The Spark

Saturday kicks off National Women’s Small Business Month. Women – specifically women of color – have powered the post-pandemic small business boom. Women entrepreneurs nearly doubled in number from 2019 to 2021, according to gusto. 32 percent of small businesses are owned by women and nearly one in five Black women are in the process of running or starting a business.

According to Guidant Financial and the Small Business Trends Alliance, there have been more female small businesses owners in the past few years than at any other point in American history.

But many women become entrepreneurs out of necessity to accommodate family needs and face obstacles that make it difficult for their business to survive and thrive.

Careoheena Martinez, CEO of CAMEO, Adriana Eey-reece, Vice President of Partnerships at Accion Opportunity Fund, and Jennie Groff, Member of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage join us to provide some insight on the obstacles women entrepreneurs face and resources to help them succeed.

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The mid-term election  is scheduled for November 8 -- about a month and a half away.

Pennsylvania’s races for the U.S. Senate and Governor could play a major role in the direction of the nation.

Historically, the first mid-term election after a new president has been elected is dominated by the party that is not in the White House.  In 2022, that means Republicans should do very well, if history is an indicator.

However, at least in Pennsylvania, polls are showing Democrats in the lead in the statewide races.

The latest poll from Muhlenberg College was released late last week. Dr. Christopher Borick, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Muhlenberg College School of Public Opinion appeared on Monday's Smart Talk.

Democrat Josh Shapiro leads Republican Doug Mastriano 53% to 42% in the race for governor and Democrat John Fetterman has a five point lead over Republican Mehmet Oz 49% to 44% in the U.S. Senate contest. In both races though, the Republican candidates are viewed unfavorably by wide margins by those who were polled.

Borick said those unfavorable numbers are sometimes hard to overcome and mentioned Mastriano in particular," I think it is harder for Senator Mastriano right now to close that gap. It is a good cycle for Republicans. Issues like inflation certainly help bouy the Republican chances. And it's going to be a lift for Republican candidates across the country. But matchups still matter. And in this particular matchup, advantage Democrats, Shapiro has pretty broad appeal in Pennsylvania, very comfortable, maybe in places like suburban Philadelphia, older voters, where somebody like John Fetterman might not be a natural fit. Josh Shapiro is every bit a natural fit and and has less, I think, weaknesses to expose. And I think Mastriano has weaknesses that have been exposed by the Shapiro campaign, a relentless series of ads that in Senator Mastriano's own words allow, I think, a framing of him as a more extreme candidate, and that's hurting his negatives."

Abortion also stacks up to be a major issue in the election.

Borick talked about abortion as an issue,"I went back and looked at our polling from the exact same time in the last cycle that was 2018, last midterm comparable cycle to see where abortion was. 3% of Pennsylvanians in 2018 said it's the top issue for them as they made their choice. In 2022, it's 21% -- one fifth of of the electorate. I don't think you have to to be a mind reader to guess what's happening for Pennsylvania voters. This is a post Dobbs effect in terms of issues, salience. It's a much more important issue now than it was before that decision and comparable to other cycles. And it has a big effect if you're looking for one issue that has helped energize Democrats in a cycle where they were fairly energized, if you will, relative to Republicans."

The Muhlenberg poll also showed 52% of those polled disapprove of the job President Joe Biden is doing compared to 43% who approve.

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Since the early 1970s, Video games has dominated pop culture and created communities and fans all over the world.

Games like Minecraft, Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario Bros., Wii Sports, and Mario Kart have dominated the multi-billion-dollar industry ranking as some of the best-selling video games of all time with millions of copies sold.

Although video games were created in the name of fun, recent studies are analyzing the positive and negative effects of video games.

Dr. Sa Liu, Assistant Professor of Interactive Media studies at Harrisburg University, joins us to provide some insight on the science behind video games and their impact.

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The invasive spotted lanternfly seems to be everywhere or at least on buildings and structures.

Since showing up in Berks County in 2014, the lanternfly has become a pest in Pennsylvania that can pose a danger to trees and plants but not to humans.

With few natural enemies in Pennsylvania and even difficult to eliminate with pesticides, we are told to squish the bugs on site. Doesn’t seem to be the most efficient or scientific way to control the lanternfly, but that’s where we are.

On today’s Smart Talk to address what many of you are talking about right now – the spotted lanternfly. Joining us is Kelli Hoover, Professor of Entomology at the Center for Chemical Ecology, Center for Pollinator Research and Insect Biodiversity Center at Penn State.

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Stuart Weitzman, American shoe designer and founder of the high-end international shoe brand, Stuart Weitzman, garnered worldwide attention for the use of unconventional and unique materials like vinyl, cork, wallpaper, and gold. His shoe designs are sold in more than seventy countries worldwide.

The shoe business was a part of Stuart’s family since Seymour Weitzman, his father who was also a shoemaker, had a company called Seymour Shoes where Stuart got his start designing footwear and afterward carried his legacy forward to create his own label.

Laura Turner I go, Chief Curator at Mitchner Art Museum in Bucks County joins us to tell us about their upcoming exhibit Walk This Way: Footwear from the Stuart Weitzman Collection of Historic Shoes that will start Saturday and go through January 15th to honor his legacy and the history and significance that his shoes hold.

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Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Single women with children experiencing poverty and homelessness are often burdened with obstacles and circumstances that make it hard to get on their feet.

According to finances online, the decline in two-married-parent households has led to the prevalence of single-mom and single-dad households.

It is estimated that there are 100 million single mothers all over the world and about 19 million children below the age of 18 living with a single parent.

According to the Women's Defense and Education Fund, single women are the head of 60% of households in poverty.

Christina Duncan, Executive Director at Milagro House and Stacie Blake, CEO of the YWCA Lancaster join us to discuss the factors that are keeping women in these circumstances, resolutions to get them out of those circumstances, and an upcoming Milagro House event that addresses these issues.

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September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

Nearly 46 thousand American died by suicide in 2020 and about 1.1 million attempted to take their lives. Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the nation. But those cold numbers don’t tell the story. There are many people struggling with depression and studies have shown the number of people suffering from bouts of mental illness has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joining us on today’s program are:

Govan A. Martin III, Suicide Prevention Alliance Chair/Executive Director,

Dr. Williametta Simmons Ph.D. (psychologist)

Amanda Hammock, Mayor of Morton in Delaware County and Chief of Staff for State Representative Jen O'Mara

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