multi-talented actor, poet and rapper is on a path to stardom and on a mission to shine a light on his hometown. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
Just a few years ago, Hank Robinson was battling addiction and despair. Now he is in a position to help others meet their needs and overcome the same problems that once held him back.
Tyler Riddick is a bit of a local celebrity. On the surface, she comes off as a shy, giddy, yet too-cool-for-school 21-year-old, but she’s also a girl-boss in the making. The Germantown native recently opened her own creative arts studio in the Fishtown area, Hilvl studios. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares her story.
Tawanna Jones-Morrison wants to be "a servant of the community" and help young black girls. KYW Newsradio's Antoinette Lee highlights Jones-Morrison in this week's "Philly Rising"
Ant Brown goes by a number of titles — father, community activist, motivational speaker, youth engager and rapper. His style of rap is a little different from the rap culture that's widely popularized, and it's the reason he's become a role model to hundreds of kids across the city. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more on the "ABRO Experience."
Ryan Harris was born and raised in North Philadelphia, and doesn't want his neighborhood defined by negativity. Through his nonprofit, he's providing a safe haven for children in the neighborhood and giving families the VIP treatment for the holidays.
The 5 Shorts Project is a mentorship program that teaches young people of color how to create short films that represent their lived experiences. The goal is to encourage and support independent filmmakers, and to create space for equal and more diverse representation in media.
Chanel Holland has been on a mission to bring ballet to underserved communities since 2017. Now her Chocolate Ballet Company is presenting a new take on a holiday favorite. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
Reuben Jones is well known around the City of Brotherly Love for his community service and social justice advocacy. He’s the executive director of Frontline Dads, a nonprofit that mentors at-risk youth and runs violence-prevention programs. Jones says supporting and building the community is really important to the organization.
A Woman’s Place in Bucks County helps hundreds of survivors in domestic abuse situations — the only organization in the county, according to Director Marianne Lynch. And throughout the pandemic, the demand for their essential services has increased. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more on Philly Rising.
While October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, for Dr. Helena Fontes of the New View Institute, everyday is about supporting survivors and fostering healing throughout Philadelphia.
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. The loss of a pregnancy or an infant is a common struggle for families, but the conversations and support around it are less common. Kristen Samuelson, founder of Three Little Birds Perinatal, is changing that.
Ubuntu is a philosophy rooted in Africa. The word means "humanity unto others." In Philadelphia's Germantown, it is also an immersive fine art experience. "I wanted, when people walked into the gallery, to feel something — peace, euphoria, zen," says Steven CW Taylor, owner and curator of Ubuntu Fine Art Gallery, 5423 Germantown Ave.
Hundreds of evacuees from Afghanistan have been landing at Philadelphia International Airport. Two women from the city’s restaurant community recently made sure a contingent of new arrivals was met with hot, culturally competent, meals. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has the story.
Officers Justin Harris and Shamsadeen Baukman of the 18th District have spent almost every Friday at the Christy Rec Center in West Philly, for the past 18 weeks. That’s where they helped dozens of kids, ages 8 and up, practice up on their basketball and football 'skills and drills.'
With the help of her mom, 8-year-old Lily Cuticchia organized a bake sale and raised more than $2,000 over the summer. She used the money to create care packages to give to substance abuse patients at Cooper University Hospital.
As distance learning has become the norm, the coronavirus pandemic has been hard for a lot of kids. Through her summer camp, Jiana Murdic is making healthy and wholistic living more accessible and fun at a time when kids could use it the most.
Cornell Wood is a pillar of Philadelphia's art history. He was a teenager when he started working as an usher at the Academy of Music in 1973. He stood out then, not only because of his age. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
Known for her French toast bites, Charisse McGill is the first Black woman to own and operate a food truck at Spruce Street Harbor, and the first Black woman to create a beer in the state. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares her story on Philly Rising.
Nydisha Williams is not letting the legacy of her deceased son end with a random act of violence. As she continues to reckon with her grief, while keeping her son’s light, kindness and excellence alive, she has founded a nonprofit in his name: the Antonio Walker Jr. Foundation.
