We highlight the upcoming Girls Inc. of Delaware Strong, Smart & Bold Awards Luncheon, happening Thursday, April 9, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware. Executive Director Wenona Sutton shares how this signature event celebrates extraordinary women while supporting programs that empower girls across the state. Get tickets and details at girlsincde.org/ssbawards and follow Girls Inc. of Delaware on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and TikTok.
We explore what it takes to build stronger, more equitable communities—from economic mobility to empowering young women and preserving cultural identity. Scott Emerick of GreenLight Fund Philadelphia joins us to discuss how the organization connects communities with high-impact nonprofits to create real pathways to opportunity. Learn more at greenlightfund.org/philadelphia and follow on Facebook and LinkedIn @GreenLightFundPhiladelphia.
Finally, we explore art as a force for cultural preservation with Orisha/Santos: An Artistic Interpretation of the Seven African Powers, now on view at Taller Puertorriqueño through April 4. Curator Rafael Damast and artist Jorge Luis Rodríguez discuss this powerful exhibition rooted in Yoruba spiritual traditions and the African diaspora. Visit tallerpr.org for more information.
We explore what it takes to build stronger, more equitable communities—from economic mobility to empowering young women and preserving cultural identity. Scott Emerick of GreenLight Fund Philadelphia joins us to discuss how the organization connects communities with high-impact nonprofits to create real pathways to opportunity. Learn more at greenlightfund.org/philadelphia and follow on Facebook and LinkedIn @GreenLightFundPhiladelphia.
Finally, we explore art as a force for cultural preservation with Orisha/Santos: An Artistic Interpretation of the Seven African Powers, now on view at Taller Puertorriqueño through April 4. Curator Rafael Damast and artist Jorge Luis Rodríguez discuss this powerful exhibition rooted in Yoruba spiritual traditions and the African diaspora. Visit tallerpr.org for more information.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning. You're listening to Insight, a show about empowering
our community. I'm Lorraine Balladmorrow. Today we'll explore an art
exhibit at Taier Pereruicano inspired by Yuruba spiritual traditions and
the African diaspora. We'll also take a look at the
work of green Light Fund Philadelphia and how it connects
communities with high impact nonprofits to create real pathways to opportunities.
(00:22):
But first we begin with an organization, empowering girls in Delaware.
Girls Inc. Of Delaware has been long committed to empowering
girls to be strong, smart, and bold through programs that
build confidence, leadership, skills, and opportunities for success. One of
the organization's signature events celebrating that mission is the Strong,
(00:42):
Smart and Bold Awards Luncheon, an annual gathering that honors
extraordinary women whose leadership and impact strengthens our communities. This
year's luncheon takes place on Thursday, April ninth, over at
the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware. To
tell us all about it and about Girls Ink Delaware
is its executive director, Wanona Sudden. Winona, thank you so
(01:03):
much for joining us here today, and so for listeners
who may not be familiar with Girls Inc. Of Delaware,
start by sharing the mission of the organization and how
it supports girls across the state.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yes, thank you so much for having me, and I'm
excited to share more about Girls Inc. Of Delaware because
a lot of people get us confused with some other
girls serving organizations, but we're quite different. And so Girls Inc.
Of Delaware is an organization that is focused on creating strong,
smart and bold girls who then turn into strong, smart
and bold women. A lot of people don't know this,
but we have been in existence for more than one
(01:35):
hundred and sixty years, which is incredible. Started out in
New England as Girls Clubs, went on to become Girls
Clubs of America, and then changed our names in around
nineteen ninety to Girls Inc. Girls Incorporated. Girls Inc. Is
a national model, so we have Girls Incs in all
of the United States as well as some of Canada.
(01:58):
And we're really excited because we so of girls starting
from grades kindergarten so ages five, all the way up
through your college experience. Again, we've started out as an
organization focused on helping girls and women actually find their
voice supporting them during really hard times where they didn't
have a lot of rights, when they were trying to
really figure out what being strong, being smart, and being
(02:21):
bolt looked like for them in that time. And since
then have we changed with the times We've acclimated to
the girls' needs through our programming, through our services, and
through our events and activities, and now for Girls and
of Delaware that means showing up for them in a
number of different ways.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Well, tell us more about the programs that you utilize
to support your mission.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I am actually a huge Girls Inc. Of Delaware fan.
I know I'm a little bit biased, but I just
love what we do Because we do a lot of
character building workshops, we do opportunities to really create that
strong and when we say strong, we're looking at mental
and physical health. So how do you show up emotionally?
How do you be able to send to yourself? How
(03:06):
do you become physically strong as well? So we have
a lot of programming on that side. When we look
at our smart pillar, we're looking at how do we
show up academically. Girls Think has a strong focus in
and STEM based careers because that is a space where
girls are typically or women are typically not shining so
much because it is a male dominated space. And so
(03:26):
what we do is we look at those career exploration opportunities,
So it's opportunities to be able to introduce girls to
STEM careers and then we work with them with mentors
with career exploration to be able to help guide them
into those careers as well. And when we look at
our bold pillar, we're looking at opportunities to help our
girls become more bold. How do you speak for yourself?
(03:47):
How do you show up more boldly? How do you
We even have self defense as one of our core
program areas in that space because we know how important
that is for our girls to be able to protect
themselves emotionally and sometimes physically. So our programs are really exciting,
and we look at the holistic girl, We look at
the whole holistic approach. We also look at creating a
(04:07):
safe space for girls, and I think that's the most significant.
You can come and you can show up and you
can just be yourself, and that's pretty powerful to have
a girl safe space, especially with some of the outside
influences and things that we know can affect and impact
girls on a daily basis.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Well. At the luncheon. This year, You've got some extraordinary honorees. Briefly,
tell us who you're honoring and why.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah, so that's pretty exciting as well, because we are
honoring some powerhouse women this year, and I think every year.
So this is our thirty second event. COVID slowed us
down a little bit, so I won't say annual, but
we've had them pretty consistently over the past thirty two years.
We're going to be honoring a stronger, smart and a
bold awardy. Our strong Awardi will be the one and
(04:51):
only Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester. Our smart Wardy will be
doctor Joan Koker, and our board Awardy will be Terry Glibaki.
Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester. She is a powerhouse woman, a
first in many places in her life, and she has
been a glass selling breaker, and so we are so
(05:12):
honored to be able to honor her this year. I
think globally she's made an impact and specifically nationally she's
made a lot of impact, and so we really look
forward to honoring her. Doctor John Coker. She is amazing
and during COVID she showed up in so many amazing
ways for the Delaware community, being instrumental in making sure
(05:33):
that people receive their COVID vaccines. She was at the
forefront of the movement in Delaware, partnering with organizations administering
shots herself. I will say each one of these women
in body, strong, smart, and bold. Terry Glabaki is the
current CEO and General manager of Delaware Park Casinos. She
also was the former CEO of Ocean's Casino and Atlantic.
(05:57):
In her position, she's the only woman at the table,
the only woman in the room, and so really being
able to learn and speak to these women during this
process that you've been preparing for this event has been
inspiring to me. And I'm excited to honor these women
during this event because I know that hearing from them
will inspire others.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Oh and Ona, you have an extraordinary keynote speaker, and
I wonder if you can tell us what message you
hope attendees, especially young women and girls will take away
from hearing her story.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
So we have the one and only Alisa Merquidez. She
is the founder of Brew Ha Ha. An amazing, amazing woman.
She is an innovator. She not only created a brand,
but scaled that brand. She created something that is unique,
and I'm hoping that our girls and the other leaders
in the room take something. We pay for the ticket price,
(06:50):
we have the lunch, and we have the great experience
we have this fundraiser, But I think the knowledge that
I want everybody to pull from this experience is really
what excites me the most. And I know that our
friend from Bruhaha is going to help us and tell
them that story of resilience, of strength, of great commitment.
She has done it all and pushed a brand to
(07:11):
great heights and so I look forward to hearing from
her as a keynote. I also want to highlight we
have again another great woman and I'm definitely filling the
vibes of girl power because our host is the one
and only Lorie Yes.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
On disclosure, I will be MC and I'm looking forward
to it.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yes and so again just powerhouse women all the way
around the table, being able to tell the story and
showcase who we are as women and how we inspire
the next set of girls that will be coming around.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Women supporting women and girls. I'm all about it. Tell
us specifically the details of the event that's happening on Thursday,
April ninth, tell us what time it starts and ends
and where it's going to be in a little bit
of what we can expect when we arrive.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Yeah, so come on down. We will be at the
Chase Center on the riverfront, Wilmington, Delaware, April ninth, from
eleven thirty to two thirty. We will have just such
great energy, such great experiences. Some of our girls will
be in the building. It will be a luncheon, so
we will have some great food, some salmon, some beef,
really good menu and so definitely a great physical experience,
(08:22):
but again an emotional experience because you will hear from
these great leaders that we will be honoring. You will
learn more about the girls in experience, you will hear
from some of our girls, and so really exciting and
we hope that everyone can join us. We have few
more seats left, a few more tables left. You can
find out more about the event on our website at
girlsande dot org. Forward slash SSB Awards with an SSB.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Awards fantastic And I guess if people also want to
know how they can support Girls Inc. Delaware and also
perhaps join and be a part of this organization, they
can still go to that website as well.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Yes, girlsankde dot org.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Thank you so much for joining us here today. Wenonah's Sudden,
executive director of Girls Inc. Of Delaware, Long committed to
empowering girls to be strong, smart, and bold through programs
and build confidence, leadership skills, and opportunities for success. Looking
forward to seeing you all on April ninth, and folks
out there check it out. It should be a wonderful
(09:23):
time and a great cause supporting girls and young women.
Thank you so much for joining us, Winona.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Did you know that cold exposure kills more people worldwide
each year than extreme heat? In Philadelphia, heat season runs
October first through April thirtieth. During this time, landlords are
legally required to provide adequate heat at least sixty eight
degrees in all living spaces. If you're renting and don't
have proper heat, call three one one immediately. And remember stoves, ovens,
(09:56):
and portable heaters are not safe alternatives. They can cause
fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Heat isn't optional, it's the law.
If you're without heat, called three one one. Today today
we're talking about economic mobility and what it truly takes
(10:18):
to connect communities with resources they need to thrive. Joining
us is Scott Emerick of green Light Fund Philadelphia. Green
Light Fund works to identify unmet needs in our city
and bring in proven, high impact organizations to address those gaps,
creating real pathways to opportunity for individuals and families. We're
(10:38):
going to talk about their community driven approach, the measurable
impact of their current portfolio organizations, and what's next for
green Light in Philadelphia. So, Scott, great to see you.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
Yeah, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Appreciate it well, tell us about green Light and what
distinguishes you from other types of philanthropy organizations.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
Yeah, I appreciate the question.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
I think green Light is some unique approach in philanthropy,
in large part because we're very deeply rooted in community.
So green Light approach takes the idea that we're going
to identify and scale solutions that meet on that community needs.
But we do that with a very core belief that
any solution to improve economic mobility will be most effective
if it's really grounded in the feedback and the experiences
(11:21):
of those who are most proximate to community and most
deserve more equable opportunities for economic mobility. So for us,
that looks like a really deep phase of community engagement
where we're talking with neighborhood members and doing focus groups
with young people and really understanding the experiences of those
in community around the issues that we're considering for investment.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Economic mobility is a huge phrase. What does that look
like in real life for families and individuals right here?
Speaker 4 (11:49):
Sure?
Speaker 5 (11:49):
So in Philadelphia to make economic mobility a little bit
more concrete and tangible, I think it means different things
to different community members. So for instance, we've made a
previous investment in a group called Fountain Fund, so they
provide access to extremely low intrist capital for returning citizens.
So if you're just as impacted and you're thinking about
(12:12):
rebuilding your life and having access to workforce or housing
or transportation, really proud of Fountain Fund investing one point
eight million dollars in loans at extremely low interest rates
for returning citizens. Or similarly, a group like Hopeworks who
does incredible workforce development with young people and really growing
out the fundamental foundational skills for tech jobs and career pathways.
(12:37):
So that creates mobility in places that it wasn't previous.
