Bridging Philly

Have you eaten catfish and waffles? Turtle soup? As we now enjoy an enormous variety of food, these dishes are part of Philly’s culinary history. Origins of the city’s food traditions are rooted in the cultural melting pot that includes the African diaspora and the Pennsylvania Dutch. Chef & Culinary Educator Joy Parham and Elwood Restaurant Chef & Owner Adam Diltz share traditional New Year's traditions and explain why the cultural foods we eat connect us to the regions in which we live.

Then, we take a holiday shopping tour of some of West Philly and Germantown’s Black-and Brown-owned businesses.

How do the chronically ill access the proper nutrition to get better? The Philadelphia non-profit Manna prepares and delivers medically tailored meal plans to patients with everyday conditions like cancer, heart disease and more. CEO and dietician Sue Daugherty, Thomas Jefferson University's Dr. Kristin Rising, and a client who has thrived with their services describe the transformative health benefits of knowing how to eat for a particular ailment.

Then, Philadelphia Inquirer fashion columnist Elizabeth Wellington reminds us of how Philly hip-hop pioneers shaped 50 years of the evolving culture. 

The Golden Years are not as bright as promised. Many seniors have reduced income, and health issues, are often full-time caretakers for their grandchildren, and increasingly experience social isolation and loneliness. For 40 years, the Philadelphia non-profit SOWN has helped older adults age together with peer support so that no one has to be alone. 

The Arden Theater Company stages a family-friendly adventure through Roald Dahl’s BFG (Big Friendly Giant), in which an eight-year-old girl learns about dreams and friendship. 

Are your table manners ready for holiday parties in friends’ homes or out in restaurants? From knowing who and what to tip to bringing a gift to a host, Founder and Director of the Delaware Valley School of Etiquette, Dorlisa Goodrich Young, and longtime hospitality worker and artist, Jere Edmonds, guide us through the skills to avoid social embarrassment - so you’ll be invited back next year.

Then, an update on the future of Germantown’s The Colored Girls Museum with Founder and Executive Director Vashti DuBois, who is waiting on a zoning variance to continue her work in the community.

The holidays bring families together but often remind us of those missing at the table. How can we prepare for these difficult times? Naila Francis, a death doula and grief guide, recommends the bereaved give themselves a break. And Ravina Daphtary describes an art installation in Philly’s Rail Park where visitors can "call" a lost loved one on a disconnected rotary phone.

Then, 100-year-old Willow Grove-born Benjamin Berry remembers being stationed in England in the U.S. Army at 19 - to prepare and be a part of the Battle of the Bulge. 

The Focus on Fathers parenting education program shows new fathers how to have positive relationships with their kids. The “fathers to the fathers” try to fill in the gaps of men raised without a strong male father figure with child development education, job readiness, and mental health awareness with remote and in-person classes.

Then, the Broadway show Wicked is celebrating its 20th year with a national tour stop at the Kimmel Cultural Center. The musical is about The Wizard of Oz’s witches’ relationship before and after Dorothy drops down in the Land of Oz. PA & NJ-raised actors Celia Hottenstein and Olivia Valli share how playing the characters has helped them to be humble and more comfortable being themselves. 

The new HBO documentary Stand Up & Shout: Songs From a Philly High School explores the transformative power of music and how an arts education can be a source of hope and healing. Executive producer, Grammy award-winning musician John Legend - with executive producer Mike Jackson, and director Amy Schatz - worked with teenagers from Philly’s Hill-Freedman World Academy to learn how to write, compose, produce, and perform original songs.

Then, why is it taking so much time for Pennsylvania to legalize adult-use marijuana? And will there be business opportunities for everyone? We talk to Cherron Perry-Thomas, co-founder of Diasporic Alliance of Cannabis Opportunities, about how the commonwealth is behind many states in canna business development.

Finally, choreographer Marguerite Hemmings' Mural Arts public art initiative - Our Land Our Movement - helps kids connect their bodies to the outside through gardening and dancing.

Meet Steve the Legacy: a Philly-based inventor who develops STEM-inspired games to help kids develop their coordination and strategy skills that he creates in his living room factory. He shares how other amateur inventors can take an 'ah ha' moment to the next level by believing in themselves.

Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee came through Philadelphia recently to inspire over 200 elementary students at Drexel University’s Vidas Field Day and give away copies of her children’s book, “Running for the Gold: Connecting Kids to Dreams.” 

Author and sociologist Nikhil Goyal followed three students from El Centro de Estudiantes, an alternative, last-chance public high school in North Philly. The stories of their struggles with the juvenile justice system, poverty, and housing insecurity – and finally earning their high school diplomas in the face of great odds - are featured in the new book, “Live to See the Day: Coming of Age in American Poverty.”

Then, what do voters from different neighborhoods want from their 100th mayor?

Mayoral candidates Democrat Cherelle Parker and Republican David Oh share their visions to improve public safety and raise Philadelphians’ quality of life. They both share stories of humble beginnings that inform their future policy decisions. Election Day to choose the city’s 100th mayor is November 7th.