June 4, 2026 • 10 mins
This week on Insight, guest host Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambatti explores two fascinating stories rooted in Philadelphia’s culture, history, and creativity. First, Vanessa speaks with artist and cultural historian V. Shayne Frederick about Pepperpot, a multimedia, multidisciplinary performance project celebrating the history of the traditional spicy tripe and vegetable stew made famous by Black street vendors in colonial Philadelphia. The project debuted as part of the citywide What Now: 2026 arts festival and uses storytelling, performance, music, and history to examine food, culture, and Black Philadelphia's enduring legacy. Learn more and purchase tickets at https://www.showpass.com/pepperpot/.
Then, for her monthly feature What Is Philadelphia Reading?, Vanesse sits down with celebrity stylist and entrepreneur Syreeta Scott, founder of Duafe Hair Salon. Known for her work with high-profile clients and her commitment to beauty, wellness, and community empowerment, Syreeta shares the books that are inspiring her, shaping her perspective, and sparking conversations throughout Philadelphia. Learn more about Duafe Hair Salon at https://www.duafehairsalon.com/.
Then, for her monthly feature What Is Philadelphia Reading?, Vanesse sits down with celebrity stylist and entrepreneur Syreeta Scott, founder of Duafe Hair Salon. Known for her work with high-profile clients and her commitment to beauty, wellness, and community empowerment, Syreeta shares the books that are inspiring her, shaping her perspective, and sparking conversations throughout Philadelphia. Learn more about Duafe Hair Salon at https://www.duafehairsalon.com/.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, and welcome to Insight, a show about empowering
our community. I'm Lorraine Balladmorrow and joining us, as she
does once a month every month, is the fantabulous Vanessa lloyd'scambody.
She is a literary agent, a publicist, the founder of
the African American Children's Book Fair, and also a world traveler. Vaness,
how you doing? What amazing thing have you been doing?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Okay, we're halfway there. I want to just get that out. Okay,
halfway there until my mega birthday celebration. All my sisters
are encouraged me to have a party, but my alter
ego is saying, spend that money on our purse, some
jewelry or a trip. Okay, so we're gonna see who
gonna win out because a party is a whole different conversation.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Oh we need to celebrate you.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Oh, thank you so much. But you know what, we're
in black music, mom. Juneteenth is coming in a few days.
And this has been a really wonderful In spite of everything,
I've been having a great journey. I was selected by
the Emerson Collective to be the literary curator for the
Roots Picnic. What a great title. And I met so
(01:04):
many people from around the country, even from around the world,
and there was such a joy from getting and receiving
books that have images that look like themselves. And I
just want to give out a shout out to some
of the partners, the Free Library Foundation plus one Read
by four with their wonderful reading captains holding down the
Fort Pennsylvania Literacy Coalition, the Free Library of Philadelphia, Barbershop Books,
(01:28):
and of course the African American Children's Book Project. Interesting
thing happened at the event. Questlove's books were in this
exhibit and he came down and he had signed books
for all the volunteers, and I thought what was amazing
was that he had done a show the previous night
and he did a second show. He was doing the
(01:51):
second show the next day, and I thought, this man
has got so much energy to be able to do
something so gracious to give the people the opportunity. I
didn't get a selfie, but you know what, that's a
story for another day, okay, And I want to thank
The booth was called Sounded Out and a Natasha tarp
(02:13):
Lady and Sean Quayles were the authors and illustrated that
came in. So I was really happy to be a
part of that. But you know what it is we
celebrate in the two fifty and I said it was
June teenth coming up, and also Black Music Month, and
I've got somebody on this show that's going to cover
all those bases. So first up is V Shane Frederick.
(02:34):
What a great name.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Well, thank you so much, A good afternoon to you.
How's everything going.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
It's going well. Your mama probably knew you were going
to be famous because with a V and Shane Frederick
and your name is not even spelled the way you
pronounce it. But at any rate, he's a composer, vocalist, pianist,
and so many publications have said he's one of the
greatest jazz singers in the region. He's with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
(03:01):
He's done a Ted talk, he's been on NPR. He
performs at museums, foundations, and jazz clubs internationally. That's a mouthful.