So I think economic mobility needs different things to different people,
But how do we make sure that everyone.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
Has an equal opportunity.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
I believe that talent is spread really equally in our city,
and unfortunately, opportunity is not. That's not a problem that's
unique to Philadelphia, but it's one that we're really heavily
invested in helping to solve.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Yeah. I have done reviews with the Fountain Fund and
very impressed with how that is working to help justice
impacted individuals get back into the mainstream and become contributing
members of society because there's so many barriers for people
who are returning citizens, and this gives people a nice
(13:22):
leg up. What are some other areas that you see
where you need to really fill those gaps.
Speaker 5 (13:28):
Yeah, the gap that we're focused on right now for
our pending investment that we just announced. We heard a
lot of community members who are saying, we just wish
that there were better jobs and more equitable career opportunities.
That that kind of first rung on the ladder to
economic mobility is sometimes really hard to access. Social capital
that helps folks get their foot in the job for
(13:49):
their first job is often not as accessible for first
gen college.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Students as it should be.
Speaker 5 (13:54):
So we heard that pretty consistently, and there's a difference
between a job that feels like any job versus a career.
So really excited that that gap that we heard from
community has kind of guided us to our next investment
and Project Bosta out of New York City.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Well, we are moving into some very interesting times. Technology
is overtaking us in many ways and truly transforming the
nature of jobs and careers. How do you look at
some of the new technological advancements when we talk about AI,
for instance, how that's going to impact people's ability to
(14:29):
have their own life sustaining careers. How do we begin
to close that gap?
Speaker 5 (14:35):
Yeah, it's a really important issue that I think is
top of mind for a lot of folks right now.
So I want to address on a couple levels. So
at a very basic level of how you find and
apply for and get matched with the right career opportunity,
which is very much focused on the work that Project
Bosta does, and I think importantly it comes from a
space of being a nonprofit that existed in person, had
(14:57):
deep relationships with young people, and then shift into this
tech and AI space over the course of COVID doing
programming digitally in this combination of really caring adults with
tech and AI models.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
So in their.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Case, if you have young people who are interested in
for them first generation college students and finding not just
a job but a great career pathway, that process of
how you do what they call discovery. So this is
career prep and readiness and a really interactive platform with
great learning technology built in, and also a tool that
they have that's called Seeker, which is AI enabled career navigation.
(15:32):
So I'll date myself a little bit that when I
was entering the labor market in the early two thousands,
the idea that I could send out a resume electronically
the email was cutting edge. Now you have AI on
both sides, So you have an HR department that's using
AI to think about resumes. On the other side, you
have job seekers who are thinking about how to integrate
AI into their search. I think the brilliant thing that
(15:54):
Project BOSTA does is say, how do we couple that
experience of to your point, filling overwhelmed with tech and
AMIA with carrying adults who can support that navigation. Boston
does that really, really well They've done that for ten
years in New York City, and we're excited to invest
six hundred thousand dollars for them to come and grow
in Philly. Over the next four years. They project to
reach at least eleven thousand first generation college students in
(16:17):
the ways that I just described.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Wow, that's very exciting. I wonder if you can share
some examples of organizations currently in your Philadelphia portfolio and
the measurable impact that they're having.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
Yeah, so I'll go with the most too recent, and
I'll give a little bit of shout out to We've
been doing this work for a while. So we actually
have seven investments, two are active, and then we'll make
another investment and Project BOSTA, which will be our eighth.
So Single Stop Europe United, the Center for Employment Opportunities,
Parent Child plus Compass Working Capital. Those are our legacy investments,
(16:48):
and there are two active portfolio investments or with Hopeworks
and the Fountain Fund. So Hopeworks focus on workforce development
with Opportunity Youth, the foundational skill sets and mindsets that
young people need to find and succeed in a career,
and young people making fifty five sixty thousand dollars in
their first job out of hopeworks because they have both
(17:09):
the foundational skills to understand what it means to be
a valuable employee and technical skills that they need to
succeed in technology. Fountain Fund we talked about a little
bit previously, but access to capital and extremely low interest
loans and their success point and one of their key
performance indicators they've reinvested one point eight million dollars in
(17:30):
returning citizens to Philadelphia since they came here.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Yeah, that's that's wonderful. Partnership seems central to your work.
What are some key community stakeholders and collaborators that make
this model successful because you really do try to get
on the ground and talk to people who really have
lived experience to inform your decisions.
Speaker 5 (17:50):
We do in those partnerships are key in a few
different areas. So one Thatt'll name off the bat. We
have a thirty person selection Advisory Council. So when we're
making any investment and any of the portfolio orgs that
we've been discussing, we certainly do our due diligence. We
have a scout phase that kind of kind of combines
what we've learned nationally about organizations working in spaces and
issue areas that Philadelphias have named. But then we have
(18:13):
thirty folks from across neighborhoods, across sectors, from for profit
to nonprofit, folks in political spheres to really say this
is what this investment would mean in my community to
my stakeholders.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
So that's one.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
And then I mentioned that before we do any investment,
we spend about six to eight months in community, doing
focus groups with young people, doing conversation, showing up events
across the community. So anyone who's really invested in economic
mobility and thinking about gaps to create more equitable opportunity
in Philly would invite them to get in touch. Greenlightfund
(18:45):
dot org is our website. All fifteen sites are listed there,
including Philadelphia. From there, you can get in touch with myself,
my colleague Danielle Hughes. You can talk to us about
ways that your interest in community might align with the
work that green Light's doing.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
I think you touched on it already, but did you
have an you pending investment on the horizon. Can you
share with us about what's coming up next for a
green Light Fund Philadelphia?
Speaker 5 (19:06):
Yeah, so I'll talk about what's coming next in terms
of appending investment, and then kind of a learning community
that we're trying to launch in the AI space. So
Project Best, new York based nonprofit, ten years of great
work in New York, now expanding to work in both
North Carolina and here in Philadelphia. And I think you
have this really hard nut to crack of saying we
have talented first gen college students. We have employers who
(19:28):
are at least rhetorically, are saying we want to diversify
our talent pipeline, hire folks from neighborhoods that might be
underrepresented in their traditional hiring pathways. And really what we
need is someone to bridge that gap. Boston combines tech
and AI with carrying adults and some really committed post
secondary partners to say we can connect more first gen
talent to great jobs. So we will make that investment
(19:52):
right now in March and six hundred thousand dollars unrestricted
funding for them to do great work in Philly under
the grad for the next four years, but hopefully as
they get a foothold in our community for much longer.
