We stay ready at WGRL/Podcast Power! When we got word that our fabulous big sis Bella Hadid was coming by to tour the sound studio we saved a seat and a microphone for her! Bella was lovely enough to jump on mic for an impromptu, short but very fun interview. Thank you so much for your time Bella – we can’t wait to have you back in the studio!

Whew – it’s been rough out there in the world so we thought we would slow down a bit and do some serious self care. Our friend the amazing healer, yogi and performer Shelley Nicole stopped by to lead us in a soothing meditation and then we tried our hand at writing and recording our own guided meditation. InJoy the vibes – we wish everyone an easeful, peaceful 2024!  

WGRL got a reboot this summer with our mighty “Podcast Power” class! We learned the ins and outs of the pod biz, did some recording, created a confessional booth and even visited “the Daily” at the New York Times! Just in time for Halloween while the veils between worlds are the thinnest we are releasing our convo on reincarnation! Please enjoyed this youth generated content and don’t forget to leave a 5 star review for the hard working team! 😉

The Lower East Side Girls Club was proud to be an artist- residence in historic Governor’s Island for the 2023 season. Take a ride on the ferry with Sound Studio Director Kelly Webb and Erikka James, Director of Programs, as they tour the house and speak to some of our visitors to the exhibit entitled “Memory Lab”. Shout out to Girls Club instructors and artists in residence Amarilis Jimenez, Deanna Greene, Destiny Mata, Erikka James, Kelly Adams, L. Vargas, Mary Adams, Mia Montalvo and...

Joseph Capehart is a poet and educator pushing the needle when they can and flipping the table when they must. Black, queer, and concerned with freedom, they are the founder of The Garden, an abolitionist bookstore and community well in Brooklyn. This conversation is part of a collaboration with our mentor, artist and instigator  jackie sumell and MoMA PS1 which resulted in an exhibition at PS1 entitled “Freedom to Grow“. In the Summer of 2021 the Growing Abolition class produced a series...

Sophia Dawson is a Brooklyn based visual artist who has dedicated her life’s work to exposing the stories and experiences of individuals who are striving to overcome the injustices they face. This conversation is part of a collaboration with our mentor, artist and instigator  jackie sumell and MoMA PS1 which resulted in an exhibition at PS1 entitled “Freedom to Grow“. In the Summer of 2021 the Growing Abolition class produced a series of four podcasts delving into Abolitionist Worldview as...

Timothy James Young is a poet, writer, abolitionist and wrongfully convicted man who is currently incarcerated on Death Row in San Quentin State Prison. He has not seen a tree in 24 years due to his incarceration but the students at UC Santa Cruz cultivate a garden with Tim in partnership with Solitary Gardens. Join the movement for Tim’s freedom here.  This conversation is part of a collaboration with our mentor, artist and instigator  jackie sumell and MoMA PS1 which resulted in an...

Mariame Kaba is an abolitionist thinker, writer, curator, and organizer based in New York City. Her clarity, passion and love for liberation work resonated deeply with us. We are grateful for this generous conversation in which we take on everything from a discussion of the children’s book “Noodlephant” to the constant “Law & Order” marathon on TV! This conversation is part of a collaboration with our mentor, artist and instigator  jackie sumell and MoMA PS1 which resulted in an...

WGRL caught up with neighborhood legend Mikey, of Mikey Likes It ice cream for a sweet and  inspiring conversation on following your dreams!  Thank you Mikey for being a power of example to pretty much everyone! When you’re in NYC don’t forget to make Mikey’s a stop for a sweet treat and support your local black business!

And just like that we are BACK! This episode is packed with an exclusive interview w musician Michael Love Micheal, a review of episode 1 of Colin in Black and White, field pieces and a BRAND NEW theme song executive produced by Dai Burger. As always, teen made content for the world. Podcast Production Crew & Talent: Aaliyah, Amerique, Elsabet, Jamyra, Jibeh, Mako, Mirette Instruction: Kelly Webb & Emma Camell Post Production Support: Chantell Harrison

Venus X is a Ecuadorian/Dominican DJ, Producer, Fashion Designer, Gardener and Activist by way of Washington Heights. In this inspired conversation with Aminata Sall, one of our WGRL/Nessa program interns, Venus X talks on the power of community building and staying true to self and to the people. An inspiring and uplifting listen for all!

