April 4, 2025 • 11 mins
Guest host Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati speaks with acclaimed poet, performer, and recording artist Ursula Rucker in celebration of National Poetry Month this April.
Follow Ursula on Instagram and Twitter: @urucker for more of her powerful words and performances.
Also featured in this episode is Dr. Ellyn Jo Waller, First Lady of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, human rights activist, and children’s book author of The Fruitful Sisters, for the segment "What is Philadelphia Reading." Learn more about her work at ellynjowaller.com.
Follow Ursula on Instagram and Twitter: @urucker for more of her powerful words and performances.
Also featured in this episode is Dr. Ellyn Jo Waller, First Lady of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, human rights activist, and children’s book author of The Fruitful Sisters, for the segment "What is Philadelphia Reading." Learn more about her work at ellynjowaller.com.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Good morning, and welcome to Insight, a show about empowering
our community. I'm Lorraine Ballad tomorrow and I am always
delighted to introduce my good friend and co host once
a month every month, Vanessa Lloyd Scumbadi, the founder of
the African American Children's Book Fair. She is a literary
giant helping black authors and illustrators get the success and
(00:23):
the attention that they deserve. She talks about all sorts
of things, travel, books, entertainment, veness.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
How are you today, Good morning, Good morning, and to
all the people out there, it is April, and let's
hope there are not a lot of showers because I
need to be out and about. I'm one of those
kind of people that I did the Camino di Santiago
and it rained buckets, this medieval path you walk.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
First of all, we have to let people know exactly
how taxing that was. It wasn't just a walk around
the block. You're in Spain and walked how many miles?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I walked twenty one kilometers every day by myself.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Yeah, and then altogether that was like how many.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
One hundred and thirty something kilometers? Because if you don't
do the four hundred and thirty kilometers. You don't get
the certificate. And I can tell you, if you don't
believe in God, do that you will have faith. Because
every day there were buckets of rains. There were storms
every night. You sleep in a different city. And because
you know, I'm a dieva no matter where I go.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yeah, but there's ten luggage.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
I had luggage, right, I had to have my I
had to get up and put on my makeup every
day because I was sure that if something happened and
the people saw me without my makeup, they would say, no,
she wasn't on this trip. So I put on the
makeup just in case.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Well, you have a place in heaven clearly, and you.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Know, but I have some heavenly people that I adore
the work that they're doing in the community. And shout
out to the twenty one bus and mister Conway because
I got on the bus this morning because I had
to go to my dance class and I was like
maybe ten minutes away and I had to do the
Enie Meani miney mode Should I get to Uber, should
(02:08):
I get on the bus? And I hopped on the
bus because it was free. I have two wonderful guests.
The first is Ursula Rutgers. I've been trying trying to
get her on my segment. April is poetry month and
she is one of the baddest poets on the block.
Her work is so exceptional and the humbleness that she
brings to the table is the added value. So welcome, welcome,
(02:32):
and I want you to tell because if I start
running down everything I know about you, we could be
here for hours. So briefly tell people who Ursula Rutger is.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Oh, no, Vaness, You're gonna put it on me. Thank
you for having me and doctor Waller so nice to
be here with everyone in Lorraine valad url. Thank you
Ursula Rutger, Philly all day, every day, mother of four
sons thirty twenty six, almost twenty three and almost twenty one.
The poet recording artists some people would like to call activists.
(03:03):
Poet for buying with the people is what I like
to say. And that's all of us. That's the you know,
being a poet with mutual aid and compassion and in
my heart at all times when I need help, please
help me where you need help, I hope that I
can help you. I have five solo albums, a multitude
of collaborations with others over the course of almost thirty
years now of recording my poetry with music, which is
(03:27):
one of my thin things. And that's it for now.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
What made you decide as a young woman that you
had it inside of yourself to be a poet and
the courage to be a poet? Because when someone says
I'm going to pursue a career of being a poet,
they kind of like, look, I'm sure you got that
look when you were a kid.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Well, it's a developing thing for me. I can't speak
for all developing meaning through the course of your life.
To the courage part takes great time to you till
I even realized it. You know, hey, this is going
to take some courage to do this, to be out
here with my imaginary megaphone and my actual microphones and
(04:05):
my actual megaphones and do it in my own way,
and do it in a way that's maybe not the
way that a lot of other people do things, and
that's okay, and learn my way. And I'm still learning
my way, but I have a lot of confidence in
my way now, confidence in the fact that I am
a poet. I know that, like that is who I be.
(04:26):
It is poetry is such a beautiful life, saving life ooh,
helping life, affirming life, m generally, even when there's no finance,
there's no money, which is hard to get when you're
a poet. Hey, hey, let me say that out loud.
We can say these things out loud, that when we
make these things and give these things, you know, let's
(04:48):
share with each other all the things without judgment and shame.
And this is something that I'm after out here as well.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
When I was a kid, they used to teach poetry,
even like since Hughes, I recall when I was and
this has been a long time, but kids don't have
that opportunity. Those type of opportunities are not presented to them.
Poetry is such a good way to learn language. So
tell us the best way that how we could get
(05:15):
our kids to start understanding and reading poetry. Because I
told you you need to do a children's book, and
I love that so much.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Finis Oh my god, my lifelong dream, doctor Waller, Hey, listen,
this is my lifelong dream to write a children's book.
I will do it. I will do it. I think
about it every day. On my beautiful green block in Germantown, Ah.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
You know that's hard.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Let me do a quick I'm actually teaching a workshop
ascribe presently to introduce it as an option, but sometimes
the adults don't know it's an option. So many people
don't know poetry is an option. If I hear someone
speaking or sharing with me and they don't refer to
themselves as a poet, and I'm saying, are you a poet?
Or do you look at yourselves as a poet and poet?
(05:57):
And I'm like, wow, it.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Seems to be so well respected.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Although it's hard to live out here. We're always so
it's a matrix. Although I'm so blessed because I get
so many beautiful ways and accolades, and let me hurry up.
But you got to give it as an option. But
if the person who's giving it as an option doesn't
know it's an option, how can you give the child
the option? You understand what I'm saying, So this I
(06:21):
don't know how to answer this.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Quickly, I'll tell you how you can answer it. Write
a book about introducing children to poetry and you can
be at my book fair. Okay, so quickly tell us
where we can find you, because you already mentioned Scribe,
which is an amazing place. Lewis Messiah is doing wonderful
things at Scribe Build and Lancaster Avenue. So give us
(06:44):
all your social media and the events you're going to
be participating in.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Oh, thank you Vanessa, at you Rutger on Instagram and
the other little thing with the X then Ursula Rutger
Facebook lowercase, Ursula Rutger all lowercase. On April fifth teenth,
I will be at World Cafe Love with voices and
power as the og poet come through. Oh and I'm
going to be Love Now Media, my family, Josh Duncan
(07:09):
doing this work work out here, spreading love and shining
love on all of us who share love and create
love out here. There's an event to celebrate Love Now
Media and the new issue on April thirteenth at World
Cafe Love.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
So I'll be there. Hey, Happy Poetry Month.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
The poets are in the house.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Well, thank you so much, and I definitely am going
to try to come out and get a chance to
meet you. Thank you so much. Go to her website,
her Facebook page and check out all the events, because
if you could see the joy that she has in
her face and the emotion. You definitely want to be
in the house with her. Thank you so much, you,
(07:46):
thank you, Gid. Thanks. We've come to one of my
favorite parts of this segment, and it's called what is
Philadelphia Reading? And Ellen Waller, Doctor Ellen Waller, let me
emphasize the dr of that wonderful, wonderful career in life
that she has brought to Philadelphia. And so many people
(08:09):
know you for the activist work that you also do.