And then the last thing that I'll mention is kind
of coming down the future. We've talked a little bit
about the impact of tech and AI on economic mobility
in lots of ways. We're starting with the Barra Foundation
(20:15):
to convene a group of foundations and philanthropic partners who
are really interested in understanding the impact of AI on
our investments, on our internal operations, on the programming of
nonprofits across the city. I think there's a lot to
be learned about AI, there's a lot to be scared of.
There's a lot of opportunities that are out there. So
I think if we can create learning spaces with folks
(20:36):
who are really connected to and approximate with community to
be part of the way that AI solutions get developed
and implemented in Philly, it benefits all of us.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Well, there's so many opportunities out there in resources and
you've mentioned a bunch, So if people want to know
more about the green Light Fund Philadelphia and all the
different organizations that you support, whether they want to folks
out there want to be part of that discovery aspect
of what you do, which is finding out what the
needs are or if there's someone who can benefit from
(21:06):
one of the many things that you talked about. There's
some great opportunities there. What is the best and easiest
way to find out more?
Speaker 5 (21:13):
Yeah, the best way to find out about our work
is greenlightfund dot org. And if you go there, you
can click on Philadelphia to your point, you can see
and get a link to each of the seven soon
to be eight organizations that we've invested in. So if
you're interested in career development, if you're interested in asset building,
early childhood literacy, connections with returning citizens, you can see
(21:34):
those orgs in that space. And if you're interested in
connecting with green Light more broadly to be part of
our community engagement work and to think about solutions that
matter for Philadelphians. Happy to be in touch with folks,
but Greenlight Fund dot org is the best way.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Wow, there's so many needs and green Light Fund Philadelphia
is working to close those gaps. Scott Emeric of green
Light Fund Philadelphia. Greenlight Fund works to identify unmet needs
in our city and bring improof and high impact organizations
to address those gaps. We talked about creating real pathways
to opportunities for individuals and families.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
Thank you so much for joining us to Thanks for
having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Art has the power not only to inspire, but to
preserve history, culture and identity. Now on view at TAYER,
Puerto ricanho is Arisha Santos, An Artistic Interpretation of the
Seven African Powers, a groundbreaking exhibition by Puerto Rican artist
Jorge Luis Rodriguez. Originally created in nineteen eighty five, this
(22:37):
immersive installation explores the spiritual traditions of the Yoruba people
and their survival and transformation throughout the African diaspora. The
exhibit is on view now through April fourth. Admission is free.
To tell us more about this incredible work and its impact.
Raphael Damast is the curator and exhibition program director for Tayer,
(23:00):
a cultural hub in Philadelphia, and of course, the artist
Jorge Luis Rodriguez. Jorge, please tell us about the Seven
African Powers and your best spiritual traditions. Why is it
important to bring these stories and traditions into contemporary art
spaces today?
Speaker 6 (23:21):
Well, this anthropoloica installation have influenced many of the artists
music and also in fine art in around New York
City and the realts of your work. Artists such as
Tito Puente, Serlia Cruz refererl Land and many other artists
(23:44):
have been influenced by the religion Raphael.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
The exhibit is part of Taier Puerto Ricano's twenty twenty
sixteen We Will Not Hide. How does this exhibition reflect
the message of visibility and resistance?
Speaker 3 (23:58):
We are we were worried. I added to highlight people's voices,
and this is kind of a commemoration for the Sincolonious
March nineteen seventy six, which was a coalition of Puerto
Ricans and African Americans and indigenous people come together to
show their presence into and to announce their needs during
(24:19):
the bicentennial celebrations in nineteen seventy six. This exhibitionion which
I saw with Horge's show for the Arsha Santos, is
that it highlights how in faved peoples maintain their identities
and cultures principally, and it became part of the cultures
throughout the Americas, all the way from Brazil to the
(24:39):
Carolina and the United States in different forms. Orte has
focused pretty much on the Caribbean in his work, but
it's still the Yoruba people were placed throughout the Americas
and in a time when when you're in the news
with a President's house and we're signage to the George
(25:00):
Washington slaves people that are being taken down the exhibitions
speaks to their resilience to these people's voices. And also
when we see when we look at Latino culture and
in our culture, we could see messages of their culture
being having influence ours become become the culture of the
Americans that we know now or Hey.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
For visitors who may not be familiar with your traditions
or centa ria, what do you hope they learn or
feel when experiencing this installation.
Speaker 6 (25:31):
Well, I hope that that people will become more aware
of the iconography of the religion. I'm not a member
of the religion, but I'm an artist who is very
aware of the influences of this religion in the Caribbean
and recently in the United States. So I want people
(25:56):
to ad Maya, the iconography and the himbo behind the
looks of these leigiums.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Raphael. The work challenges colonial narratives and reclaims history. How
does art help shift or rewrite those narratives.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
The idea of whose scene is very important and who
makes the work is very important, that that has always
been something that has gone and notice much of history,
but now in contemporary art, and there are a lot of
efforts different people from coming from different regions, those those
(26:35):
those efforts have been more pronounced and in so Dean
we become a little bit more enlightened because they've always
been influencing what we consider high art or high culture,
which is which is not real. They were that they're
apart coming to see the show, we can appreciate in
different levels esthetically as well as intellectually, like we like
(26:55):
we might experience religious work in a Catholic church, or
we may or I mean we have I even enjoyed
classical music that's been that our acquire music, that is
that our hymns. This work is very important with JR.
Has done it, and it also shows something else as
well that it highlights something about installation art that was
this is one of your earliest works of installation in
(27:17):
the country in nineteen eighty five. And it also shows
that an artist Corgey who's present work at that engages
our roots, also talks to modernism and and that's something
you can go to see in the first in the
first part of the gallery.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
It's a powerful exhibit originally created in nineteen eighty five
on view at Taier Puerto Ricano A Risha Santos An
Artistic Interpretation of the Seven African Power is a groundbreaking
exhibit by Puerto Rican artist Jorge Lewis Rodriguez. It is
on view through April fourth. Admission is free, Raphael. If
(27:53):
people want more information, where do they go?
