Host Mazi Mutafa interviews Kelvin Lyons, a Towards 2040 Fellow, about his family, podcast, mentors, leadership through the arts, and the fellowship itself. Mazi then chats with Ravish Momin, D.A. Mekonnen, and Kamyar Arsani. They share music, discuss collaborations,artistic journeys, and play some of their work. Co-host Patrick Washington takes over to interview 2024 Arlington County Youth Poet Laureate, Mia Dimina. They delve into her relationship with poetry, and she shares her poem "A Fox." Mazi rejoins the conversation with the previous musicians and welcomes new guest Amirah Sackett. Together, they explore the concept of labels in art, Amirah's work, her path to dance, upcoming shows, and the intersection of Art and Islam. Mazi dives deeper with Amirah alone, discussing her artistic journey and self-expression through art. Patrick returns to interview Amasa Maleski. They discuss her upcoming book, and she shares her poem "Lightening Bugs." To wrap up, Mazi speaks with Dr. Lowe of the Office of Out of School Time Grants. They explore the importance of the office, Summer in the City programs, and the future of after-school programming.

In this episode of the “Something to Say” podcast, our host Mazi Mutafa interviews Taylor Matthews. They discuss Taylor's family history, her journey as an artist, her college experience, choreo poems, and the Day Breaks community. Next, Mazi introduces the new Youth Poet Laureates of Montgomery County, Arlington County, and Washington D.C. First, we hear from Tara Prakash of Montgomery County. Following that, our co-host Donney Rose joins us for a discussion on the Youth Poet Laureate poems. Afterward, we hear from Arlington County’s Youth Poet Laureate, Mia Dimina. Later, our other co-host, Patrick Washington, speaks with Washington D.C.’s Youth Poet Laureate, Isaac Yebio. They discuss Isaac’s personal journey with poetry, and Isaac shares his poem “Prometheus Perennial.” Following this, Mazi talks to Chitra Subramanian about her family, how she started dancing, her introduction to different forms of dance, starting a career in the arts, the Towards 2040 fellowship, her upcoming events, and advice for creatives. To finish the episode, we hear once more from co-host Patrick Washington, who speaks with the 2024 Montgomery County Youth Poet Laureate, Tara Prakash. They discuss Tara’s love for poetry, and she shares her poem titled “On Erosion.” Tune in next week for another episode of the “Something to Say” podcast!

Our host, Mazi, welcomes Reem Bassous, the Artistic Director and Head of Faculty at the Washington Studio School. Their conversation explores Reem's educational background, her journey as an artist, her role at the Washington Studio School, and her experiences in teaching art. Next up, co-host Patrick Washington takes the stage. He interviews Tara Prakash, the 2024 Montgomery County Youth Poet Laureate. Tara sheds light on her inspirations and shares her poem, "On Erosion." Following that, Patrick sits down with Saniya Pearson, the 2024 Youth Poet Laureate for Prince George's County. Their conversation delves into Saniya's use of poetry for advocacy, and she shares her poem, "I Am." Later, Mazi engages in a conversation with poet and community advocate Nkechi Feaster. They explore Nkechi's advocacy work, her upbringing, the impact of gentrification on communities, and The Diversity Fund. We wrap up the show with co-host Donney Rose, who provides a rundown of exciting upcoming programs on WBL. Thanks for joining us! Don't miss the next episode of "Something to Say" next week!

Host Mazi Mutafa dives into the world of cultural production with Asad Ali Jafri. They discuss Listening While Muslim, the Space Shift Collective, Asad's work with Words Beats and Life, and the Towards 2040 fellowship. Next, Mazi chats with 2040 Fellow Neverless about her journey to the U.S., building her dance studio, and the power of dance to build confidence. Co-host Patrick Washington takes the mic for a conversation with 2021 Arlington Youth Poet Laureate Amasa Maleski about activism, followed by a powerful reading of Amasa's poem "I Miss Y'all." Patrick then speaks with 2024 D.C.Youth Poet Laureate Isaac Yebio, who shares his poem "Turning Blue." Mazi rejoins with co-host Donney Rose, who kicks things off with a poem reading and upcoming event announcements. Mazi then sits down with rising New Jersey artist Deon Davis. They discuss Deon's family, his college experience, the education system, fostering creativity in young minds, his upcoming book, the power of writing, and the importance of faith.