The weekly farmer's market, near the corner of 54th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard in Southwest Philly's Kingsessing neighborhood, is special for a few reasons. They sell food grown just around the corner in the Sankofa Community Farm, in Bartram’s Garden. But the work Sankofa does is less about growing and selling produce than it is about maintaining and honoring the land and its connection to the legacy of the African diaspora.
Once homeless, North Philly native Crystal Evans turned her life around by teaching herself financial literacy. She has since dedicated her time to helping others overcome generational poverty. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares her story on Philly Rising.
The Urban Creators headquarters near 11th and Dauphin streets was once a dumping area, littered with trash and unwanted belongings. Today, it’s an escape from the North-Central Philadelphia concrete jungle, according to neighborhood organizer Moore Ali El.
Following a pandemic year filled with grief, job loss and racial unrest, a mental health nonprofit started by two licensed therapists has quickly become a lifeline for hundreds of men in underserved communities.
Abena Timazee has had to pivot her business a lot during the pandemic, and now she’s going in a different direction: She launched a first-of-its-kind, eco-friendly beauty truck to share her holistic, plant-based hair care products. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares her story on Philly Rising.
Joe Lynch encounters the story often: A young person thrown out of their house by family members for being LGBTQ. Since 1973, Valley Youth House has fought youth homelessness by providing a foundation for survival.
Though gun violence has drawn a lot of attention to Southwest Philadelphia recently, that should not be what defines her community, says Phyllis Walker. For decades, she and her neighbors have been working together to improve the neighborhood.
During the holy month of Ramadan, it’s said that good deeds are multiplied by 10. Ramadan has ended, but for Salim Weldon, also known as "Good Deed" Salim, the giving is still going.
After recovering from a lab accident, chemist Beau Wangtrakuldee discovered that PPE appropriate to women's shapes and sizes did not exist. So she started a company to address that need. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
Maleek Jackson has overcome many obstacles to get where he is today. The South Philly native is now teaching others to roll with the punches at his boxing gym in Northern Liberties, but he has heftier goals to use his gym to curb youth gun violence. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares his story on Philly Rising.
Less than a year ago Evan Harris was furloughed from his retail job at Men’s Warehouse. Now, at 21 years old, he owns of a menswear business in downtown Trenton, New Jersey.
At age 24, Jenise Rivera is already breaking barriers and bridging gaps. She is the first in her Puerto Rican family to graduate from college. In May, she’ll also be the first to graduate from law school.
As the city continues to grapple with record-breaking gun violence and more young lives being lost to bullets, Rickey Duncan's team is working toward solutions.
Damaris Alvarado-Rodriguez and her family moved to Philadelphia after the 9/11 attacks. Expecting a place of refuge, they found challenges with neighbors struggling to embrace diversity. That’s where her advocacy journey began.
Jamira Burley is a West Philadelphia native whose anti-violence work with young people has been recognized by Forbes, Oprah Magazine, the White House, and most recently Amazon's Alexa.
Through the pandemic, Alia Sutton-Bey has been uplifting the lives of local youth by teaching them how to "recode" their own lives and earn what she calls a livable wage.
Erin Brown has spent decades preserving the culture of the urban Black cowboy, sharing her love of equestrian experiences with her community.
It’s only February, and already the robotics team at the Academy at Palumbo High School in South Philadelphia is having a historic year. The Robogriffins won the CoderZ Pro League world championship in January, besting a team from a school in Moscow, Russia.
"I am amazing. I am courageous. I am dynamic." Ka'Mya Shanelle hopes her published coloring books, filled with self-love affirmations, will inspire other children with confidence.
Corina Newsome is a Philly Native making national waves in wildlife conservation. Her career today has set her on a path more monumental than she imagined for herself growing up.
Highschool sweethearts Bryon and Natasha Dockett used to sleep under the I-95 bridge in South Philadelphia. Nearly six years later and just 5 blocks away, that story has turned around.
Maureen Carreno has become known as the "Souper" Mom for giving away more than 5,000 quarts of soup at her Delaware County home through the coronavirus pandemic.
Through the chaos of a global pandemic and a contentious presidential election, Snacktime Philly brass band cheers on the city, while urging support for local musicians.
Paris Fit, inspired by Noel Davis' own physical rehabilitation, helps clients cope with ailments through physical fitness and employs young people to keep them off the street. During the pandemic, things got harder before they got better.