You're the wife a reverend, doctor Alan Waller, but you
have major mark in this country, in this world for
the work that you've done with so many wonderful things
that are important to our everyday lives. I have you
on the program this morning. Obviously I want to know
(08:29):
what you're reading, but I also want to introduce the
world in my camp. You're an author, a children's author.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Yes, I have the first book out. It's a series
of five books. It's The Fruitful Sisters, and it teaches
the principles of God's character through a familiar relationship. So
it's my granddaughter. Book one is Corey and Mimi and
a mem We talk about something we do together. So
it's really an evolution of my real life as a grandmother,
(08:58):
and so my granddaughter and garden together. So I thought
of what a better way to fill a void? Because
the educator in me, I'm an educator by training, and
the educator in me is focused on ensuring that children
read well.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
The educator in you is going to let us know
what you're reading. So are you ready?
Speaker 4 (09:19):
I'm ready? What book are you reading? Death at intervals?
First book you read, snowy Day and Corduroy. Best book
you've read, nonfiction lovely one and fiction the good Part.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Worst book you've read.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
I don't know. That's a hard one. I don't have
an answer for that. You go to author Francine Rivers
buyer a borrow buyer slash lender.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
What books should everyone have in their library?
Speaker 4 (09:43):
The Bible?
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Fiction or non fiction fiction? You have a literary dinner
named three people from the literary community.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
You must have Nella Larson, Belle Hooks, and Sharon Flake.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
If you wrote a book about your life, who would
be the title?
Speaker 4 (09:57):
Gentle strength?
Speaker 2 (09:58):
You really really are all. It's someone to be admired
and where can we find you?
Speaker 4 (10:03):
Www dot Ellen Joe Waller dot com. So E L
L Y N j O w A L L E
R dot com. Get always find me at first lead
at enon tap as well.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Always in the front seat. I'm gonna have to come
to church so i can put on my church lady
hatt't sit in the front. Thank you so much. And
by the way, are you doing any book signings?
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Actually, this Sunday I'll be at Bethlehem Baptist Church in
Penlinn for their nine o'clock service.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Well, this program airs at six am, so folks, you
can go to your church the second service. Repeat it again.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
Bethlehem Baptist Church, which is at Reverend doctor Charles Kwan
is the pastor.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Thank you so much, and folks always continue to read,
buy a book, and of course have a blessed day.
I'm Vanessa Lloyd's combody and this is b LS Journeys
until next.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Month, and I'm Lorraine Ballardmorrow. We'll have more insight after
these messages.
Good morning, and welcome to Insight, a show about empowering
our community. I'm Lorraine Ballad tomorrow and I am always
delighted to introduce my good friend and co host once
a month every month, Vanessa Lloyd Scumbadi, the founder of
the African American Children's Book Fair. She is a literary
giant helping black authors and illustrators get the success and
(00:23):
the attention that they deserve. She talks about all sorts
of things, travel, books, entertainment, veness.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
How are you today, Good morning, Good morning, and to
all the people out there, it is April, and let's
hope there are not a lot of showers because I
need to be out and about. I'm one of those
kind of people that I did the Camino di Santiago
and it rained buckets, this medieval path you walk.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
First of all, we have to let people know exactly
how taxing that was. It wasn't just a walk around
the block. You're in Spain and walked how many miles?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I walked twenty one kilometers every day by myself.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Yeah, and then altogether that was like how many.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
One hundred and thirty something kilometers? Because if you don't
do the four hundred and thirty kilometers. You don't get
the certificate. And I can tell you, if you don't
believe in God, do that you will have faith. Because
every day there were buckets of rains. There were storms
every night. You sleep in a different city. And because
you know, I'm a dieva no matter where I go.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yeah, but there's ten luggage.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
I had luggage, right, I had to have my I
had to get up and put on my makeup every
day because I was sure that if something happened and
the people saw me without my makeup, they would say, no,
she wasn't on this trip. So I put on the
makeup just in case.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Well, you have a place in heaven clearly, and you.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Know, but I have some heavenly people that I adore
the work that they're doing in the community. And shout
out to the twenty one bus and mister Conway because
I got on the bus this morning because I had
to go to my dance class and I was like
maybe ten minutes away and I had to do the
Enie Meani miney mode Should I get to Uber, should
(02:08):
I get on the bus? And I hopped on the
bus because it was free. I have two wonderful guests.
