Flashpoint

I'm Listening is a Flashpoint special about suicide prevention and the importance of talking about mental health. In this special edition of the show, we explore the impact of mental health in Philadelphia youth amid COVID-19, the uptick of suicide rates in the LGBTQ community, and how communities of color break barriers within Black men seeking therapy. Mary Murtha Ann, Area Director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, speaks on how survivor stories can significantly affect helping others. David Huber, a survivor, and partner of the American Foundation for Suicide, shares his story and his efforts in helping others. Lastly, Mary May of Butterfly LLC is a therapist who talks about approaching a loved one struggling with mental health issues and suicidal thoughts. KYW’s Justin Udo speaks with Dr. Jayme Banks, Director of Trauma-Informed School Practices, on how The Philadelphia School District handles suicide prevention with their students amid the pandemic. KYW’s Shara Dae Howard highlights the

This week Flashpoint is highlighting Black doctors and their efforts to continue to fight against COVID by spreading awareness of the vaccine. KYW’s Jay Scott Smith is rejoined by Dr. Jennifer Caudle on her efforts in dispelling false and misleading information through her web series based on COVID-19.  The newsmaker of the week is Dr. Monique Gray is a cancer surgeon, who has been on the frontline of community outreach since the pandemic has progressed through communities of color.  The Philly Rising Changemaker highlights trailblazing Philadanco founder Joan Myers Brown as she is setting the stage for her retirement. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's Flashpoint explores how crime rates, including gun violence, can impact housing insecurity in Philadelphia. We'll be hearing from Rutgers University Professor Daniel Semenza, who researched and found higher eviction rates correspond to higher homicide, robbery, and burglary rates across communities. Community Legal Service Attorney Jenna Collins, an expert in eviction prevention, gives her perspective of someone who works with tenants to keep them in their homes. This week's Newsmaker highlights immigration and refugees' impact on the local economy and culture. CEO of the World Affairs Council Laura Swartz joins KYW's Shara Dae Howard on America's promise to immigrants and making a home in Philadelphia and benefit the city. The Patriot Homecare ChangeMaker is a group on a mission giving relief to Afghan evacuees at Philadelphia International Airport to make them feel more welcomed and at home. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-po

This week's Flashpoint is focusing on heading back to school. We'll be hearing from a high school senior at Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School, Kara Butler, Carrie Kries, the head of school at Gladwyne Montessori, and Temple professor Dr. Devon Powers about their concerns returning to school amid the pandemic and changing guidelines. The Newsmaker of the week is Dr. Mora Sammon, head of the medical response of Afghan refugees coming into Philly International. The Patriot Homecare Changemaker is a pair of Philadelphia police officers who spent the summer hosting basketball clinics for kids in West Philly. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Flashpoint discusses the recent catastrophic earthquake that struck south Haiti at the beginning of August. KYW's Jay Scott Smith sits with Haitian American Chamber of Commerce President Evelt Vertil and Philadelphia For Haiti Founder Carline Dorlus on their relief efforts for Haiti. The Flashpoint Newsmaker highlights Miquette McMahon, who was born and raised in Haiti. After the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January of 2010, she founded the school TeacHaiti grades. After the last quake, she has used her partnerships with organizations here in Philly, such as Philadelphia for Haiti, to continue her work to bring security, education, and strength back to her country. The Patriot Homecare Changemaker is eight-year-old Lily Cuttichia and her efforts giving back to those struggling with addiction. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many people are coming out of the pandemic experiencing feelings they didn't expect, such as anxiety about returning to social situations. This week Flashpoint discusses how to manage social anxiety post-pandemic. Licensed Therapist Shari Botwin discusses the increase in social anxiety as the world opens back up, joined by Carly Goldberg, a mother with an underlying health condition who can talk first hand about the social anxiety she faces, and Tyrell Brown, a teacher with a different perspective on how he is transforming his social anxiety into self-care. This week's Newsmaker focuses on Children's Hospital of Philadelphia collaborating with Philadelphia's Uplift Center of Grieving Children in a new grieving and trauma program for the youth in Philadelphia. KYW's Shara Dae Howard speaks with Katherine Streit and Tiffany Chalmus of Uplift Center on just how needed their work is right now. The Patriot Homecare Changemaker is Jiana Murdic of Get Fresh Daily, who started a summer camp with a mission of making h