We are all ready for some positive vibes! DJ Eli of the Girls Club Avenue DJ Squad sets the tone with this perfect mix to set the summer off.

These times are extremely challenging and sometimes we just need to get away from it all. DJ KK to the rescue! Slip a pair of your favorite headphones on and tune in to this latest hip hop hits mix.

Topeka K. Sam, has been fighting for the dignity, decriminalization and decarceration of women and girls of color since her release from federal prison in 2015. In this episode, we were blessed to have this great lady share eye opening information on incarceration as it pertains to young women. Take a listen to learn more about Topekas tireless advocacy and why it is so vital. You can support Topeka’s work by visiting The LOHM.  This interview is part of the Girls Club x  Nessa radio...

Part of what makes NYC special is the proliferation of small independent businesses, each unique and special to us and reflecting the incredible diversity of the city. Small businesses are in extreme distress right now, and with months of no income combined with little to no federal help we are in danger of losing these important community gathering spaces. Restaurants and shops where you can actually share a conversation with the owner, and the taxes they pay actually stay in the community...

During these extremely stressful times we thought we’d post some comforting content from our WGRL archives. Tune into our Skype interview with the Queen of ASMR, the wonderful Gibi! She inspired us so much we incorporated ASMR as part of our classroom experience. Thanks Gibi for all you do to make this world sound and feel better!

Our Artist-in-Residence, Courtney Alexander, focuses her work on representation in tarot cards. For the past few months, she has been working with us to create a tarot card deck and altar for The Girls Club’s Art on Paper display. Through this, she hopes girls will get a chance to honor and learn more about themselves. We sat down with Courtney in the studio for an intimate chat on her work, the hustle of being an independent artist and why representation is important. We learned a lot from...

Girls Club member DJ KK is a founding member of our Avenue DJ squad and has gigged at Lincoln Center, ENVSN Fest Nike HQ and Museum of the City of New York among many other places. Our Avenue DJ’s are available to get your party started – check out this Afrobeat Exclusive Mix for WGRL!

We were so excited to have Kaash Paige stop by our WGRL studios recently. In addition to having a hit single out, Kaash did radio as a teen as well so she made us totally comfortable behind the mic with some pro journalism tips. Thanks Kaash for a great interview!

During our trip to Montgomery, Alabama earlier this year we got a special treat when we stopped by the roadside restaurant Martha’s Place. The owner, author and chef, Martha Hawkins, opened up to us about marching with Dr. King, her personal struggles and her ultimate triumph starting her own restaurant. We had a great interview and a delicious meal! Please make Martha’s Place your go-to spot when in Montgomery and support this amazing woman and get a real taste of the South!

Que lo que Dani Leigh! Super proud of this Dominican dancer, singer, rapper and choreographer and her recent success (after a lot of hard work). The busy musician was kind enough to swing by the WGRL studios a while back and spend some time with our middle school journalists. Thanks Dani for a great interview and we can’t wait to hear even more great music from you!

Earlier this year soulful songtress Madison McFerrin swung by the WGRL studios  to demonstrate her unique approach to music and opened up about her journey in the music industry. So grateful to Madison for sharing her magical music and story with us!    

As the final interview of the Nessa scholarship in radio journalism for the class of 2019, our young reporter Nylia Chiquito, an aspiring educator herself,  reached out to Maria Bautista, Campaigns Director for The Alliance for Quality Education.  One of the most important steps we can take in creating change is the education of our youth. We spoke to Maria about her vision and some of the challenges in implementing policies that could impact our world in a positive way. “The Alliance for...

A huge shout-out to our friends and supporters at the Know Your Rights Camp (KYRC) and of course our big sisters in journalism Nessa and Katrina B who made it possible for us to spend a few minutes with Nick Cannon this spring.Nick was supporting the KYRC movement in Baltimore when our WGRL reporter Shandra Rogers had an insightful exchange with him on positive change for the community.Thank you Nick Cannon for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation and thank you to Know Your Rights Camp...