2026 marks the 30th Anniversary of The Broadway Education Alliance, Broadway’s original enrichment program for theater-loving kids, and a recipient of a special Drama Desk Award for its contribution to the sector. Founder Susan Lee talks about connecting young-people to musical theater career paths both on and off stage, building future theater audiences, and their annual Camp Broadway program in July.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To mark Bladder Cancer Awareness Month in May, The Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network hosts the Walk to End Bladder Cancer on May 31st in Manhattan’s Hudson River Park, Pier 25. More than 725,000 people in the United States are living with bladder cancer, yet its warning signs are often missed until everything changes—and outcomes are worse for women at every stage. Bladder cancer survivors Shannon van Heerden and Sandy Weicher, tell their stories and urge others to trust their instincts when something feels wrong. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The newly launched Citizenry is a free, nonprofit, AI-enabled platform that matches New Yorkers who want to get involved in their city with the civic groups, neighborhood organizations, and nonprofits that actually need them. Before launching Citizenry, founder Dominic Ramos-Ruiz served as U.S. Head of The Conduit, a global network for purpose-driven leaders, and worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the community development and impact investing team.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even most adults on social media are comfortable with casually posting their own personal moments online, what is it like to grow up with a camera focused on you 24/7? To have your childhood moments—tantrums, potty training, breastfeeding-weaning—sold by your parents as “content”, and broadcast to an audience of millions? Journalist Fortesa Latifi is author of LIKE, FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE: Influencer Kids and the Cost of a Childhood Online. Fortesa Latifi’s work has been featured in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, The Washington Post & Teen Vogue and elsewhere.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Many people who are living with depression, anxiety or trauma, unfortunately also suffer from substance use disorder. James Hollywood, from Samaritan Daytop Village, talks about the connection between recovery and nutrition. For over 60 years, Samaritan Daytop Village has been improving the quality of life for New Yorkers. The nonprofit is nationally recognized for the treatment of substance use disorder as well as for the veteran-specific approach it pioneered.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many parents know the struggle of finding child care that is affordable, accessible and aligned with work schedules. Even with proposals to expand access towards universal childcare, the system remains complex and uneven, with many families relying on a patchwork of solutions. Davon Russell, President of WHEDco, discusses why home based child care must be central to efforts to increase access to childcare; a conversation based on his Op-Ed for Crain’s New York. In addition to building award-winning affordable housing, Bronx-based WHEDco provides early childhood and after-school programs, arts and cultural programming, access to healthy food, and small business support.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GUILT FREE: Reclaiming Your Life from Unreasonable Expectations, by psychiatrist and award-winning educator Dr. Jennifer Reid, is a science-backed and deeply compassionate guide to understanding and dismantling the forces behind excessive guilt. Jennifer Reid, MD, is a psychiatrist, the creator and host of The Reflective Mind Podcast, and an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches the next generation of psychiatrists.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Survive Stroke Week is May 3-9, 2026: An annual event to promote stroke awareness and survival. Organized by The Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS), this year’s focus is on the growing prevalence of stroke among younger age groups and the importance of immediate, lifesaving treatment. My guest is Dr. Jessica Campos, is a post graduate (year 7) neurosurgery resident at the University of California, Irvine, and an active mentor and resident board member of the Women in The American Association of Neurosurgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons Joint Section.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early voting for the June 23rd primary election in New York State begins on June 13. We’ll cover the what’s on the ballot, registration, who’s eligible to vote, and all things NYC voting with Olivia Brady from NYC Votes, an initiative of The New York City Campaign Finance Board, the independent city agency that ensures local elections are fair, inclusive, and open. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.