Citizencast

The Phils’ yakker has, with every random, odd observation, touched the city's soul

Fifty years ago, veterans made up 80 percent of Congress. Now it’s less than 20 percent. One U.S. Rep says: If you want bipartisanship, vote in more vets. Former Representative and Under Secretary of the Army, Patrick Murphy, joins Dr. James Peterson on this week's CitizenWURD segment to discuss the issue.

... build a smarter, safer health system. Potent THC products are flooding stores and sending children to the ER. In this Guest Commentary, a Penn ethicist says legalization isn’t really the question anymore. It's safety.

Yes, according to local experts. Here’s what it would take

How will prices rise now that Trump's tariffs have been enacted? Ali Velshi breaks it down, from price increases at the grocery store to a predicted 40% jump in tennis shoes.

Public transit funds are being held up by Republicans who also want money to fix and build new roads throughout the state — even in unpopulated areas with no traffic woes. How is that good governance?

The deep canvassers of Changing the Conversation Together have been able to turn out the vote before big elections. Doing their work year-round may very well boost civic engagement and voter turnout in the long term.

Isaac Saul is a South Philly journalist who reaches 400,000 readers everyday with Tangle’s blend of media roundup, analysis and self-reflection. His goal? To help Americans see past their own biases. Listen to Roxanne chat with Saul about media independence, consumption bias and the impressive success of his newsletter platform.

On this episode of Guest Commentary, Philadelphia can't wait until 2068 to compensate women for the same work done by their male counterparts. The President & CEO of the Forum of Executive Women explains why.

This week, Ali Velshi takes on the Epstein files and explains why Donald Trump has been calling some of his most ardent supporters "stupid," "foolish" and "weaklings."

The Phillies owner’s emotional speech during the Dick Allen Hall of Fame Induction weekend was about forgiveness, redemption and a city coming to terms with its past. It was also a master class in civic leadership.

When Denver, Colorado Mayor Mike Johnston isn’t sparring with congressional Republicans over immigration (and being threatened with jail time), he’s pushing his city to eliminate homelessness, continuing his crusade for high-quality, affordable education and inspiring Denverites to give five hours of volunteer service each month. “I love the Give5 Mile High program,” said Citizen co-founder Larry Platt. “It’s kind of the answer to Trumpism, right? All of us coming together in common purpose?” On this episode of How To Really Run A City, former Mayor Michael Nutter and former Mayor Kasim Reed, with Platt, join Mayor Johnston to dissect the initiatives that are making Denver a prosperous and communitarian city for all its citizens. “What I try to do is bind people,” Johnston says. “I bind together people that are broken. I bind together people who have been pulled apart from each other. I feel like this is the work mayors are called to do.” “And that’s why we do this podcast,” Reed says. “It is so important fo

A trio of real estate pros calling themselves the WEALTH Collective plans to solve Philadelphia’s race-based $57 billion gap in housing values. Hear their story.

The PA House has voted to reinstate the teaching of old-fashioned penmanship in public schools. In the age of AI, is this the answer to our literacy crisis? 

George M. Johnson (All Boys Aren't Blue, Flamboyants) was the very first guest on the Velshi Banned Books Club. He returns to talk with Ali Velshi about the 133 bills across the US that seek to ban books and punish librarians. "The more that you speak with these challengers," Johnson says, "the more that you realize they haven't read any of these books."

Trump’s so-called Big Beautiful Bill contains a free money, opt-in school choice program for governors. Will ours redefine the politics of education for Democrats by taking advantage of it?

On this episode of Overheard at Fitler, legendary concert promoter and genre originator Larry Magid steps back in time with Citizen Co-creator Larry Platt to relive iconic shows — Magid built music institution the Electric Factory and was behind Live Aid — and meet the artists — David Bowie, Janis Joplin, Mick Jagger — that made Philly music history. Join us for a fascinating and entertaining walk down a rock-fueled memory lane.

The average credit score for Philadelphians is 669, just above the minimum to qualify as "prime," or good enough to receive a loan. Alba Fernandez of Finanta joins James Peterson on this week's WURD Citizen segment to discuss why this is and what can be done about it. 

Big Rube talks with an up-and-coming Northwest Philly carpenter and small business owner about what it means to turn your life around and build something that lasts

Trump's Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, figured the administration could kill two birds with one stone: deport the immigrant workers upon which the country depends for food and replace them with able-bodied, lazy Medicaid recipients. Hear Ali Velshi break down the absurdity of this plan.