The first is Ursula Rutgers. I've been trying trying to
get her on my segment. April is poetry month and
she is one of the baddest poets on the block.
Her work is so exceptional and the humbleness that she
brings to the table is the added value. So welcome, welcome,
(02:32):
and I want you to tell because if I start
running down everything I know about you, we could be
here for hours. So briefly tell people who Ursula Rutger is.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Oh, no, Vaness, You're gonna put it on me. Thank
you for having me and doctor Waller so nice to
be here with everyone in Lorraine valad url. Thank you
Ursula Rutger, Philly all day, every day, mother of four
sons thirty twenty six, almost twenty three and almost twenty one.
The poet recording artists some people would like to call activists.
(03:03):
Poet for buying with the people is what I like
to say. And that's all of us. That's the you know,
being a poet with mutual aid and compassion and in
my heart at all times when I need help, please
help me where you need help, I hope that I
can help you. I have five solo albums, a multitude
of collaborations with others over the course of almost thirty
years now of recording my poetry with music, which is
(03:27):
one of my thin things. And that's it for now.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
What made you decide as a young woman that you
had it inside of yourself to be a poet and
the courage to be a poet? Because when someone says
I'm going to pursue a career of being a poet,
they kind of like, look, I'm sure you got that
look when you were a kid.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Well, it's a developing thing for me. I can't speak
for all developing meaning through the course of your life.
To the courage part takes great time to you till
I even realized it. You know, hey, this is going
to take some courage to do this, to be out
here with my imaginary megaphone and my actual microphones and
(04:05):
my actual megaphones and do it in my own way,
and do it in a way that's maybe not the
way that a lot of other people do things, and
that's okay, and learn my way. And I'm still learning
my way, but I have a lot of confidence in
my way now, confidence in the fact that I am
a poet. I know that, like that is who I be.
(04:26):
It is poetry is such a beautiful life, saving life ooh,
helping life, affirming life, m generally, even when there's no finance,
there's no money, which is hard to get when you're
a poet. Hey, hey, let me say that out loud.
We can say these things out loud, that when we
make these things and give these things, you know, let's
(04:48):
share with each other all the things without judgment and shame.
And this is something that I'm after out here as well.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
When I was a kid, they used to teach poetry,
even like since Hughes, I recall when I was and
this has been a long time, but kids don't have
that opportunity. Those type of opportunities are not presented to them.
Poetry is such a good way to learn language. So
tell us the best way that how we could get
(05:15):
our kids to start understanding and reading poetry. Because I
told you you need to do a children's book, and
I love that so much.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Finis Oh my god, my lifelong dream, doctor Waller, Hey, listen,
this is my lifelong dream to write a children's book.
I will do it. I will do it. I think
about it every day. On my beautiful green block in Germantown, Ah.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
You know that's hard.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Let me do a quick I'm actually teaching a workshop
ascribe presently to introduce it as an option, but sometimes
the adults don't know it's an option. So many people
don't know poetry is an option. If I hear someone
speaking or sharing with me and they don't refer to
themselves as a poet, and I'm saying, are you a poet?
Or do you look at yourselves as a poet and poet?
(05:57):
And I'm like, wow, it.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Seems to be so well respected.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Although it's hard to live out here. We're always so
it's a matrix. Although I'm so blessed because I get
so many beautiful ways and accolades, and let me hurry up.