Speaker 3 (27:55):
You can just go to our website tirepr dot Org.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Raphael must is the creator of an exhibitions program director
for Taier Perdouquno, a cultural hub in Philadelphia, and of
course the artist Jorge Luis Rodriguez, who is the originator
of Risha Santos, An Artistic Interpretation of the Seven African
Powers see now through April fourth at Taier Perdo Riceno.
(28:22):
Thank you both very much for joining us today.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
Thank you, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app ye Words Philadelphia
Community Podcast. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Lorraine Ballard.
I'm Lorraine Ballard MOREL and I stand for service to
our community and media that empowers what will you stand for,
(28:47):
you've been listening to insight, and thank you.
Good morning. You're listening to Insight, a show about empowering
our community. I'm Lorraine Balladmorrow. Today we'll explore an art
exhibit at Taier Pereruicano inspired by Yuruba spiritual traditions and
the African diaspora. We'll also take a look at the
work of green Light Fund Philadelphia and how it connects
communities with high impact nonprofits to create real pathways to opportunities.
(00:22):
But first we begin with an organization, empowering girls in Delaware.
Girls Inc. Of Delaware has been long committed to empowering
girls to be strong, smart, and bold through programs that
build confidence, leadership, skills, and opportunities for success. One of
the organization's signature events celebrating that mission is the Strong,
(00:42):
Smart and Bold Awards Luncheon, an annual gathering that honors
extraordinary women whose leadership and impact strengthens our communities. This
year's luncheon takes place on Thursday, April ninth, over at
the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware. To
tell us all about it and about Girls Ink Delaware
is its executive director, Wanona Sudden. Winona, thank you so
(01:03):
much for joining us here today, and so for listeners
who may not be familiar with Girls Inc. Of Delaware,
start by sharing the mission of the organization and how
it supports girls across the state.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yes, thank you so much for having me, and I'm
excited to share more about Girls Inc. Of Delaware because
a lot of people get us confused with some other
girls serving organizations, but we're quite different. And so Girls Inc.
Of Delaware is an organization that is focused on creating strong,
smart and bold girls who then turn into strong, smart
and bold women. A lot of people don't know this,
but we have been in existence for more than one
(01:35):
hundred and sixty years, which is incredible. Started out in
New England as Girls Clubs, went on to become Girls
Clubs of America, and then changed our names in around
nineteen ninety to Girls Inc. Girls Incorporated. Girls Inc. Is
a national model, so we have Girls Incs in all
of the United States as well as some of Canada.
(01:58):
And we're really excited because we so of girls starting
from grades kindergarten so ages five, all the way up
through your college experience. Again, we've started out as an
organization focused on helping girls and women actually find their
voice supporting them during really hard times where they didn't
have a lot of rights, when they were trying to
really figure out what being strong, being smart, and being
(02:21):
bolt looked like for them in that time. And since
then have we changed with the times We've acclimated to
the girls' needs through our programming, through our services, and
through our events and activities, and now for Girls and
of Delaware that means showing up for them in a
number of different ways.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Well, tell us more about the programs that you utilize
to support your mission.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I am actually a huge Girls Inc. Of Delaware fan.
I know I'm a little bit biased, but I just
love what we do Because we do a lot of
character building workshops, we do opportunities to really create that
strong and when we say strong, we're looking at mental
and physical health. So how do you show up emotionally?
How do you be able to send to yourself? How
(03:06):
do you become physically strong as well? So we have
a lot of programming on that side. When we look
at our smart pillar, we're looking at how do we
show up academically. Girls Think has a strong focus in
and STEM based careers because that is a space where
girls are typically or women are typically not shining so
much because it is a male dominated space. And so
(03:26):
what we do is we look at those career exploration opportunities,
So it's opportunities to be able to introduce girls to
STEM careers and then we work with them with mentors
with career exploration to be able to help guide them
into those careers as well. And when we look at
our bold pillar, we're looking at opportunities to help our
girls become more bold. How do you speak for yourself?
(03:47):
How do you show up more boldly? How do you
We even have self defense as one of our core
program areas in that space because we know how important
that is for our girls to be able to protect
themselves emotionally and sometimes physically. So our programs are really exciting,
and we look at the holistic girl, We look at
the whole holistic approach. We also look at creating a
(04:07):
safe space for girls, and I think that's the most significant.
You can come and you can show up and you
can just be yourself, and that's pretty powerful to have
a girl safe space, especially with some of the outside
influences and things that we know can affect and impact
girls on a daily basis.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Well. At the luncheon. This year, You've got some extraordinary honorees. Briefly,
tell us who you're honoring and why.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah, so that's pretty exciting as well, because we are
honoring some powerhouse women this year, and I think every year.
So this is our thirty second event. COVID slowed us
down a little bit, so I won't say annual, but
we've had them pretty consistently over the past thirty two years.
We're going to be honoring a stronger, smart and a
bold awardy. Our strong Awardi will be the one and
(04:51):
only Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester. Our smart Wardy will be
doctor Joan Koker, and our board Awardy will be Terry Glibaki.
Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester. She is a powerhouse woman, a
first in many places in her life, and she has
been a glass selling breaker, and so we are so
(05:12):
honored to be able to honor her this year. I
think globally she's made an impact and specifically nationally she's
made a lot of impact, and so we really look
forward to honoring her. Doctor John Coker. She is amazing
and during COVID she showed up in so many amazing
ways for the Delaware community, being instrumental in making sure
(05:33):
that people receive their COVID vaccines. She was at the
forefront of the movement in Delaware, partnering with organizations administering
shots herself. I will say each one of these women
in body, strong, smart, and bold. Terry Glabaki is the
current CEO and General manager of Delaware Park Casinos. She
also was the former CEO of Ocean's Casino and Atlantic.