In this episode of the Something to Say podcast, our host, Mazi Mutafa, engages in enlightening conversations with a lineup of inspiring guests. First up is Poet and academy director, Donney Rose, delving into upcoming events and the Youth Poet Laureate Program. Following that, Mazi chats with Megan Truman from Think Like a Boss, exploring her journey from upbringing to entrepreneurship, community building, academic pursuits including a stint in South Africa, and crafting a career in the arts. Then, our co-host Patrick Washington sits down with Arlington County's 2023 Youth Poet Laureate, Ribka Desta. They unravel Ribka's poetic odyssey, accompanied by her poignant piece titled "Immortal" and the driving force behind its creation. Continuing the poetic journey, Patrick speaks with the 2024 DC Youth Poet Laureate, Isaac Yebio. Together, they navigate Isaac's personal narrative, intertwined with his evocative poem "Prometheus Perennial" and the genesis of its inspiration. Wrapping up, Mazi engages Rahaman Kilpatrick in a discussion encompassing family heritage, professional trajectory, the art of DJing, and the impactful initiatives of the Horton’s Kids organization, and teaching hip-hop.

In this episode of the Something to Say podcast, our host Mazi Mutafa engages in insightful conversations with distinguished guests. First, Dr. Msia Clark, a respected professor at Howard University, joins Mazi to delve into the significance of hip-hop's 50th anniversary, her ongoing research and trip to South Africa, and the nuanced comparison between Afro-beat and hip-hop. They also explore various styles within hip-hop and touch upon the Hip-Hop African podcast. Following this, co-host Patrick Washington introduces Youth Poet Laureate Saniya Pearson, who captivates listeners with her poignant poem crafted as part of the Cotton project. Continuing the poetic journey, Patrick engages Kenny Caroll in a discussion about his evocative piece, "My City," unraveling the layers of inspiration behind its creation. Next Mazi sits down with DJ Kareem Joseph, aka KERIMtheDJ, to uncover the distinctive elements of his artistic approach, tracing his journey into the world of DJing and offering insights into the dynamic process of crafting music live. Kareem also sheds light on the Towards 2040 fellowship.  Wrapping up the episode, Jassie Rios joins Mazi to share her artistic genesis, discussing her conceptual approach to drawing and her impactful role as an educator.

In this episode of the Alt Spring break podcast our host Greg Corbin interviews Jeannine A. Cook. Jeannine is an author, bookstore owner, and non profit leader, among other things.    In this episode Jeannine and Greg discuss the inspiration behind her bookstore, family history, the importance of Harriet Tubman, spirituality, her time as a grant writer, and much much more!

In this episode of "Something to Say," the podcast ventures abroad as our host, Mazi Mutafa, broadcasts from Nepal! Join Mazi as he engages in an enlightening conversation with Professor Jared Ball. Together, they delve into Professor Ball's recent thought-provoking speech at Bucknell University and explore broader themes surrounding Black History Month. Later on, we're privileged to have co-host Patrick Washington join the discussion. Patrick engages with youth poet laureate Saniya Pearson, who graciously shares one of her recent poems, offering a unique perspective on contemporary issues. Wrapping up the episode, Mazi connects with Lydia Daniel, an environmental advocate and educator, for an insightful conversation. Following this, Mazi engages in a discussion with Donney Rose about the importance of uplifting young poets and creatives, shedding light on the power of art and expression.

In this episode of ‘Something to Say,’ our host, Mazi, interviews Lemuel “Life” LaRoche of Chess and Community. They cover various topics from Killer Mike's recent success at the Grammy’s to chess and robotics. “Life” discusses how he is trying to use chess as a way to increase social bonding amongst youth. Next up in the episode, Mazi talks with Gabriel Martinez, who is the founder and executive director of The Black Girl Tribe. They discuss the importance of uplifting black women from a young age and how we can better do that. Our co-host Patrick Washington interviews the 2024 Arlington Youth Poet Laureate, Mia Dimina. Mia shares one of her poems and discusses the inspiration behind it. To finish the episode, Mazi talks with Kanika Cousine, who is the founder of Journey of a Dreamer Inc. Kanika shares her life story and how it led her to start her organization to help youth find mentors, internships, and follow their dreams.