What would a state of emergency mean for Philadelphia, and could it make a difference in the gun violence crisis? KYW's Antionette Lee speaks with Councilmember Jamie Gauthier and CeaseFire Pennsylvania's Executive Director, Adam Garber, on what is being done since Mayor Kenney's decision not to declare a state of emergency over the city's gun violence crisis.  The Newsmaker of the week is the 11-year-old CEO of Micah's Mixx. Micah Harrigan started his lemonade business at the age of 7 and is now on his way to being a national success. The Patriot Homecare Changemaker highlights Ron Curtis of Final Touch Academy. Curtis shares his story of once being incarcerated and opening his dream academy for those chasing their dreams. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thousands of Cubans walked the streets in widespread protests against Cuba's communist regime. This week Flashpoint breaks down the protests and what they mean for Cuba and the Cuban people. Morning news anchor for NBC10 Lucy Bustamante, Afro-Cuban American scholar Amalia Dache, and Cuban artist Denis Solis share their experiences growing up and living in Cuba. This week's Newsmaker is Telemundo 62 reporter Yaima Crespo who shares her story of being born in Cuba and the culture shock she experienced moving to the U.S. Our Patriot Home Care Changemaker is a pillar of Philadelphia art history. Cornell Wood is the first black head usher at the Academy of Music, welcoming generations of Philadelphia for decades, and now he's folding his gloves and retiring at the age of 66. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Flashpoint discusses the issues and challenges our country is facing with systemic racism, racial injustice and race relations. Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission's Executive Director, Chad Dion Lassiter, gives his expertise on ways we can combat these issues, and we hear from Frank Meeink, a former neo-Nazi white supremacist turned anti-racist activist on the racial progress he sees today, a year later, after the death of George Floyd. Our Newsmaker of the week is executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, Reggie Shuford, who hits on the racial progression in Philadelphia and what his organization is doing to keep up the fight for civil rights. Lastly, the Philly Rising Changemaker of the week presented by Patriot Home Care highlights Cherise McGill, an African American woman blazing a trail of firsts in the food and beverage industry. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

This week's episode of Flashpoint is dedicated to families who lost loved ones to gun violence. We're joined by two mothers who both experienced the loss of their sons. Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight, mother of Khalif Jabaar Johnson and co-founder of Mother’s In Charge, and Nydisha Williams, mother of Antonio Walker Jr. share their stories and how they’re recovering and creating change in their community. Nydisha Williams is also highlighted as our Philly Rising Changemaker of the week presented by Patriot Homecare, sharing her new nonprofit in honor of her son, The Antonio Walker Jr Foundation. This week's newsmaker has lost many loved ones to gun violence, however, continues to set his eyes on a bright future. Isaiah Harris is a 17 year old student. His mother says he narrowly escaped the pervasive street violence of North Philly, but found his way out on his own terms. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad cho

This week, Flashpoint tackles a topic that is sadly and often overlooked: teenage homelessness. We break down the number of homeless students in this city who are often undercounted both locally and nationally and what needs to be done to accurately count these teens. Porsha Burton, the community navigator of Youth Service Inc, shares her experience being a homeless teen while keeping her education a priority to working with youth today who are going through the same struggle. Anna Shaw-Amoah, Policy Associate of Research for Action gives us the statistics and solutions to help our youth experiencing homelessness. This week's newsmaker is Shawnese Givens, Interim Executive Director of Attic Youth, serving homeless youth from the LGBTQ community giving them a safe space promoting youth development, acceptance, and support. The Philly Rising Changemaker of the week presented by Patriot Homecare is Patrice Rogers, a Philly local taking vacant spots in Kensington, cleaning up needles, and turning these lots int

This week Flashpoint tackles the impact of our changing climate. With hotter summers, rising sea levels, and poor air quality, climate change is affecting our day to day lives, public health and economy. NBC10 Meteorologist Steve Sosna and PennEnvrionment Field Director Flora Cardoni share their expertise on combating the threat of climate change. The Flashpoint Newsmaker segment features U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and local renewable energy advocate Phyllis Blumberg, who speak on the infrastructure bill and the investment in renewable energy and jobs and how Philadelphians can benefit from this industry. The Philly Rising Changemaker of the week presented by Patriot Homecare honors Sankofa Community Farm in Bartram’s Garden, a local community garden cultivating African farming traditions and passing them on to Black generations of the future. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://

This week Flashpoint discusses the Generational wealth gap and what it means for the Black community. Black Business Leadership Coalition President John Childress and CEO and Founder of Beech Companies, Ken Scott, share their perspectives and what stakeholders are doing to bridge this gap.   This week's newsmaker is Register of Wills, Tracey Gordon, is using pop culture to inform locals on estate planning while promoting positive conversations involving wills through her office's new online video series, "The Register Reacts."  The Philly Rising Changemaker of the week presented by Patriot Homecare is Crystal Evans, founder of Money Talks, a local non-profit dedicated to promoting urban issues, host financial discussions, provide resources and personal finance tips to Philadelphia youth. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health reported that 2020 saw the highest deaths by opioid overdose that Philadelphia has experienced since 2017. PDHP noted that in 2020, overdoes death rates among white people dropped by 10%, but increased by 29% among those in communities of color. This week on Flashpoint, we discuss how the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on people of color, and why the surge of deaths were likely made worse by the effects of the pandemic. Clayton Ruley, Prevention Point Philadelphia's Director of Community Engagement and Shannon Ashe, Harm Reduction Worker share their efforts in bringing awareness and help to communities of color. This week's Newsmaker is Brooke Feldman, a local community organizer and advocate surrounding issues of drug user health, addiction and recovery. After spending years in recovery herself, She is now widely known across Philadelphia as a voice for social justice and an advocate for the improvement of the healthcare system. The Philly Rising Changemak

