NEXT with Marcus Atkinson

Join Marcus Atkinson and his guests Susannah Faulkner (New Erie City Council Appointee), Zakria Sharif (New Erie School Board Appointee) and Shateria Franklin (Asst. Grant Administrator with the City of Erie) as we discuss their new roles as Erie Servant Leaders.

Join Marcus Atkinson and his guest, Chuck Nelson as they discuss his new appointment as Erie City Council President on this episode of NEXT.

Join Marcus Atkinson and his guests, Rabbi Rob Morais (Temple Anshe Hesed), Dr. Parris Baker (Pastor at Believer's International), Chet Moffet (Cathedral Prep Faculty Member), Amelia Lego-Atkinson (Prep-Villa Student), Devin Easter (Prep-Villa Student) as they discuss anti-Semitic speech & social media on this episode of NEXT.

Join NEXT with Marcus Atkinson and his guest business owner Ben Primis, as they discuss how he launched a small successful manufacturing company during the pandemic.

Join NEXT with Marcus Atkinson and his guests East Side Renaissance Executive Director Timothy Shannon, Rodney Evans of Supremacy Construction and Parade Street Resident Antwan Robinson as they discuss the East Side Renaissance, Beyond the Headlines.

Join NEXT with Marcus Atkinson and his guests Community Educator Kristy Gnibus, Molly Brechtel of Erie County United and Community Advocate Heather Garczynski as they discuss the possible elimination of Roe v Wade in this two part series.

Join NEXT with Marcus Atkinson and his guests Daryl Craig, the Director of Creative Community Connectors, and Daria Devlin, ECAT Executive Director as they discuss the Erie High School shooting incident.

Join NEXT with Marcus Atkinson and his guest, an Assistant Political Science Professor at Penn State Behrend, Dr. Lena Surzhko-Harned as she talks about the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and the CEO of Her Power, Tiffany L. LaVette.

NEXT with Marcus Atkinson talks one-on-one with Dr. Theron Williams, Founder & President, The Bible Is Black History Institute. Marcus and Dr. Williams talk in-depth about black history and how it relates to Dr. Williams written works in his book "The Bible Is Black History".

Join NEXT With Marcus Atkinson and his guest's Deidre G, and Anthony Quinn as they discuss the January 6th, 2021 Insurrection: A deep analysis of the fallout, convictions and political ramifications. Also on this episode, Marcus interviews Gary Lee, the former Director of Administration for Erie County, Erie PA.

Join NEXT with Marcus Atkinson and his guests; Marc Blount, Deidre G, Chantel Rodriquez, and Lynn Johnson as they discuss the circumstances and trials that shaped 2021.

Join NEXT with Marcus Atkinson and his guests; Chuck Nelson, City Councilman Elect, Jezree Friend, Sharp Iron Strategies, and Ashlyn Kelly, YEP Civic Engagement Chair as they discuss the local political campaign results in Erie, PA.

Join me and my guests; Chuck Cammarata – Host of “Why” with Chuck Cammarata, David Edmunds – Belle Valley & Elmwood Presbyterian, and Britney Knight - First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant as we discuss the social and political influence of the Evangelical movement.

Join NEXT with Marcus Atkinson and his guests, mental health clinicians; Maurice Clarke, Chelsea Curlett, Thierno Barry, and Dr. Adrienne Dixon as they discuss mental health in the African American community.

Join NEXT with Marcus Atkinson and his guests; Pastor and community advocate Daryl Craig, community advocate Maurice Troop, and community advocate Tammie Johnson as they discuss hard truths about the black community that we must face to move forward.

Join Marcus and guests Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Miami Herald; Leonard Pitts Jr., executive director of Opened Eyes; Brandon Wiley, and the CEO of Cook Media and executive director of Life Through Music; Corey Cook as they discuss fatherhood and the federal holiday passing of Juneteenth.

Join Marcus and his guests; community advocate Carl Knight and NAACP President Gary Horton as they discuss the First Step Act and Carl's release from prison after 22 years.

Join NEXT with Marcus Atkinson and his guests as they talk about their platform for the 2021 City of Erie Council election for the upcoming election cycle. Today we are joined by Chuck Nelson, Elspeth Koehle, Liz Allen, Jasmine Flores, Marcus Yuille, and Greg Brown, all running for the 2021 city council race for the City of Erie. Note: all the candidates for the 2021 City of Erie Council race were contacted and only the ones included in this episode returned the request to be on the show.