(05:57):
In her position, she's the only woman at the table,
the only woman in the room, and so really being
able to learn and speak to these women during this
process that you've been preparing for this event has been
inspiring to me. And I'm excited to honor these women
during this event because I know that hearing from them
will inspire others.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Oh and Ona, you have an extraordinary keynote speaker, and
I wonder if you can tell us what message you
hope attendees, especially young women and girls will take away
from hearing her story.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
So we have the one and only Alisa Merquidez. She
is the founder of Brew Ha Ha. An amazing, amazing woman.
She is an innovator. She not only created a brand,
but scaled that brand. She created something that is unique,
and I'm hoping that our girls and the other leaders
in the room take something. We pay for the ticket price,
(06:50):
we have the lunch, and we have the great experience
we have this fundraiser, But I think the knowledge that
I want everybody to pull from this experience is really
what excites me the most. And I know that our
friend from Bruhaha is going to help us and tell
them that story of resilience, of strength, of great commitment.
She has done it all and pushed a brand to
(07:11):
great heights and so I look forward to hearing from
her as a keynote. I also want to highlight we
have again another great woman and I'm definitely filling the
vibes of girl power because our host is the one
and only Lorie Yes.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
On disclosure, I will be MC and I'm looking forward
to it.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yes and so again just powerhouse women all the way
around the table, being able to tell the story and
showcase who we are as women and how we inspire
the next set of girls that will be coming around.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Women supporting women and girls. I'm all about it. Tell
us specifically the details of the event that's happening on Thursday,
April ninth, tell us what time it starts and ends
and where it's going to be in a little bit
of what we can expect when we arrive.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Yeah, so come on down. We will be at the
Chase Center on the riverfront, Wilmington, Delaware, April ninth, from
eleven thirty to two thirty. We will have just such
great energy, such great experiences. Some of our girls will
be in the building. It will be a luncheon, so
we will have some great food, some salmon, some beef,
really good menu and so definitely a great physical experience,
(08:22):
but again an emotional experience because you will hear from
these great leaders that we will be honoring. You will
learn more about the girls in experience, you will hear
from some of our girls, and so really exciting and
we hope that everyone can join us. We have few
more seats left, a few more tables left. You can
find out more about the event on our website at
girlsande dot org. Forward slash SSB Awards with an SSB.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Awards fantastic And I guess if people also want to
know how they can support Girls Inc. Delaware and also
perhaps join and be a part of this organization, they
can still go to that website as well.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Yes, girlsankde dot org.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Thank you so much for joining us here today. Wenonah's Sudden,
executive director of Girls Inc. Of Delaware, Long committed to
empowering girls to be strong, smart, and bold through programs
and build confidence, leadership skills, and opportunities for success. Looking
forward to seeing you all on April ninth, and folks
out there check it out. It should be a wonderful
(09:23):
time and a great cause supporting girls and young women.
Thank you so much for joining us, Winona.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Did you know that cold exposure kills more people worldwide
each year than extreme heat? In Philadelphia, heat season runs
October first through April thirtieth. During this time, landlords are
legally required to provide adequate heat at least sixty eight
degrees in all living spaces. If you're renting and don't
have proper heat, call three one one immediately. And remember stoves, ovens,
(09:56):
and portable heaters are not safe alternatives. They can cause
fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Heat isn't optional, it's the law.
If you're without heat, called three one one. Today today
we're talking about economic mobility and what it truly takes
(10:18):
to connect communities with resources they need to thrive. Joining
us is Scott Emerick of green Light Fund Philadelphia. Green
Light Fund works to identify unmet needs in our city
and bring in proven, high impact organizations to address those gaps,
creating real pathways to opportunity for individuals and families. We're
(10:38):
going to talk about their community driven approach, the measurable
impact of their current portfolio organizations, and what's next for
green Light in Philadelphia. So, Scott, great to see you.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
Yeah, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Appreciate it well, tell us about green Light and what
distinguishes you from other types of philanthropy organizations.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
Yeah, I appreciate the question.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
I think green Light is some unique approach in philanthropy,
in large part because we're very deeply rooted in community.
So green Light approach takes the idea that we're going
to identify and scale solutions that meet on that community needs.
But we do that with a very core belief that
any solution to improve economic mobility will be most effective
if it's really grounded in the feedback and the experiences
(11:21):
of those who are most proximate to community and most
deserve more equable opportunities for economic mobility. So for us,
that looks like a really deep phase of community engagement
where we're talking with neighborhood members and doing focus groups
with young people and really understanding the experiences of those
in community around the issues that we're considering for investment.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Economic mobility is a huge phrase. What does that look
like in real life for families and individuals right here?
Speaker 4 (11:49):
Sure?
Speaker 5 (11:49):
So in Philadelphia to make economic mobility a little bit
more concrete and tangible, I think it means different things
to different community members. So for instance, we've made a
previous investment in a group called Fountain Fund, so they
provide access to extremely low intrist capital for returning citizens.
So if you're just as impacted and you're thinking about
(12:12):
rebuilding your life and having access to workforce or housing
or transportation, really proud of Fountain Fund investing one point
eight million dollars in loans at extremely low interest rates
for returning citizens. Or similarly, a group like Hopeworks who
does incredible workforce development with young people and really growing
out the fundamental foundational skills for tech jobs and career pathways.
(12:37):
So that creates mobility in places that it wasn't previous.
So I think economic mobility needs different things to different people,
But how do we make sure that everyone.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
Has an equal opportunity.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
I believe that talent is spread really equally in our city,
and unfortunately, opportunity is not. That's not a problem that's
unique to Philadelphia, but it's one that we're really heavily
invested in helping to solve.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Yeah. I have done reviews with the Fountain Fund and
very impressed with how that is working to help justice
impacted individuals get back into the mainstream and become contributing
members of society because there's so many barriers for people
who are returning citizens, and this gives people a nice
(13:22):
leg up. What are some other areas that you see
where you need to really fill those gaps.
Speaker 5 (13:28):
Yeah, the gap that we're focused on right now for
our pending investment that we just announced. We heard a
lot of community members who are saying, we just wish
that there were better jobs and more equitable career opportunities.
That that kind of first rung on the ladder to
economic mobility is sometimes really hard to access. Social capital
that helps folks get their foot in the job for
(13:49):
their first job is often not as accessible for first
gen college.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Students as it should be.
