Angela Rye, award-winning legal analyst, social justice advocate, and podcast host, stopped by Evening WURDs to talk about the State of the People Tour, a national initiative focused on reclaiming democracy and mobilizing marginalized communities ahead of the 2024 election through conversation, connection, and culture. Rye offered insight on today’s most pressing political issues and shared details on her podcast Native Land.Songwriter and author Dr.

Dhyana Ziegler, joined Tiffany Bacon on The Midday Break Room to discuss her memoir "Midnight Train From Georgia," chronicling the life of her brother-in-law, William Guest of Gladys Knight & the Pips. Dr. Ziegler shared stories about the group’s formation and Guest’s role in their rise to fame.
Arthur Steinberg is the president of both the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) and the American Federation of Teachers, Pennsylvania. Steinberg spoke with Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDs about the union’s fight for better school funding, the need for modernized facilities and ongoing contract negotiations with the Philadelphia School District.

Pennsylvania State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, who serves the 181st District, joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to break down what he calls the Trump “mega bill.” He outlined how the legislation would raise taxes on economically disadvantaged Americans, channel billions toward ICE and the military, and slash funding for vital programs like Medicare—directly impacting seniors and people with disabilities.

Megan Piphus, a four-time Emmy-winning producer and nationally recognized ventriloquist, stopped by The Midday Break Room with Tiffany Bacon. Known for her role as Gabrielle on Sesame Street since 2020, Piphus shared her journey into ventriloquism, what it means to be the first full-time Black female puppeteer on the iconic show, and details about her new album, Cinderella Sweep.

Dr. Edda Fields-Black, professor and director at Carnegie Mellon University’s Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, appeared on Evening WURDs to discuss her research into the transnational history of West African rice farmers. She also spoke about her powerful 2024 book, COMBEE: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War.

Actress, comedian, author, and host of the Daytime Emmy-nominated talk show Sherri, Sherri Shepherd joined The Midday Break Room with Tiffany Bacon to discuss her career journey, her struggles in the entertainment industry, and her latest role in Tyler Perry’s new film, Straw.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to discuss his delayed budget proposal amid a divided legislature. He also addressed key issues including the future of SEPTA, mass transit funding, and how his administration is navigating challenges under the Trump administration.

Philly-born R&B and neo-soul icon Musiq Soulchild stopped by The Midday Break Room to reflect on his artistic journey, his extensive music catalog, and why supporting Black-owned media like WURD Radio matters now more than ever.

Pinky Cole joined Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDs to share how she turned Slutty Vegan into a $100 million brand, lost ownership during a 2025 restructuring, and bought it back. She also previewed her June 22 visit to Philly for the Blueprint to Empire brunch where she offered her insights on entrepreneurship and resilience.

Jordyn Jay, founder and executive director of BTFA (Black Trans Femmes in the Arts), joined The Mid-Day Show with Tiffany Bacon to discuss how the BTFA Collective supports and preserves the creative work of Black trans femmes across the globe.

Elaine Brown, former Chair of the Black Panther Party and CEO of Oakland & the World Enterprises, Inc., joined Solutions with Amadee Braxton to reflect on her North Philly roots, her time with the Panthers, and her latest effort to build affordable housing in Oakland, California.

Leah Litman, author and law professor at the University of Michigan, joined Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDs to discuss the Supreme Court’s increasingly conservative leanings and her view that the political system selectively protects certain groups.

Meg Berlin, organizer of the “No Kings Coalition” march, spoke with Wake Up With WURD about the demonstration’s anti-Trump focus and its push to stop a Senate bill threatening major cuts to Medicaid and food assistance for millions.

Attorney Keir Bradford-Grey, head of civil rights litigation at Marrone Law Firm, appeared on Evening WURDs to unpack a Philadelphia Inquirer report on warrantless GPS surveillance of teens—many of whom are first-time, nonviolent offenders.