Paoli high school junior Hita Gupta, who started the nonprofit Brighten A Day with her allowance in April, has raised $30,000 to bring smiles to senior citizens' faces around the world.
Philadelphia grandmother Darlene Burton has given away hundreds of masks in her community to curb COVID-19 by hanging them from a tree in front of her house.
The instructions are simple: Take what you need, and leave what you don’t. Though the refrigerators on the sidewalk in a couple of South Philly neighborhoods may seem odd to some passersby, they offer free fresh produce and pantry staples to neighbors in need.
Tony Royster is the brain and soul behind "Philly Elmo" and Positive Movement Entertainment. Many people have seen social media videos of someone in a big, red, hard-to-miss costume leading a drumline through Philly's streets, but few know the background of the group and, more importantly, their message.
After a day of demonstrating the killing of George Floyd, Alexis Akarolo says she felt called to help support Black-owned businesses suffering from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, magnified by long-existing racial and systemic inequities.
The Big Cleanup started with Gianni Lee bringing a group of artists and influencers together for a conversation following the George Floyd uprising.
Paya Williams works with teenagers around Philadelphia neighborhoods struggling with a health crisis on top of the coronavirus pandemic. As the city faces record gun violence, many of the teenagers she and her husband coach are from the worst-affected communities.
Samyah Smalley and Sofia Cavicchia are both 17-year-old students at Central High School. Although they’re both not yet old enough to vote in the upcoming election, that hasn’t stopped them from stepping up to play their part in our democracy. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares their story on Philly Rising.
Ava Rajappa, a creative 10-year-old who lives in Virginia, is helping kids in the Philadelphia area facing homelessness, food insecutiry and mental illness by giving them artistic tools to help heal their trauma. Her project, Art Love, has donated more than 2,000 art supply kits to kids in 10 states, including Washington, D.C.
Nonprofit SistaTalk has become a connector for single mothers in Philadelphia during the pandemic after founder Adam McNeil devised a way to help meet several needs through one essential service: laundry.
Carlos Aponte teaches history at an alternative high school in Fairhill, one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Aponte founded the nonprofit We Love Philly to help build students’ confidence, relationships, and experience through acts of service. "We help graduate those students that the school district couldn’t," he says.
Like many things, COVID-19 has complicated normal routines for trash collection. But it’s also festered an even larger waste problem for neighborhoods, creating a lot of “trash talk” in the city.
Tyreek Wanamaker’s "North Philadelphia story" on a recent episode of Netflix's "Queer Eye" has inspired people around the world during trying times. His newfound popularity has helped his volunteer work and social justice outreach.
Normally, Cat Parker would be doing photography and web design for the ballet school she works at. However, as she found herself mostly unemployed and stuck at home, she felt a calling to do something meaningful at a time when so many social inequalities are being revealed by the coronavirus.
Chris Donnay’s day job used to be teaching math and computer science at a K-12 school in Bryn Mawr. Lately, he’s been using those complex skills to measure up ingredients instead of grades.
A 5-year-old miniature horse that usually spends time with patients at a Philadelphia hospital gave some Philly kids a much needed pick-me-up in West Philadelphia. KYW’s Antionette Lee has more.
Usually this time of the year, Farrell’s Florist in Drexel Hill is booked with back-to-back events, but the coronavirus changed all that. So Timothy Farrell decided to stay busy by delivering flowers with messages of appreciation and gratitude to health care workers on the front lines of the pandemic.
There’s much to love about Jerry Rice. Not to be confused with the Hall-of-Famer football legend, this Rice is more well-known for his big personality and lavish homemade desserts. KYW’s Antionette Lee has more.
In recent weeks, brands and businesses in Philadelphia and around the world have released statements, taken actions, and collected money to convey their stance on racial justice. Two Black businesswomen in Philadelphia are standing out as they figure out their roles in the fight.
In light of the recent looting in West Philadelphia, many businesses in the area have been closed and boarded up. But a few places were spared from damage, and they’re trying to be a beacon of hope during troubling times.