Join Marcus and his guests; Rick Wellington, a retired Department of PA Corrections Officer and US Army Veteran, and; Anthony Quinn, a retired Infantry Second Lieutenant (2LT), as they discuss the events of January 6th, 2021 and the fallout afterwards.

Join Marcus and guests: Lopez Matthews, Ph.D. Digital Librarian and Historian, Howard University; Lyn Twillie-Darby, President, Mu Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc; Dr. Kephyan Sheppard, Pastor, Word of Life Fellowship Center as they discuss "the dream continues"; the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Join Marcus Atkinson and his guests; PA Senator Dan Laughlin; president of MCIC James Sherrod; and chief nursing officer and VP of patient services at UPMC Hamot; as they discuss COVID-19, the vaccine, and the polarizing climate surrounding our political landscape.

Join Marcus and his guests; Kyra Taylor, and Davona Pacley from Erie's Black Wall Street, Dave Dix from Luminous Strategies LLC, and Marc Blount the host of "Blount Conversations" - as they discuss black empowerment, and economic empowerment in the Erie community.

Marcus and his guests community advocate Fred Rush, and director of domestic violence services at SafeNet, Robyn Young. As they discuss the importance of voting and that October is domestic violence awareness month. Is someone you know trapped in an abusive relationship? Are you trying to find a safe place nearby, but don’t know how? Download RUSafe to find the hope and the help you need. Learn more, and download the app at www.RUSafe.net

Join Marcus Atkinson and his guests: Abdullah Washington (Poet / Community Activist), Chuck Cammarata (Pastor), and Adrian D. Ewing (Community Advocate) as they discuss police reform, diversity, equity and inclusion and what it looks like as we come together as a society.

Join Marcus Atkinson and his guests: Brian Polito - Erie school district's superintendent, Alison Reynolds - CEO of Robert Benjamin Wiley Charter School, and Amy Harris - Director of Community Relations and Building Operations at Robert Benjamin Wiley Charter School, as we discussed the challenges of reopening schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marcus talks with Dr. Sidney Coupet, an Internal Medicine physician, the founder and CEO of Coupet Quality Clinic (CQC). In this month’s episode of NEXT with Marcus Atkinson, the host asks thought-provoking questions about the fatalities in the black community from COVID-19 and proactive ways to protect marginalized groups post-pandemic.

Marcus and guests talk about the historical impact black radio and self-produced entertainment has had on the African-American community. This episode introduces Homer Smith; radio personality for WERG’s “Super Soul Saturday”, Tanya Teglo; Author and historian and Jermaine Beason; Writer, Director, and Actor.

Marcus and guest; James C. Sherrod, the Executive Director of the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Center, share the impact of Martin Luther King III’s visit to Erie and upcoming King holiday activities.

Marcus Atkinson talks with David González, MS , CEO of St. Martin Center, Inc. and Michael Hooks, Founder of Michael Making Lives Better about nonprofits and philanthropy in the season of giving.

Marcus Atkinson talks with Jim Wertz (Democratic Party Chair) and Jezree Friend (Republican Party Representative) about the current political landscape. They also talk about the elections both locally and nationally.

Marcus Atkinson talks with Kathy Wrosdick Planning Director for the City of Erie, Heather Caspar Executive Director of SSJ Neighborhood Network and Anna Frantz Executive Director of Our West Bayfront about Planning for our futures and organizing our neighborhoods.

Marcus Atkinson talks with Sheila Silman, MS, Program Manager ECRSSA/GECAC, Amy Eisert - Executive Director Mercyhurst University Civic Institute, Jesse Tate, BS - Case Manager ECRSSA/GECAC, and Tyshun Taylor - Client Advocate ECRSSA/Downtown YMCA about a more unified Erie. About the recidivism rate in Erie County, and the funding crisis ECRSSA/GECAC currently face.

"Brother D's" Journey into community advocacy and the role the Crime Victim Center of Erie plays in dealing with trauma-induced-community events.

Host Marcus Atkinson talks with Bishop Dwane Brock, founder of The Eagle's Nest, a life skills training program for at risk youth. Then Marcus talks with Matt and Cleo Harris about Character Be About It, a prevention based program taught by trained law enforcement officers, which instills important character traits in children in grades K through 8.

The influence of fathers is, in a word, AWESOME! But with 19.7M children in the U.S. fatherless, putting them at risk for innumerable challenges from obesity to incarceration, Marcus and guests discuss fatherhood & fatherly influences - and fatherlessness - in our communities.

Belated happy Mother's Day! Matriarchs hold our families together. How do we cherish their role in our lives, and how do we lean on their spirit when time, distance, or loss means they're no longer right there beside us? This episode takes a look at those questions alongside the all-important and evolving role of mothers in our country and around the world. Special guests Christine Rush, Amanda Burlingham, Angela Kennedy Collins, and Tracy Dailey discuss key concerns of modern mothers, parents, and families.

Public discourse about gentrification can spawn controversy and conflict but is nevertheless more important today than ever before, including in the communities of Erie. Marcus and guests discuss displacement, disinvestment, and gentrification in this second installment of our series on gentrification. Featuring: Molly Brechtel, healthcare advocate, union organizer, community advocate; Abdullah Washington, community organizer, artist; Jon Whaley, community advocate, entrepreneur

What is it about the concept of gentrification that sparks controversy? Marcus shares a personal experience, and guests discuss revitalization efforts in the neighborhoods of Erie, asking whether these developments carry the negative connotations of "gentrification". Featuring: Dr. Adam Saeler, Assistant Proffessor, Criminal Justice, Mercyhurst University Nicole Reitzell, Vice President, Community Engagement, Erie Downtown Development Corporation Brett R. Wiler, Director, Capital Formation, Flagship Opportunity Zone Development Company

Marcus and guests Scott Michel, site pastor for Grace Church in McKean, and Fred Rush, retired journalist and public servant, honor Black History Month with a conversation about the rich history of Pullman porters in the 19th and 20th centuries, including their impact on the development of the black middle class.

Marcus and guests Marc Blount, Art Leopold, and Dr. Parris Baker discuss the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Marcus and guests recap the hottest local stories of 2018, starting with the meteoric resurgence of the "pizza bomber" case, with guests Jerry Clark and Ed Palattella, authors of "Pizza Bomber: The Untold Story of America's Most Shocking Bank Robbery". Then journalist Kevin Flowers and Hip Hop artist Cee Brown join Marcus for a look back at a memorable year in politics and more.

Returning special guests Nicci Page (D) and Robert J. Yates (R) discuss engagement around midterm elections - and results - from the vantage point of each party. And Rebecca Styn, executive director of Idea Fund Erie, and Sonya Byes, host and producer of Chatting with Sonya, join in a conversation about the historic gains by women in politics nationwide.

Get informed, get engaged, and get involved! With midterm elections quickly approaching, local representatives from the Democratic and Republican parties share party views, featuring special guests Gary Carver (R), Nicci Page (D), Jim Wertz (D), and Robert J. Yates (R).

The forward momentum of Erie seems to be on everyone's mind. But is Erie moving in the right direction, elevating new voices, or is it just business as usual? Special guests share the perspective of new voices, especially those of new Americans, and an economic development perspective. In this episode, Marcus is joined by: Vanessa Belen - Governor's Council on Latino Affairs Tyler Titus - Erie City School Board Niken Astari Carpenter - liaison to the New American community Michael Outlaw - liaison to the African-American community Brett Wiler - Business Development Officer, City of Erie John Persinger, CEO, Erie Downtown Development Corporation (EDDC) Matt Wachter, VP Finance & Development, EDDC Nicole Reitzell, VP Community Engagement, EDDC

Community advocates Tamara Johnson and Ann Young join Craig Heidelberg, owner of Dapper Don's Style Emporium & co-founder of Men Building Men, and Robert Manus, brother of Felix Manus, for an analysis of the child support enforcement system, including via the documentary "Where's Daddy" by Philadelphia filmmaker Rel Dowdell and Felix Manus's incarceration and tragic death while in police custody.

DACA recipient Luis Rodriguez, licensed social worker Lydia Laythe, International Institute of Erie Director Dylanna Grasinger, and Lynn Johnson, founder and director of Erie's AmeriMasala multicultural unity event, join Marcus in a discussion of U.S. immigration policy and its local impacts, from DACA - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals - to the Trump administration's zero tolerance policy.