So welcome to the airwaves.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
W D Yes, thank you for the warm welcome. I'm
happy to be here.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Now I want you to tell people about pepper Pot.
Now I know about pepper Pot because my mother, I'm
one of a and we always had this type of
stew and I never knew the historical significance of this
stew And you're involved with the production that tells the
story of the black women who were selling the pepper
pot during pre and post enslavement here in Philadelphia.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Absolutely, I like to think of the pepper pot woman
as a change agent, as a communication liaison, and all
those things, because she, as an African woman in America,
was preparing sup you know, super soup, supers universally soup, right,
But in the marketplace, this woman had her ear to
the streets and she would give you something spicy and delicious,
(04:00):
but also would listen to you and listen to other people,
and probably was helping people navigate their way to freedom,
passing information, finding out about who's signing the Declaration of independence.
This was a woman in the marketplace of Philadelphia. Everywhere
I'm thinking about heat House Square, I'm thinking about Market Street, right,
which is why they call it market Street. She was
there in colonial Philadelphia hearing everything, and so outside of soup,
(04:23):
she was feeding you information and receiving information, probably helping
people escape the freedom, probably warning people about who's coming
where and who's going were right.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
So you know, I did some research when you told
me the story and you said, this play is coming
to Philadelphia and the pepper Pot. There is a painting
of a black woman with pepper pot the Philadelphia Art Museum. Also,
Killer Campbell's soup had a variation of pepper Pot and
they continue to market it until twenty ten. It says
(04:53):
because people's taste, maybe they didn't want to eat pork anymore.
But that's another conversation. But also apparently George Washington's troops
at Valley Forge ate the pepper Pott. So you know,
this is a wonderful story and presentation. So tell us
what's going to happen at this show because I'm excited
to attend.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Absolutely. This is a collaboration with chef Valerie Irwin, who
of Geechee Girl Catering, and she's like an award winning chef.
Homer Jackson, who is now an ancestor. He was the
founder of an organization called the Philadelphia Jazz Project. I
met him years ago and he was always an idea person.
He has a concept. He wanted to do this concert
(05:31):
involving the pepper Pott woman depicting her. So we're going
to have people who are re enactors. We have pepper
Pott women dressed in the full regalia, probably looking like
a colonial African woman in America, just representing who this
woman would have been in the seventeen and eighteen hundreds.
But Kendro Butler Waters is composing all new music with lyrics.
The band is a team of black women. Everyone in
(05:54):
the band, the drummer, the bass player, three background vocalist.
New music. We're going to be a Race Street Peer.
It's going to be about an hour long program of music.
But outside of that, we have the vending of the
food catered, the menu curated by chef Valerie Irwin, depictions
of the pepper Pot Woman illustrated by our friend Eric Battle.
Lynn Washington, who is Homer's widow, is doing a graphic
(06:14):
design for this. So we're gathering Saturday, June thirteenth at
one pm on Race Street Peer to embody and to
honor the pepper Pot Woman as it was, serving the
food and hearing the music, perhaps of what her story.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Was and what is the social media information that people
can find out additional details.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
This is connected to a festival called What Now twenty
twenty six. The organization is called Art Philly, so Aart
Phi l y. They're all over the internet and you
can buy ticket for the It is RSVP because we
have a limited amount of soup. However, the north side
of Race Street Peer is open to the public, so
the south side, you know, you can get in and
(06:52):
get the soup and see the concert. On the north
side you can just sit on the pier and hear
the concert and also see it, but you won't have
access to a couple samples of soup. We do have
a few vendors as well, selling cultural paraphermilion, things of
that nature, jewelry, but yeah, you're going to get the
whole deal. Art Philly. This is what now twenty twenty
six festival. They have about thirty five programs from Memorial
(07:12):
Day to July the fourth, and this is one of
those special programs.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Okay, thank you so much. I hope I can attend
because this sounds like a really wonderful evening, but also
the historical information is much needed in my brain. Okay,
thank you, absolutely, that's been the Shane Frederick. We've come
to one of my favorite parts of this segment, and
I mentioned about June teenth and we celebrated and honor
(07:37):
our ancestors. But it also is very meaningful to me
as an entrepreneur because out of Juneteenth and the Emancipation Proclamation,
so many black people became entrepreneurs. They weren't looking for
a handout. And I think of people like during this period,
I think Serrita Scott. She is the owner of Duafe.
