Philly Rising: Difference Makers from KYW Newsradio

As Philadelphia's gun violence crisis continues to affect young people, a group in West Philly has stepped up to the call to serve, with hopes of saving lives.

As founder and executive director of the Elevation Project, LaTrista Webb has helped thousands of formerly incarcerated people find new pathways in life after time served. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee tells us more about what sparked this career path for her. (Photo credit: Mansfield Media)

Cycling gave Ajoa Abrokwa a level of physical activity that also helped balance her emotions. Through her nonprofit, she's encouraging young women and girls to get into the sport not just for wellness but for the paths it may take them down. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more on Philly Rising.

After more than a decade in state prison, Kashif Jones went back into the courtroom to ask for help from the judge who sentenced him. Jones now has his own nonprofit Relentless Community Development dedicated to helping at-risk youth.

Like many Americans, cancer patients struggle to juggle their health and financial hardships. That's where Legacy of Hope comes in. The organization raises money to move needy Philadelphia families into liveable homes with comfortable arrangements. KYW's Antionette Lee has the story. 

Amira Williams started her business Henna with a Twist as a hobby, helping women who had lost their hair due to alopecia or cancer. Now, she does henna all over the body and for any occasion. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.

Rodney and Erika McLeod's nonprofit, Change Our Future, is hosting the third annual Sneaker Ball, which raises money, school supplies and kicks for students in the community. They hope to double their fundraising goal this year.  (Photo credit: Change Our Future Foundation) 

Prom “send offs” have become one of the most anticipated events of the year for Philadelphia high schoolers. It's a time when families and friends turn dreams into reality for their kids. Dedicated moms like Angelia Ayres have put several hundreds of dollars and countless hours into planning the perfect night for their children.

Dorothy Johnson-Speight has been working toward gun violence prevention, education and intervention through her organization, Mothers in Charge, for nearly 20 years. 

On a nice day, the Chamounix Equestrian Center, home to the Work to Ride program, is filled with kids taking horseback riding lessons, as well as dozens of cats, dogs and a billie goat named Yoda. The one-of-a-kind program in the country gives kids of color a shot at mastering horses on the polo field. And recently, they've gained a lot of attention, as one of its students, Alyssa Perren, is Harvard-bound to play polo.

Diona Murray has spent the last four years advocating for equity in birthing experiences like access to reproductive health care and resources for Black women through her nonprofit, Barren Fruit.

On Sunday, Salim Weldon will host dozens, including those who went to Mecca with him in 2016, for an iftar meal at the Ubuntu fine art gallery in Germantown where they will break fast at sunset.  “...No matter your wealth status, we are all fasting,” he said. “So from the richest to the people that are less fortunate than us – we're all on the same level. We're all fasting and we're all trying to please Allah and then when we are breaking fast, it doesn't matter who it is if you know this person or not. All Muslims are trying to feed other Muslims, fasting Muslims.”

 After more than 15 years of working in the health and wellness industry, Ayana Bennett quit her corporate gig to open Da Smoothie Jawn on Girard Avenue.  “I want to provide education in a space where people feel comfortable asking questions that they wouldn't feel comfortable anywhere else,” she explained.

After a long career in the fashion industry, Cheryl Wadlington switched her style to service. She founded the nonprofit Evoluer House in 2004 to empower young girls of color in Philadelphia.

Breaking Bread on Broad started as a summer meal program for students five years ago, but when the pandemic hit, needs began to change and so too did the organization.  “We realized that their parents also were impacted in terms of their ability to provide for their families,” said Ellen Poster, the program's co-chair. “And so we turned our program into a food pantry, which is what we have now.”

When Monica Miraglio purchased her first home, it was also the groundbreaking of her career in design and construction. She said she did all the projects in the house on her own.  “I started laying tile. I started putting in cabinets,” she said. “I would go back and forth to Lowe's or Home Depot, and I would ask constant questions to the guys there.” That was 20 years ago. Today, as the founder and CEO of Girlbuild, Miraglio is helping women gain the tools they need to build whatever they want — whether it be their homes, their lives, or their dreams.

Autumn Womack is an assistant professor of English and African American studies at Princeton University. The Philadelphia native is also a Central High school alumnus, and the scholar's latest project is turning pages across the country.

“It's called the Cado Experience,” said Deborah Charmelus, creator of the Cado Experience. “It's a day-long Black creative market that brings together more than 50 Black vendors in one space for a chance to exchange goods, ideas and culture.”

Felicia Harris-Williams has blended her passion for tea, holistic healing and wellness into the perfect brew. The mother of three, and volunteer for the Philadelphia Commission for Women, started Gynger Tea House in 2015 after a major health scare that required open heart surgery. She uses her brand to fight racial inequities in health care by educating and empowering other Black women and advocating for their wellness. “I'm privileged to be able to have a platform to advocate for women, to raise these concerns, to share resources about things that can save our lives,” she says.

Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow is a teacher-turned-best-selling author. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee talked with Thompkins-Bigelow about her journey. 

Dr. Guthrie P. Ramsey goes by many titles. He's an author, musician, composer, and a retired professor of musicology. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee talked with Ramsey about how he is fostering the arts in Germantown.

Hakeem Devore is your everyday guy. He's the father of a 6-year-old, a business owner, South Philly-born-and-raised, and a concerned community member who saw a need.

It's been a big year for community activist Ryan Harris. The founder of the nonprofit As I Plant This Seed has helped put Philly's needs on the map through his gun violence prevention efforts. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more on Philly Rising.

Nikki Bagby, founder of the Philadelphia nonprofits A Humbled Heart and The International People's Storehouse, is setting an intention to make sure certain groups of people are not forgotten this season.

Caring for each other is the ethic that runs through the group Philly Moms Helping Moms, which Sharita Jones founded in 2015. Sharita Jones understands the importance of sisterhood. At a young age, she experienced a tragedy.

A question about road safety in his own neighborhood led this Philadelphia father, realtor and youth basketball coach on a quest to decode the "confusing and overwhelming" inner workings of the city. The result is the public resource Instagram "Local Politics First," which lends some transparency to Philadelphia politics and helps citizens understand its complexities.

 Eight-year-old Gideon Ansah, who goes by the stage name “Star Jr.,” braved the cold for several hours, bringing beats to the ballot box at a West Philly polling location.   KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares his story on Philly Rising

Addie Auth and her mom Bernadette know a thing or two about overcoming the odds. At age 4, Addie was diagnosed with T cell lymphoblastic leukemia.

During the pandemic, Maureen Carreno of Delaware County became known as "Souper Mummum," sharing her soup recipes on Facebook and doing weekly soup drive-bys. The deliveries have ended, but the giving hasn't. Carreno has been using her passion and talent for cooking to help families fleeing abuse at the Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares more on Philly Rising.

At a gift shop called Something Different by Eric, the goal isn't making a profit; it's creating a community.

YEAH Philly (Youth Empowerment Advancement Hangout) is one organization out in front of the fight against gun violence in Philadelphia. Executive Director Kendra Van De Water says YEAH Philly takes aim at the root causes of the issue from several directions at once, including food giveaways, employment assistance, conflict resolution programs and more.

Crystal Jackson is the founder of the Perfectly Flawless Foundation, a Philadelphia nonprofit that clothes people in transition. Jackson began her journey in community service by opening up her own clothing boutique in Germantown. But she says she always knew she wanted to parlay her business into a way to lift up her community.

Abdellah Abdul Qawi is tackling food insecurity in Philadelphia and Camden as director of Muslims Serve, an organization that prepares and serves free meals to those in need. KYW Newsradio's Sabrina Boyd-Surka reports.

For decades, nonprofit Esperanza has been dedicated to uplifting Philadelphia's diverse Latinx communities. And now is a time when that kind of lifting up is needed, with Hispanic Heritage Month running through Oct. 15, and Puerto Rico, once again, rebuilding after a devastating hurricane.

When Antionette Campbell started her career in forensic science — and even earlier, while studying chemistry at Temple — she didn't find many people like her in the field. So she did something about it. KYW Newsradio's Sabrina Boyd-Surka reports.

September is National Recovery Month. Darnell Hinton is on a mission all year long to help people in every stage of recovery from addiction. He runs a nonprofit called Teach One Feed One.

Philadelphia Family Pride focuses on building a community for LGBTQ+ parents and kids of all ages. It also offers support in challenging times, particularly during the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. The nonprofit has received calls every day since the ruling. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares more on Philly Rising.

The Father's Day Rally Committee has prioritized supporting and celebrating Black fatherhood in Philadelphia for decades. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee describes the organization's mission and actions, and what they're doing for Father's Day.

Bird-watching has become a popular hobby during the pandemic. The activity requires little gear, and since it's outdoors, it's COVID-safe. That's part of what led Elise Greenberg to start a group called Philly Queer Birders a year ago. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee shares more on Philly Rising.

Vincent Garrett didn't have a father, growing up. His experiences as a young man drove him to create his nonprofit, Mentor Leaders Produce Mentor Leaders, to do what he can to give young men today what he did not have then.

Sister Ann Provost, a pillar of her North Philadelphia community, is retiring as executive director of Mercy Neighborhood Ministries after 30 years of service to her neighbors. But what will she do now? "Well, we don't really ever actually retire. So I will be doing something. I just haven't found what it's going to be just yet."

Joel Wilson is hacking the diversity issues in STEM fields by creating a pipeline to success. His nonprofit, TechCore2, teaches coding, robotics and other programs to students from kindergarten all the way through high school. KYW Newsradio's Antionette Lee has more.