This week, Flashpoint discusses Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday. What does this mean for African Americans, and how did 2020’s racial reckoning play a role in Juneteenth's emergence in American society? KYW’s Shara Dae Howard speaks with Vashti Dubois, founder of The Colored Girls Museum in Germantown. It’s also Father’s Day weekend, and our panel talks about effective tools and strategies to champion Black fatherhood and promote the importance of men and dads taking care of their mental health. Joel Austin, the founder of Daddy University, Chimere Holmes of Be Ye Renewed Counseling, and Ihsan Hines of My Brother’s Keeper Cares share their perspectives and experiences with Black fatherhood. The Philly Rising Changemaker of the week presented by Patriot Homecare is Black Men Heal, a local organization on a mission to provide access to mental health, education, and community resources to men of color, and remove the stigma surrounding Black men and their mental health. Flashpoint is sponsored by the Gift

Is there a worker shortage? Or do folks just not want to work? This week's Flashpoint host and KYW Newsradio reporter Antionette Lee dives into the speculation as the jobs are coming back, but the workers are hard to find. Andrea Custis, President and CEO of the Urban League of Philadelphia and Michael Smi Robinson, Director of Community Outreach and Hiring for Temple University's Lenfest North Philadelphia Workforce Initiative discuss the challenges keeping people out of the workforce and what businesses are doing to get job seekers and employers through the door.  This week's Newsmaker highlights Desiree' LaMarr-Murphy, a West Philadelphia native and lifetime educator. She’s also the founder of Murphy's Giving Markets, a community food pantry that gained national recognition as she fed hundreds of families from her own front porch during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Philly Rising Changemaker of the week presented by Patriot Homecare is Abena Timazee of Feng Shui Naturals, who pivoted her business during the

Violence against the trans community is being called a national crisis. In Pennsylvania, the Human Rights Commission says lawmakers are ignoring bills that would help protect the LGBTQ community. This week, LGBTQ advocate Kendall Stephens describes the reality of the violence and hate facing transgender people of color, and Pennsylvania Director of the Human Rights Campaign Ryan Matthews explains why lawmakers in Harrisburg haven't made progress passing laws to fight violence against trans people. Flashpoint's newsmaker is Claudia Haddad, a voice of hope in the Philly trans community with the message that it's never too late to be yourself. And in the Philly Rising changemaker of the week presented by Patriot Homecare, Flashpoint opens the doors of the Valley Youth House, an organization dedicated to assisting kids who are rejected by their families and left with nowhere else to go. Flashpoint is sponsored by the Gift of Life Donor Program. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit

With violent crime surging, an election some thought might be a reckoning turned out as a resounding win for Philly District Attorney Larry Krasner over his primary challenger, former homicide prosecutor Carlos Vega. So what comes next? How does the city balance safety and fairness? And what does DA Krasner make of opponent in the general election? And with the city on pace for a record number of murders, advocates are asking what the next step is for public safety. Reuben Jones, Executive Director of Frontline Dads and Julio Moran Jr., whose mother was murdered by her ex-husband, talk about the violence crisis in Philadelphia, the violence prevention work being done, and what the outcome of the District Attorney election means for the city. The Philly Rising Changemaker of the week presented by Patriot Homecare is Phyllis Walker, who for decades has been working with her neighbors to improve her neighborhood from block cleanups to community watch programs.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy

Host and KYW Newsradio Community Affairs Reporter Cherri Gregg asks the burning questions about the recent disclosure that Penn Museum held onto bones of child victims of the 1985 MOVE Bombing. Abdul-Aliy Muhammad, who broke the story, and Michael Africa, Jr., of the MOVE organization are guests. The newsmaker of the week is Penn Museum. Dr. Christopher Woods, the new Director of Penn Museum is guest. The Patriot Homecare Changemaker of the week is YoungLives West Oak Lane. Club Coordinator Pam Canty discusses efforts. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host and KYW Newsradio Community Affairs Reporter Cherri Gregg chats with nurse practitioner Tarik Kahn. The University of Pennsylvania Ph.D candidate takes left over doses of COVID-19 vaccines known as “angel doses” door to door to the homebound.  The newsmaker of the week is the trauma following videos of police shootings. Sarah-Ashley Andrews, co-host of Black in Therapy podcast discusses.  The Patriot Homecare Changemaker of the week is CAIR Philadelphia. Executive Committee President Mohammed Zubairu is guest. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices