Uptown Radio

Seaweed has been harvested for thousands of years by indigenous communities. Now there’s renewed interest in growing these coastal crops on a larger scale. As Arcelia Martin reports, Long Island ocean farmers and entrepreneurs are turning to kelp in an effort to combat climate change.

Special courtesy to Michael Doall.

New Metro North train stops are opening in the Bronx, a Times Square shooting suspect is apprehended, and the mayor eats a burger on live TV.

The CDC announced this afternoon that fully vaccinated people do not need to wear a mask – indoors or outdoors. There are some exceptions, including public transportation, nursing homes, and homeless shelters. Katie Anastas hit the streets to ask New Yorkers: what are they most looking forward to doing mask free?

For many blind and visually impaired people, guide dogs bring a new level of independence. But during the last year, few trained guide dogs are available for placement with owners. In New Jersey, at an organization called The Seeing Eye, just 170 people received guide dogs -- a third fewer than normal. As Katie Anastas reports, the pandemic has put much of the training process on hold.

New York City’s democratic candidates for mayor will have their first official debate tonight. Andrew Yang and Eric Adams, the two frontrunners in that race, have both drawn criticism over their comments on the incidents unfolding between Israel and Palestine.

Neil Kwatra, a democratic political strategist, joined Leyla Doss on Uptown Radio. He’s here to discuss the political calculus that happens when local candidates weigh in on international issues.

Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona from a Sheikh Jarrah Pro-Palestine protest in London.

Uptown Radio Broadcast - May 13, 2021 by Uptown Radio

The Whitney Museum of American Art recently debuted an outdoor permanent exhibit titled “Day’s End” by the artist David Hammon. Fei Lu reports.

Fei Lu reports on how art fairs are returning and adapting a very in-person experience into a pandemic-friendly event.

The odds are stacked against Black-owned businesses from the beginning. A study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York says they’re almost twice as likely to fail than others. They face hurdles like increasing gentrification, which causes higher rents, and a lack of access to financing.

The pandemic made the situation even worse. But now, as the city reopens, a group of Black-owned businesses in Crown Heights is bucking that trend. And as Leyla Doss reports, this isn’t just about economics. It’s about the social and cultural fabric of a neighborhood.

Eleven Madison Park goes (mostly) Vegan. by Uptown Radio