She's more than just the owner of Duafe. I mean
(07:59):
she was one of the first people to have one
of the upscale, legendary locks hair salon, and she's also
a celebrity stylist. Whose names can you roll off that?
Who's hair you've done?
Speaker 4 (08:10):
Jill Scott, Questlove, Ava Duvenet Sonya Sanchez, Janet Jackson, It's
so many of them. I was the neo soul hairstylest.
So when you think of all those people, the Glenn Lewis,
the Vivian Greens flow a tree.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Wow. So I mentioned Juneteenth and you being an owner
and a mother of two children. We'll get to what
is Philadelphia reading, but just some few words to encourage
people out there who are thinking about starting their own business.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
So let's be clear, it feels like you're jumping off
of a ledge and for me, taking those audacious steps
is really a long for God to come in with
his wings and hold you up. Now, good things happen
to bad people. Let's be clear, being in business is
a blood sport. But what I know is if you're miserable,
if you wake up crying, if you know that God
(08:59):
has more for you, then you're forced to try something new,
find that thing that you love that, even with or
without the monetary exchange, is something that keeps you up
and keeps you going and keeps you growing. And it
sounds unreal, but it is a blessing to be able
to create your dream and God okay in it.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
You've been in business for twenty five years, so you
must be doing something right. So let's get down the business.
What book are you reading?
Speaker 4 (09:26):
The Little Book of Stoicism?
Speaker 2 (09:28):
First book you read, Little Calipill. Best book you read.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Oh, the Bluest Eye.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Worst book you read?
Speaker 4 (09:34):
It was so bad I can't even remember.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
You go to author, Maya, Angela Bayer or borrow buyer.
What book should everyone have in their library?
Speaker 4 (09:44):
I say anything Veronica Chambers. She's a good friend of mine.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Fiction or nonfiction?
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Nonfiction?
Speaker 2 (09:51):
You have a literary dinner named three people from the
literary community. You must have.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Song Ya Sanchez, James Baldwin and Tony Morrison.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
If you wrote a book about your life, what would
be the title.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
Detangle Straightening the Misconceptions of Black Beauty.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Wow, that's a great title. Will continue the great work
you're doing in the community, the stuff you're doing for charities.
We love you so folks. We come to the end
of this segment until next month. God willing continued to read,
buy a book, and of course have a blessed day.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
And that was Vanessa Lloyd's gumbody who comes to us
once a month every month with feelness journeys. Stay tuned
for more insight after this
Good morning, and welcome to Insight, a show about empowering
our community. I'm Lorraine Balladmorrow and joining us, as she
does once a month every month, is the fantabulous Vanessa lloyd'scambody.
She is a literary agent, a publicist, the founder of
the African American Children's Book Fair, and also a world traveler. Vaness,
how you doing? What amazing thing have you been doing?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Okay, we're halfway there. I want to just get that out. Okay,
halfway there until my mega birthday celebration. All my sisters
are encouraged me to have a party, but my alter
ego is saying, spend that money on our purse, some
jewelry or a trip. Okay, so we're gonna see who
gonna win out because a party is a whole different conversation.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Oh we need to celebrate you.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Oh, thank you so much. But you know what, we're
in black music, mom. Juneteenth is coming in a few days.