But you got to give it as an option. But
if the person who's giving it as an option doesn't
know it's an option, how can you give the child
the option? You understand what I'm saying, So this I
(06:21):
don't know how to answer this.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Quickly, I'll tell you how you can answer it. Write
a book about introducing children to poetry and you can
be at my book fair. Okay, so quickly tell us
where we can find you, because you already mentioned Scribe,
which is an amazing place. Lewis Messiah is doing wonderful
things at Scribe Build and Lancaster Avenue. So give us
(06:44):
all your social media and the events you're going to
be participating in.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Oh, thank you Vanessa, at you Rutger on Instagram and
the other little thing with the X then Ursula Rutger
Facebook lowercase, Ursula Rutger all lowercase. On April fifth teenth,
I will be at World Cafe Love with voices and
power as the og poet come through. Oh and I'm
going to be Love Now Media, my family, Josh Duncan
(07:09):
doing this work work out here, spreading love and shining
love on all of us who share love and create
love out here. There's an event to celebrate Love Now
Media and the new issue on April thirteenth at World
Cafe Love.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
So I'll be there. Hey, Happy Poetry Month.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
The poets are in the house.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Well, thank you so much, and I definitely am going
to try to come out and get a chance to
meet you. Thank you so much. Go to her website,
her Facebook page and check out all the events, because
if you could see the joy that she has in
her face and the emotion. You definitely want to be
in the house with her. Thank you so much, you,
(07:46):
thank you, Gid. Thanks. We've come to one of my
favorite parts of this segment, and it's called what is
Philadelphia Reading? And Ellen Waller, Doctor Ellen Waller, let me
emphasize the dr of that wonderful, wonderful career in life
that she has brought to Philadelphia. And so many people
(08:09):
know you for the activist work that you also do.
You're the wife a reverend, doctor Alan Waller, but you
have major mark in this country, in this world for
the work that you've done with so many wonderful things
that are important to our everyday lives. I have you
on the program this morning. Obviously I want to know
(08:29):
what you're reading, but I also want to introduce the
world in my camp. You're an author, a children's author.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Yes, I have the first book out. It's a series
of five books. It's The Fruitful Sisters, and it teaches
the principles of God's character through a familiar relationship. So
it's my granddaughter. Book one is Corey and Mimi and
a mem We talk about something we do together. So
it's really an evolution of my real life as a grandmother,
(08:58):
and so my granddaughter and garden together. So I thought
of what a better way to fill a void? Because
the educator in me, I'm an educator by training, and
the educator in me is focused on ensuring that children
read well.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
The educator in you is going to let us know
what you're reading. So are you ready?
Speaker 4 (09:19):
I'm ready? What book are you reading? Death at intervals?
First book you read, snowy Day and Corduroy. Best book
you've read, nonfiction lovely one and fiction the good Part.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Worst book you've read.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
I don't know. That's a hard one. I don't have
an answer for that. You go to author Francine Rivers
buyer a borrow buyer slash lender.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
What books should everyone have in their library?
Speaker 4 (09:43):
The Bible?
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Fiction or non fiction fiction? You have a literary dinner
named three people from the literary community.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
You must have Nella Larson, Belle Hooks, and Sharon Flake.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
If you wrote a book about your life, who would
be the title?
Speaker 4 (09:57):
Gentle strength?
Speaker 2 (09:58):
You really really are all. It's someone to be admired
and where can we find you?
Speaker 4 (10:03):
Www dot Ellen Joe Waller dot com. So E L
L Y N j O w A L L E
R dot com. Get always find me at first lead
at enon tap as well.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Always in the front seat. I'm gonna have to come
to church so i can put on my church lady
hatt't sit in the front. Thank you so much. And
by the way, are you doing any book signings?
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Actually, this Sunday I'll be at Bethlehem Baptist Church in
Penlinn for their nine o'clock service.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Well, this program airs at six am, so folks, you
can go to your church the second service. Repeat it again.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
Bethlehem Baptist Church, which is at Reverend doctor Charles Kwan
is the pastor.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Thank you so much, and folks always continue to read,
buy a book, and of course have a blessed day.
I'm Vanessa Lloyd's combody and this is b LS Journeys
until next.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Month, and I'm Lorraine Ballardmorrow. We'll have more insight after
these messages.
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