Speaker 5 (13:54):
So we heard that pretty consistently, and there's a difference
between a job that feels like any job versus a career.
So really excited that that gap that we heard from
community has kind of guided us to our next investment
and Project Bosta out of New York City.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Well, we are moving into some very interesting times. Technology
is overtaking us in many ways and truly transforming the
nature of jobs and careers. How do you look at
some of the new technological advancements when we talk about AI,
for instance, how that's going to impact people's ability to
(14:29):
have their own life sustaining careers. How do we begin
to close that gap?
Speaker 5 (14:35):
Yeah, it's a really important issue that I think is
top of mind for a lot of folks right now.
So I want to address on a couple levels. So
at a very basic level of how you find and
apply for and get matched with the right career opportunity,
which is very much focused on the work that Project
Bosta does, and I think importantly it comes from a
space of being a nonprofit that existed in person, had
(14:57):
deep relationships with young people, and then shift into this
tech and AI space over the course of COVID doing
programming digitally in this combination of really caring adults with
tech and AI models.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
So in their.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Case, if you have young people who are interested in
for them first generation college students and finding not just
a job but a great career pathway, that process of
how you do what they call discovery. So this is
career prep and readiness and a really interactive platform with
great learning technology built in, and also a tool that
they have that's called Seeker, which is AI enabled career navigation.
(15:32):
So I'll date myself a little bit that when I
was entering the labor market in the early two thousands,
the idea that I could send out a resume electronically
the email was cutting edge. Now you have AI on
both sides, So you have an HR department that's using
AI to think about resumes. On the other side, you
have job seekers who are thinking about how to integrate
AI into their search. I think the brilliant thing that
(15:54):
Project BOSTA does is say, how do we couple that
experience of to your point, filling overwhelmed with tech and
AMIA with carrying adults who can support that navigation. Boston
does that really, really well They've done that for ten
years in New York City, and we're excited to invest
six hundred thousand dollars for them to come and grow
in Philly. Over the next four years. They project to
reach at least eleven thousand first generation college students in
(16:17):
the ways that I just described.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Wow, that's very exciting. I wonder if you can share
some examples of organizations currently in your Philadelphia portfolio and
the measurable impact that they're having.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
Yeah, so I'll go with the most too recent, and
I'll give a little bit of shout out to We've
been doing this work for a while. So we actually
have seven investments, two are active, and then we'll make
another investment and Project BOSTA, which will be our eighth.
So Single Stop Europe United, the Center for Employment Opportunities,
Parent Child plus Compass Working Capital. Those are our legacy investments,
(16:48):
and there are two active portfolio investments or with Hopeworks
and the Fountain Fund. So Hopeworks focus on workforce development
with Opportunity Youth, the foundational skill sets and mindsets that
young people need to find and succeed in a career,
and young people making fifty five sixty thousand dollars in
their first job out of hopeworks because they have both
(17:09):
the foundational skills to understand what it means to be
a valuable employee and technical skills that they need to
succeed in technology. Fountain Fund we talked about a little
bit previously, but access to capital and extremely low interest
loans and their success point and one of their key
performance indicators they've reinvested one point eight million dollars in
(17:30):
returning citizens to Philadelphia since they came here.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Yeah, that's that's wonderful. Partnership seems central to your work.
What are some key community stakeholders and collaborators that make
this model successful because you really do try to get
on the ground and talk to people who really have
lived experience to inform your decisions.
Speaker 5 (17:50):
We do in those partnerships are key in a few
different areas. So one Thatt'll name off the bat. We
have a thirty person selection Advisory Council. So when we're
making any investment and any of the portfolio orgs that
we've been discussing, we certainly do our due diligence. We
have a scout phase that kind of kind of combines
what we've learned nationally about organizations working in spaces and
issue areas that Philadelphias have named. But then we have
(18:13):
thirty folks from across neighborhoods, across sectors, from for profit
to nonprofit, folks in political spheres to really say this
is what this investment would mean in my community to
my stakeholders.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
So that's one.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
And then I mentioned that before we do any investment,
we spend about six to eight months in community, doing
focus groups with young people, doing conversation, showing up events
across the community. So anyone who's really invested in economic
mobility and thinking about gaps to create more equitable opportunity
in Philly would invite them to get in touch. Greenlightfund
(18:45):
dot org is our website. All fifteen sites are listed there,
including Philadelphia. From there, you can get in touch with myself,
my colleague Danielle Hughes. You can talk to us about
ways that your interest in community might align with the
work that green Light's doing.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
I think you touched on it already, but did you
have an you pending investment on the horizon. Can you
share with us about what's coming up next for a
green Light Fund Philadelphia?
Speaker 5 (19:06):
Yeah, so I'll talk about what's coming next in terms
of appending investment, and then kind of a learning community
that we're trying to launch in the AI space. So
Project Best, new York based nonprofit, ten years of great
work in New York, now expanding to work in both
North Carolina and here in Philadelphia. And I think you
have this really hard nut to crack of saying we
have talented first gen college students. We have employers who
(19:28):
are at least rhetorically, are saying we want to diversify
our talent pipeline, hire folks from neighborhoods that might be
underrepresented in their traditional hiring pathways. And really what we
need is someone to bridge that gap. Boston combines tech
and AI with carrying adults and some really committed post
secondary partners to say we can connect more first gen
talent to great jobs. So we will make that investment
(19:52):
right now in March and six hundred thousand dollars unrestricted
funding for them to do great work in Philly under
the grad for the next four years, but hopefully as
they get a foothold in our community for much longer.
And then the last thing that I'll mention is kind
of coming down the future. We've talked a little bit
about the impact of tech and AI on economic mobility
in lots of ways. We're starting with the Barra Foundation
(20:15):
to convene a group of foundations and philanthropic partners who
are really interested in understanding the impact of AI on
our investments, on our internal operations, on the programming of
nonprofits across the city. I think there's a lot to
be learned about AI, there's a lot to be scared of.