And this has been a really wonderful In spite of everything,
I've been having a great journey. I was selected by
the Emerson Collective to be the literary curator for the
Roots Picnic. What a great title. And I met so
(01:04):
many people from around the country, even from around the world,
and there was such a joy from getting and receiving
books that have images that look like themselves. And I
just want to give out a shout out to some
of the partners, the Free Library Foundation plus one Read
by four with their wonderful reading captains holding down the
Fort Pennsylvania Literacy Coalition, the Free Library of Philadelphia, Barbershop Books,
(01:28):
and of course the African American Children's Book Project. Interesting
thing happened at the event. Questlove's books were in this
exhibit and he came down and he had signed books
for all the volunteers, and I thought what was amazing
was that he had done a show the previous night
and he did a second show. He was doing the
(01:51):
second show the next day, and I thought, this man
has got so much energy to be able to do
something so gracious to give the people the opportunity. I
didn't get a selfie, but you know what, that's a
story for another day, okay, And I want to thank
The booth was called Sounded Out and a Natasha tarp
(02:13):
Lady and Sean Quayles were the authors and illustrated that
came in. So I was really happy to be a
part of that. But you know what it is we
celebrate in the two fifty and I said it was
June teenth coming up, and also Black Music Month, and
I've got somebody on this show that's going to cover
all those bases. So first up is V Shane Frederick.
(02:34):
What a great name.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Well, thank you so much, A good afternoon to you.
How's everything going.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
It's going well. Your mama probably knew you were going
to be famous because with a V and Shane Frederick
and your name is not even spelled the way you
pronounce it. But at any rate, he's a composer, vocalist, pianist,
and so many publications have said he's one of the
greatest jazz singers in the region. He's with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
(03:01):
He's done a Ted talk, he's been on NPR. He
performs at museums, foundations, and jazz clubs internationally. That's a mouthful.
So welcome to the airwaves.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
W D Yes, thank you for the warm welcome. I'm
happy to be here.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Now I want you to tell people about pepper Pot.
Now I know about pepper Pot because my mother, I'm
one of a and we always had this type of
stew and I never knew the historical significance of this
stew And you're involved with the production that tells the
story of the black women who were selling the pepper
pot during pre and post enslavement here in Philadelphia.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Absolutely, I like to think of the pepper pot woman
as a change agent, as a communication liaison, and all
those things, because she, as an African woman in America,
was preparing sup you know, super soup, supers universally soup, right,
But in the marketplace, this woman had her ear to
the streets and she would give you something spicy and delicious,
(04:00):
but also would listen to you and listen to other people,
and probably was helping people navigate their way to freedom,
passing information, finding out about who's signing the Declaration of independence.
This was a woman in the marketplace of Philadelphia. Everywhere
I'm thinking about heat House Square, I'm thinking about Market Street, right,
which is why they call it market Street. She was
there in colonial Philadelphia hearing everything, and so outside of soup,
(04:23):
she was feeding you information and receiving information, probably helping
people escape the freedom, probably warning people about who's coming
where and who's going were right.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
So you know, I did some research when you told
me the story and you said, this play is coming
to Philadelphia and the pepper Pot. There is a painting
of a black woman with pepper pot the Philadelphia Art Museum. Also,
Killer Campbell's soup had a variation of pepper Pot and
they continue to market it until twenty ten. It says
(04:53):
because people's taste, maybe they didn't want to eat pork anymore.
But that's another conversation. But also apparently George Washington's troops
at Valley Forge ate the pepper Pott. So you know,
this is a wonderful story and presentation. So tell us
what's going to happen at this show because I'm excited
to attend.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Absolutely. This is a collaboration with chef Valerie Irwin, who
of Geechee Girl Catering, and she's like an award winning chef.
Homer Jackson, who is now an ancestor. He was the
founder of an organization called the Philadelphia Jazz Project. I
met him years ago and he was always an idea person.
He has a concept. He wanted to do this concert
(05:31):
involving the pepper Pott woman depicting her. So we're going
to have people who are re enactors. We have pepper
Pott women dressed in the full regalia, probably looking like
a colonial African woman in America, just representing who this
woman would have been in the seventeen and eighteen hundreds.
But Kendro Butler Waters is composing all new music with lyrics.
The band is a team of black women. Everyone in
(05:54):
the band, the drummer, the bass player, three background vocalist.
New music. We're going to be a Race Street Peer.
It's going to be about an hour long program of music.
But outside of that, we have the vending of the
food catered, the menu curated by chef Valerie Irwin, depictions
of the pepper Pot Woman illustrated by our friend Eric Battle.