In this episode of "Something to Say," our host Mazi is joined by Stephan Stevens, the Executive Artistic Director of the Anacostia Playhouse. Stephan delves into his journey as an actor and shares insights on balancing his artistic pursuits with other endeavors. WBL's Director of Poetry, Patrick Washington, converses with Mia Dimina, the 2024 Arlington, VA Youth Poet Laureate. Wrapping up the show, Mazi engages in a discussion with Selene Parker about their recent excursion to Cuba.

In this episode of "Something To Say," Kenneth Ward explores the transformative journey of higher education and sheds light on the College Bound program. Ward emphasizes the excitement surrounding the college experience and underscores the crucial task of discovering the perfect fit for each individual. Later in the show, we are joined by Alisia Simmons and Martial Pa’nucci from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). They discuss their involvement with the NED and share insights into their current projects. Pa’nucci also offers a glimpse into his life as an artist and activist in Congo.

This episode of the Alternative Winter Break series features DJ Heat, based out of the DMV area and official DJ with the WNBA. Alternative Break is a chance for young adults to be productive on their school break and learn how to be successful in the creative sector.

This episode dives into the poetry project, Cotton: A Retrospective, featuring interviews and performances by members of the DMV Youth Slam Team. WBL's weekly show on WPFW 89.3FM, Something To Say, gives a platform for young creatives to tell the world what's on their mind each and every Tuesday at 1pm EST. Original air date: 06-13-2023

This episode's guest is Aja Clark. As an educator for over fifteen years, Aja has been involved in mentoring activities that promote literacy for young adults and reluctant readers. Her work includes creating public accessibility to state education policies, updating policy to reflect 21st education goals, and developing relationships with various institutions in the DC area. Aja is often the behind-the-scenes sprocket and connector for programming and enjoys planning or facilitating programs in music, arts, and culture. Aja holds a BA in English Literature from Rutgers University and a MEd in Educational Leadership from Wilmington University. An enthusiastic lover of music and culture, Aja enjoys concerts, domestic and international travel, and various art-focused activities in her spare time. Alternative Break is a chance for young adults to be productive on their school break and learn how to be successful in the creative sector.

This episode's guest is Mercedes (Diane Griffin) Forbes, a Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Consultant passionate about ensuring female agriculturalists and food producers increase their agency, access, and income. She’s an internationally recognized expert in gender and sustainability, providing training and consultation to clients in the U.S., Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Her diverse background includes experience with the United Nations, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Georgia Coalition for Black Women, the National Minority AIDS Council, and the Washington, D.C. Humanities Council. Ms. Griffin is skilled in strategic planning, behavioral change communication, legislative advocacy, and fundraising. Working in international development, education, and public policy, her career promotes gender equity, sustainable economic growth, and positive social development. Alternative Break is a chance for young adults to be productive on their school break and learn how to be successful in the creative sector.

Our guest in this episode features WPFW 89.3 FM station manager Katia Stitt. Alternative Break is a chance for young adults to be productive on their school break and learn how to be successful in the creative sector.

Our College Material program prepares teens to move on to secondary education. In this episode, our college coaches discuss how students can fund their college experience. Is all debt bad? If you're going to college, you'll want to find out.

Our guest is Tewodross "Teo" Melchishua Williams (pronounced Tee-oh-droze Mell-keshu-ah), a filmmaker, animator, visual artist, and motion graphics and projection designer from Prince George’s County, Maryland. He completed his B.A. in Fine Arts: Photographic Media at Morgan State University and his M.F.A. in Imaging and Digital Media Arts at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). He also previously taught visual communication, design, animation, and motion graphics at Howard University and Prince George’s Community College. Alternative Break is a chance for young adults to be productive on their school break and learn how to be successful in the creative sector.

Beautifully Uncomfortable is a conversation series that brings awareness to trying and confusing topics, creating safer spaces in hip-hop. In this episode, “Mortal Man”, we discuss the current state of Ye and the insights and ramifications of his recent actions.   Feat: Prowess The Testament (Host) Produced by Flex Mathews     aired live on December 11, 2022

Our guest is Adisa Banjoko, or Adisa the Bishop, known by many names. He is the charismatic founder of the Hip-Hop Chess Federation. The organization uses chess and martial arts to teach non-violence to at-risk and incarcerated youth.  Alternative Break is a chance for young adults to be productive on their school break and learn how to be successful in the creative sector.