There's a lot of opportunities that are out there. So
I think if we can create learning spaces with folks
(20:36):
who are really connected to and approximate with community to
be part of the way that AI solutions get developed
and implemented in Philly, it benefits all of us.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Well, there's so many opportunities out there in resources and
you've mentioned a bunch, So if people want to know
more about the green Light Fund Philadelphia and all the
different organizations that you support, whether they want to folks
out there want to be part of that discovery aspect
of what you do, which is finding out what the
needs are or if there's someone who can benefit from
(21:06):
one of the many things that you talked about. There's
some great opportunities there. What is the best and easiest
way to find out more?
Speaker 5 (21:13):
Yeah, the best way to find out about our work
is greenlightfund dot org. And if you go there, you
can click on Philadelphia to your point, you can see
and get a link to each of the seven soon
to be eight organizations that we've invested in. So if
you're interested in career development, if you're interested in asset building,
early childhood literacy, connections with returning citizens, you can see
(21:34):
those orgs in that space. And if you're interested in
connecting with green Light more broadly to be part of
our community engagement work and to think about solutions that
matter for Philadelphians. Happy to be in touch with folks,
but Greenlight Fund dot org is the best way.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Wow, there's so many needs and green Light Fund Philadelphia
is working to close those gaps. Scott Emeric of green
Light Fund Philadelphia. Greenlight Fund works to identify unmet needs
in our city and bring improof and high impact organizations
to address those gaps. We talked about creating real pathways
to opportunities for individuals and families.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
Thank you so much for joining us to Thanks for
having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Art has the power not only to inspire, but to
preserve history, culture and identity. Now on view at TAYER,
Puerto ricanho is Arisha Santos, An Artistic Interpretation of the
Seven African Powers, a groundbreaking exhibition by Puerto Rican artist
Jorge Luis Rodriguez. Originally created in nineteen eighty five, this
(22:37):
immersive installation explores the spiritual traditions of the Yoruba people
and their survival and transformation throughout the African diaspora. The
exhibit is on view now through April fourth. Admission is free.
To tell us more about this incredible work and its impact.
Raphael Damast is the curator and exhibition program director for Tayer,
(23:00):
a cultural hub in Philadelphia, and of course, the artist
Jorge Luis Rodriguez. Jorge, please tell us about the Seven
African Powers and your best spiritual traditions. Why is it
important to bring these stories and traditions into contemporary art
spaces today?
Speaker 6 (23:21):
Well, this anthropoloica installation have influenced many of the artists
music and also in fine art in around New York
City and the realts of your work. Artists such as
Tito Puente, Serlia Cruz refererl Land and many other artists
(23:44):
have been influenced by the religion Raphael.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
The exhibit is part of Taier Puerto Ricano's twenty twenty
sixteen We Will Not Hide. How does this exhibition reflect
the message of visibility and resistance?
Speaker 3 (23:58):
We are we were worried. I added to highlight people's voices,
and this is kind of a commemoration for the Sincolonious
March nineteen seventy six, which was a coalition of Puerto
Ricans and African Americans and indigenous people come together to
show their presence into and to announce their needs during
(24:19):
the bicentennial celebrations in nineteen seventy six. This exhibitionion which
I saw with Horge's show for the Arsha Santos, is
that it highlights how in faved peoples maintain their identities
and cultures principally, and it became part of the cultures
throughout the Americas, all the way from Brazil to the
(24:39):
Carolina and the United States in different forms. Orte has
focused pretty much on the Caribbean in his work, but
it's still the Yoruba people were placed throughout the Americas
and in a time when when you're in the news
with a President's house and we're signage to the George
(25:00):
Washington slaves people that are being taken down the exhibitions
speaks to their resilience to these people's voices. And also
when we see when we look at Latino culture and
in our culture, we could see messages of their culture
being having influence ours become become the culture of the
Americans that we know now or Hey.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
For visitors who may not be familiar with your traditions
or centa ria, what do you hope they learn or
feel when experiencing this installation.
Speaker 6 (25:31):
Well, I hope that that people will become more aware
of the iconography of the religion. I'm not a member
of the religion, but I'm an artist who is very
aware of the influences of this religion in the Caribbean
and recently in the United States. So I want people
(25:56):
to ad Maya, the iconography and the himbo behind the
looks of these leigiums.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Raphael. The work challenges colonial narratives and reclaims history. How
does art help shift or rewrite those narratives.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
The idea of whose scene is very important and who
makes the work is very important, that that has always
been something that has gone and notice much of history,
but now in contemporary art, and there are a lot of
efforts different people from coming from different regions, those those
(26:35):
those efforts have been more pronounced and in so Dean
we become a little bit more enlightened because they've always
been influencing what we consider high art or high culture,
which is which is not real. They were that they're
apart coming to see the show, we can appreciate in
different levels esthetically as well as intellectually, like we like
(26:55):
we might experience religious work in a Catholic church, or
we may or I mean we have I even enjoyed
classical music that's been that our acquire music, that is
that our hymns. This work is very important with JR.
Has done it, and it also shows something else as
well that it highlights something about installation art that was
this is one of your earliest works of installation in
(27:17):
the country in nineteen eighty five. And it also shows
that an artist Corgey who's present work at that engages
our roots, also talks to modernism and and that's something
you can go to see in the first in the
first part of the gallery.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
It's a powerful exhibit originally created in nineteen eighty five
on view at Taier Puerto Ricano A Risha Santos An
Artistic Interpretation of the Seven African Power is a groundbreaking
exhibit by Puerto Rican artist Jorge Lewis Rodriguez. It is
on view through April fourth. Admission is free, Raphael. If
(27:53):
people want more information, where do they go?
Speaker 3 (27:55):
You can just go to our website tirepr dot Org.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Raphael must is the creator of an exhibitions program director
for Taier Perdouquno, a cultural hub in Philadelphia, and of
course the artist Jorge Luis Rodriguez, who is the originator
of Risha Santos, An Artistic Interpretation of the Seven African
Powers see now through April fourth at Taier Perdo Riceno.
(28:22):
Thank you both very much for joining us today.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
Thank you, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app ye Words Philadelphia
Community Podcast. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Lorraine Ballard.
I'm Lorraine Ballard MOREL and I stand for service to
our community and media that empowers what will you stand for,
(28:47):
you've been listening to insight, and thank you.
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