Lynn Washington, who is Homer's widow, is doing a graphic
(06:14):
design for this. So we're gathering Saturday, June thirteenth at
one pm on Race Street Peer to embody and to
honor the pepper Pot Woman as it was, serving the
food and hearing the music, perhaps of what her story.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Was and what is the social media information that people
can find out additional details.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
This is connected to a festival called What Now twenty
twenty six. The organization is called Art Philly, so Aart
Phi l y. They're all over the internet and you
can buy ticket for the It is RSVP because we
have a limited amount of soup. However, the north side
of Race Street Peer is open to the public, so
the south side, you know, you can get in and
(06:52):
get the soup and see the concert. On the north
side you can just sit on the pier and hear
the concert and also see it, but you won't have
access to a couple samples of soup. We do have
a few vendors as well, selling cultural paraphermilion, things of
that nature, jewelry, but yeah, you're going to get the
whole deal. Art Philly. This is what now twenty twenty
six festival. They have about thirty five programs from Memorial
(07:12):
Day to July the fourth, and this is one of
those special programs.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Okay, thank you so much. I hope I can attend
because this sounds like a really wonderful evening, but also
the historical information is much needed in my brain. Okay,
thank you, absolutely, that's been the Shane Frederick. We've come
to one of my favorite parts of this segment, and
I mentioned about June teenth and we celebrated and honor
(07:37):
our ancestors. But it also is very meaningful to me
as an entrepreneur because out of Juneteenth and the Emancipation Proclamation,
so many black people became entrepreneurs. They weren't looking for
a handout. And I think of people like during this period,
I think Serrita Scott. She is the owner of Duafe.
She's more than just the owner of Duafe. I mean
(07:59):
she was one of the first people to have one
of the upscale, legendary locks hair salon, and she's also
a celebrity stylist. Whose names can you roll off that?
Who's hair you've done?
Speaker 4 (08:10):
Jill Scott, Questlove, Ava Duvenet Sonya Sanchez, Janet Jackson, It's
so many of them. I was the neo soul hairstylest.
So when you think of all those people, the Glenn Lewis,
the Vivian Greens flow a tree.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Wow. So I mentioned Juneteenth and you being an owner
and a mother of two children. We'll get to what
is Philadelphia reading, but just some few words to encourage
people out there who are thinking about starting their own business.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
So let's be clear, it feels like you're jumping off
of a ledge and for me, taking those audacious steps
is really a long for God to come in with
his wings and hold you up. Now, good things happen
to bad people. Let's be clear, being in business is
a blood sport. But what I know is if you're miserable,
if you wake up crying, if you know that God
(08:59):
has more for you, then you're forced to try something new,
find that thing that you love that, even with or
without the monetary exchange, is something that keeps you up
and keeps you going and keeps you growing. And it
sounds unreal, but it is a blessing to be able
to create your dream and God okay in it.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
You've been in business for twenty five years, so you
must be doing something right. So let's get down the business.
What book are you reading?
Speaker 4 (09:26):
The Little Book of Stoicism?
Speaker 2 (09:28):
First book you read, Little Calipill. Best book you read.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Oh, the Bluest Eye.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Worst book you read?
Speaker 4 (09:34):
It was so bad I can't even remember.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
You go to author, Maya, Angela Bayer or borrow buyer.
What book should everyone have in their library?
Speaker 4 (09:44):
I say anything Veronica Chambers. She's a good friend of mine.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Fiction or nonfiction?
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Nonfiction?
Speaker 2 (09:51):
You have a literary dinner named three people from the
literary community. You must have.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Song Ya Sanchez, James Baldwin and Tony Morrison.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
If you wrote a book about your life, what would
be the title.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
Detangle Straightening the Misconceptions of Black Beauty.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Wow, that's a great title. Will continue the great work
you're doing in the community, the stuff you're doing for charities.
We love you so folks. We come to the end
of this segment until next month. God willing continued to read,
buy a book, and of course have a blessed day.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
And that was Vanessa Lloyd's gumbody who comes to us
once a month every month with feelness journeys. Stay tuned
for more insight after this
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