At the Arden Courts: Memory Care facility in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, a program that helps residents get a wish or special moment fulfilled has helped over 4,000 residents including 85-year-old Marianne S., whose wish recently just came true. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee reports
KYW’s Antionette Lee reports on a teacher who is reinventing prom memories for her students.
Richard Ost has operated the Philadelphia Pharmacy in Kensington for nearly 40 years. The pandemic has made an already important part of the community even more essential — especially for those who can’t easily get to it.
Spike’s Trophies (of Northeast Philly) has been around for nearly half a century…providing the awards & hardware for the city’s most popular sporting events like the Broad Street Run, Penn Relays and more. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
Syreeta Scott founded Duafe Holistic Hair Care in North Philadelphia nearly 20 years ago. During the coronavirus pandemic, her business is on pause. "The moment this happened I started applying for loans and grants. Have we been approved? Yes, we have. Has it hit my account? No, it hasn’t," Scott said. In the meantime, she has made some adjustments to continue serving her community and employees while the chairs are empty.
It all started with one Facebook post. Dayna Cavanagh of Delaware County asked people to chip in to help send lunch to her mother’s hospital department on the frontlines of COVID-19. Read more here.
Alan Brody, owner of Bryce’s Catering Company in Wynnewood, says most of his employees have been with the company for a long time. But, like many other business owners in similar situations, the ripple effect from COVID-19 really hit home.
Gregory Cooke is a historian and filmmaker who's been on a decade-long mission to get a group of women their overdue honor and recognition — 600,000 Black "Rosie the Riveters."
Danni Lewis doesn’t need Valentine’s Day to spread love — that’s what she does every day. She hand-writes inspirational messages on colorful cutouts shaped like hearts and passes them out to people around the city. "It's a mission. I was sent here to share love," she says.
Alycia Larson is known to hundreds of kids across Philadelphia as the “geography lady.” She’s like a modern-day Ms. Frizzle, but instead of a magic school bus, she carries around a “magic” suitcase that she uses to teach children about the world.
"My disability is not a curse, it’s not a handicap. It’s a gift," says Shawn Aleong, who has cerebral palsy. The Temple University student has made a name for himself by using his voice to advocate for others with disabilities.
In her non-profit, You're Beautifully Made, Shanon Skipworth has found her reason, and her calling. She began by mentoring girls from ages 10-18, teaching them self-esteem, etiquette, job readiness, entrepreneurship, and more skills they need to lead successful lives. Read more here.
Noel Davis' childhood dream was always to become an archaeologist. Eventually, that dream came true. The Rutgers graduate was able to take her love of digging overseas for excavating projects in Italy and England. But about a year into her first major project, things took a turn.
Kimberly McGlonn, the founder of the sustainable clothing line Grant Blvd, is on a mission to change the way we consume fashion. While the cost of fashion is more affordable to Americans today, it comes at a price to the environment. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
Beyond the Bars began as a free music program for juveniles in correctional facilities. It was created to offer an outlet for creativity and expression to those who needed it, and along the way, interrupt cycles of violence and incarceration.
Back in August, the Morris Animal Refuge tweeted a picture of a 26-pound cat that broke the internet and stole tens of thousands of hearts. Now Sarah and her husband Chris are the lucky couple who get to call Mr. B theirs. And they're using Mr. B's popularity to help more cats find homes.
When Kristal Sotomayor began filming her documentary last year, she had no idea that she would be recording history. "I started this film with a camera, and that was it...and I had to borrow the tripod," she says. Sotomayor's parents immigrated from Peru, so she said she knew that she wanted to do something concerning immigration because she observed their struggles.
Ella Stevens and Whimsy Mark-Ockerbloom are two teens with a big sense of humor, but they’ve accomplished something pretty serious that could have a positive impact for many people who are gender nonbinary — meaning people who don’t identify as male or female.
Part of a West Philadelphia community is in for a treat every quarter at Belmont Charter School, where students from second to seventh grade get to explore their creativity by putting on a concert called Belmont Voices. As for the turnout? You have to hear it to believe it. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
Morris Jones has been a pillar in his community for decades, and people, businesses, and organizations have asked him to do storefront paintings and wall murals to beautify the area. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.
KYW's Antionette Lee introduces us to a 13-year-old who brings life to the saying "small, but mighty."