After 23 years of state control of Newark Public Schools, local control has come back to the elected Board of Education. This spring, we had our first election where incumbent members of the re-empowered Board of Education ran against a new slate of candidates. One of these new candidates was A’Dorian Murray-Thomas. She won a seat on the board with the largest number of votes of any candidate. A'Dorian joins the Pod & Market podcast to discuss her vision as a board member, her policy goals, and what she brings to the table.

Local Control: Interview and Conversation with A'Dorian Murray-Thomas

The “Pod &amp; Market” podcast grew out of several conversations amongst Newarkers, lamenting the decline of traditional forms of media and journalism in Newark (like newspapers) and the lack of a central forum for discussion of issues facing the City of Newark. While not the first or only discussion podcast in Newark, the topics of the podcast can be as general as gentrification and as narrow as the construction of a single building. The only connection between episodes will be their connection to Newark.

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Method Climbing is a unique space in Newark. You wouldn’t believe it but the basement of Walker House hosts a 12,000 square-foot rock climbing facility and gym. The space is a draw for rock climbing and bouldering enthusiasts, as well as many people who are interested but not experienced in the sport. On top of that, they operate a full-service café seven days a week.Rich Song, one of the partners in the business, comes onto the podcast to discuss how the gym came about, opportunities and challenges that have faced them along the way, and what he hopes the space will be. 

Newark's Climbers: A Conversation and Interview with Rich Song of Method Climbing

We are turning the tables this time! Tehsuan Glover, a local journalist and sartorial savant, recorded this conversation with our host, Manny Antunes, in May 2022. While there are some dated references, the conversation remains fresh and topical. We covered nearly everything under the sun: Manny’s journey through his careers; Newark elections; rap and hip & hop; the artistic process; cocktails; our ambitions.

An Episode 3, But No Episode 4: A Conversation with Tehsuan Glover

On April 18, Mayor Ras Baraka gave the annual State of the City at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the ninth of his tenure as chief executive of the city. Mark Bonamo joins the podcast this episode—our first in almost a year—to talk through the speech, the questions it raised, the swirling rumors about a potential run by the mayor for Governor of New Jersey, and the overall state of the city.

Policy and Politics: A Conversation with Mark Bonamo on the 2023 State of the City

In 1999, the Newark Alliance was founded to lead efforts around the ongoing economic revitalization of Newark, with the goal of “transform[ing Newark] into a better and safer place to work, live, learn, play, and do business.” Part of this vision includes turning Newark into a true “regional city” through efforts in four broad strategic areas. The Alliance is supported by several, major private sector institutions including Audible, Mars Wrigley, RWJBarnabas, Prudential, and PSEG, as well as several public sector institutions like NJIT, Rutgers, NJPAC, University Hospital, and the MCJ Amelior Foundations. The Alliance leads many marquee programs, including the Newark Anchor Collaborative, Hire Newark, Live Local, and Career Works. 

Evan Weiss became the President and CEO of the Newark Alliance in December 2021. He previously was the Senior Advisor for Finance and Major Projects to Governor Phil Murphy, where he led the state’s fiscal response to the COVID-19 pandemic and was the point person for key initiatives in Newark, Trenton, and Atlantic City. Evan joins the podcast to discuss his vision for the Alliance and what his plans for the organization are. 

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Tying the Institutions of This City to This City: An Interview and Conversation with Evan Weiss

Newark’s municipal elections are in full swing. Walking around the city, you will see political advertisements promoting the different candidates running for office. . According to the city clerk’s office, there are 25 candidates running for 10 offices, including mayor, councilperson at large, and councilperson for the respective wards across the city. You may see debates on local television, read profiles in newspapers, engage with campaign volunteers on the street, or even attend events with the candidates. Here, on the podcast, we are striving to do our part in highlighting the importance of this election with interviews of candidates who have accepted our invitation to come on. Today, we have Councilwoman LaMonica McIver on to talk about her bid for re-election, her campaign for office, and her platform. Councilwoman McIver represents the Central Ward—which encompasses areas traditionally considered downtown, the area around University Hospital, much of Springfield Avenue, and most of Lower Broadway.

Local Control: Interview and Conversation with A'Dorian Murray-Thomas

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