Sinopsis
The Philadelphia Citizen podcast offers spoken versions of articles, deeper dives into the political, social and cultural workings of our city, explainers on the issues of our day, interviews, conversations and solutions. Lots of solutions. All to help you become a better citizen of your city.
Episodios
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Snow is a mayor's kryptonite
06/02/2026 Duración: 07minIt's been 10 days since snowmageddon. Snow and ice are still everywhere. Let's have a chat about how Cherelle Parker is actually doing.
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Overheard at Fitler | Val and Ott Lovell, the Laverne & Shirley of the 250th
05/02/2026 Duración: 49minPreeminent Philadelphia boosters Angela Val of Visit Philadelphia, and Kathryn Ott Lovell of the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation, talk semiquincentennial with The Citizen Media Group's Roxanne Patel Shepelavy. Together, the "Laverne & Shirley" of 2026 have taken up the mantle of generating funds, ideas and excitement for a year to remember. They're creating a legacy to preserve, as Ott Lovell puts it, "democracy, democracy, democracy."
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What happens when a school closes?
04/02/2026 Duración: 05minOn this episode of Guest Commentary, the head of one independent school in Southwest Philly says the fallout from the District's plan to transform the city's school buildings will be personal.
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Before "game-day fits" there was Big Rube
03/02/2026 Duración: 11minWay before the NFL and NBA started posting game-day fits, the iconic photographer, marketing guru and gourmet chef Reuben Harley snapped Philadelphia's most stylish athletes off the field and on the streets
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The corporations enabling ICE
02/02/2026 Duración: 09minICE and Border Patrol may be the faces of these immigration crackdowns, but they don't operate alone. Ali Velshi takes a deep dive into the corporations that are supporting ICE operations and encourages all Americans to protest with their wallets.
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Are you there Constitution Center?
30/01/2026 Duración: 10minJeffrey Rosen is out. Now, the NCC must decide if it will remain a genteel place of scholarship or become the antidote to recent threats to democracy.
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The Mayor dude with the skater attitude
29/01/2026 Duración: 01h02minMatthew Tuerk is a wicked skater. He's a tattoo connoisseur. He's a marathoner, and the popular second-term mayor of Allentown, PA who has made it his mission to bring back his city's manufacturing success. On the latest episode of How To Really Run A City, our hosts invite this punk-rocking mayor to join them on the show. "This guy is a fanatic about economic development," said Platt. "He's turned Allentown into Pennsylvania's third-fastest growing city." "We had this idea that you could still make stuff in cities," Tuerk replied. "Soot and smog-filled cities are not what the future of manufacturing looks like. Manufacturing needs people. It needs good, high-paying jobs. There are a lot of folks that came to Allentown looking to tap into the American Dream. Empowering people should be our motivation." Then Platt prompted Tuerk to show off his unique Allentown flair. "I have the city seal tattooed on my chest," Tuerk declared, unfastening a few buttons on his shirt. "That's commitment," Nutter said with a l
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Donald Trump & Wharton: The facts
28/01/2026 Duración: 23minFrom dating rumors to charitable donations to slapping his son around for ... improper attire, unravel the ten greatest mysteries of Donald Trump and Wharton
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Gazing back with Big Rube
27/01/2026 Duración: 12minThe iconic photographer, chef and marketing guru is facing worrisome health diagnoses this year, but is keeping his spirits up. Deputy Editor Lauren McCutcheon called up Big Rube to talk about his contributions to Philadelphia and his most memorable photo subjects.
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Violence between the State and its citizenry
26/01/2026 Duración: 12minAli Velshi invites presidential historian Jon Meacham onto the show to discuss the many moments in American history where our ancestors struggled to establish our natural rights. "Every measure of progress has been met with pushback by those in power."
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What is the Sheriff smoking?
23/01/2026 Duración: 08minProgressives cheered, but Larry Platt argues that Sheriff Rochelle Bilal's viral press conference about Trump and ICE were a spectacle Philly can ill afford on the national stage right now
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The city knows how to fix the trash
22/01/2026 Duración: 07min… but is it willing to do what it takes? Today is the time to weigh in on what trash and recycling services will look like for the next four years. We can do better.
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RFK Jr., autism and public trust
21/01/2026 Duración: 06minOn this episode of Guest Commentary, the Secretary of Health doesn't apologize — even when he is proven completely wrong about the link between Tylenol and autism
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Breaking Bread for citizenship
20/01/2026 Duración: 08minConversations about what it means to be a neighbor, and what it means to be a citizen, will be happening in Philly throughout the semiquincentennial in the form of free dinners and guided conversations. Roxanne Patel Shepelavy spoke with Anuj Gupta of The Welcoming Center. For more details visit Breaking Bread for Citizenship at thephiladelphiacitizen.org
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Making the world one in brotherhood
19/01/2026 Duración: 13minAli Velshi invites Martin Luther King Jr.'s son, Martin Luther King III, onto the show to talk about his father's legacy. "Every year, we felt like we were advancing," King told Velshi. "Now it feels like we're going backward."
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The time for freedom is now
16/01/2026 Duración: 07minFreedom does not ring on its own, declares Dr. James Peterson as we head into Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The bell of liberty must be struck repeatedly. Deliberately. And at any cost.
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"If my mom loved me any more, I'd be dead"
14/01/2026 Duración: 17minIn the wake of the horrific murders of the Reiners, J.P. Romney chats with Kim Porter, Executive Director and Co-founder of Be a Part of the Conversation, about substance use disorder and why so many parents think "this could happen in our home."
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Ask an eighth grader what Philly should look like in 2076
14/01/2026 Duración: 05min20 young teens were asked to imagine Philadelphia in 50 years. How they responded may surprise you.
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The Reiner family is our family
13/01/2026 Duración: 05minIn light of a recent Hollywood tragedy, a Main Line recovery specialist says people who love people with mental health disorders are quietly asking: Could this happen to us?
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Know your rights when it comes to I.C.E.
12/01/2026 Duración: 08minIn the wake of the horrific shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis, Ali Velshi sits down with MN State Rep Aisha Gomez to talk about the state's reaction.