Carl Singley, retired dean of Temple University Law School and founder of one of Philadelphia’s largest Black law firms, joined Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDs to discuss how former President Donald Trump is undermining the foundations of American democracy through a sweeping series of executive orders.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel appeared on Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to provide an update on the ongoing investigation into the Lemon Hill shooting. Commissioner Bethel shared how the department is leveraging social media and forensic technology to move the case forward.

Jasmine Wright, a national political reporter with the Allbritton Journalism Institute, returned to Evening WURDs to unpack the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” report—highlighting its factual inaccuracies, broken links, and the broader implications for public trust in federal health messaging.

Congresswoman Lauren Underwood of Illinois joins Solomon Jones on Wake Up With WURD to break down the House Republican budget proposal—and why she says it prioritizes tax breaks for the rich over essential programs like healthcare and nutrition.

PA State Rep. Rick Krajewski sits down with Amadee Braxton on Solutions to discuss federal efforts to block states from creating AI regulations—and his new bill to regulate algorithm-driven rent pricing in Pennsylvania.

Author and former Radio City Rockette Jennifer Jones joined Tonya Pendleton on Reality Check to share her journey as the first African American Rockette and her new book, Becoming Spectacular: The Rhythm of Resilience from the First African American Rockette.

Dr. Michael Eric Dyson is a Vanderbilt University professor and author. Dr. Dyson joined Evening WURDs to discuss the "State of the People" power tour, reflect on the 5th year anniversary of George Floyd's murder and provide commentary on the current state of Black affairs in the country.

George Fatheree is the founder of the Black Land Loss Narrative Archive Project. A nonprofit initiative dedicated to collecting, preserving and amplifying the overlooked stories of Black land loss in America. He joined Wake Up With WURD and discussed how Black Americans are continuously affected by the wealth and land disparity.

Natasha Terrell and Jasmine Anderson are hosts of the podcast, “Travel Fly Sexy,” a show providing travel tips and tricks. They both joined Reality Check with Tonya Pendleton and talked about what travel locations might need more caution with global tariffs and how anti-American sentiments could play out when traveling abroad

Dr. Jelani Cobb, author, political commentator, and dean of the Columbia Journalism School, joined Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDs. They discussed the arrest and detention of Newark, N.J. Mayor Ras Baraka and the cultural impact of the new movie "Sinners."

Dr. Abike James is an OBGYN at Penn Medicine. Dr. James spoke with Karen Taylor Bass on Soulful Sunrise about how trauma can imprint on Black women’s bodies after enduring domestic violence, in light of Cassie Ventura’s testimony in the federal trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs. 

Linn Washington is a journalism professor at Temple University. Washington spoke with Solomon Jones on Wake Up With WURD about the truth behind the recent Trump executive order, which has given refugee status to 59 white Afrikaners from South Africa, claiming they're the victims of genocide.

Councilwoman Quetcy Lozada spoke on Wake Up With WURD to expand on her impassioned speech advocating for a bill affecting her Kensington district. On Thursday, City Council passed 13-3 legislation that Lozada said will bring structure to rehabilitated/addicted individuals in hubs and away from residential neighborhoods, children and senior residents.Dr. Timnit Gebru is an Ethiopian-born computer scientist and a leading voice in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) ethics. She is renowned for her work on algorithmic bias, data mining, and advocating for diversity and accountability in AI development. Dr. Gebru joined WURD Radio's special program "Artificial Intelligence, Black Realities, Part 2" on May 7 to talk about Black workers in tech and to discuss who is designing and deploying AI -- and who should be.

Sharif El-Mekki is the founder and CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development. El-Mekki joined Reality Check with Tonya Pendleton to talk about how his organization in Philadelphia is trying to get more Black teachers in classrooms and how they’re working through Donald Trump’s anti-DEI initiatives.
***The views and opinions expressed by the guests, listeners and hosts of any program on WURD Radio do not necessarily reflect those of ownership, management or advertisers of this station.