The Lower Eastside Girls Club Moms Writing Group facilitated by Hettie Jones began in October 2013 with a Civic Engagement Grant from the New School University’s School of Public Engagement.  We were able to continue in 2014 courtesy of Poets & Writers Readings and Workshops Program, and currently receive support from New York State Council on the Arts through their Arts in Education Program, both of which contributions have been matched by the Girls Club itself.  We meet for two hours once a week to write on different topics provided by the workshop leader.  This is our second podcast, a complement to our two published chapbooks.  Writing about what women do, how we work, our pasts and our plans, we have become a solid, supportive group of not only critics but friends.  Our gratitude to the Girls Club for giving us a home and thanks to the G.C. staff for their warm and continuing welcome. Sisterhood is powerful, Moms rule!


Barbara Caporale  Writer's Workshop Reading

Maria Muentes   Writer's Workshop Reading

Lori Johnson Writer's Workshop Reading 2

Susan Schiffman  Writer's Workshop Reading

Ingrid Devita  Writer's Workshop Reading

Marla Pretlow Writer's Workshop Reading

This March, WGRL was thrilled to have an audience with some of the women who literally run New York City: City Councilmembers Laurie A. Cumbo, Helen Rosenthal, Julissa Ferreras-Copeland and Melissa Mark-Viverito!

The councilmembers took a few minutes before an event celebrating women in uniform to talk to our young reporters about their inspiration, obstacles they have encountered on their journey and why women's voices are so important when it comes to politics. 

Thanks to the fab four for the leadership they exemplify. We hope you enjoy the podcast and are as inspired by these women as we are!

www.girlsclub.org

WGRL Goes to City Hall!

Musicologist, Dancer and Teacher Pepe Flores was born in 1951 in Puerta de Tierra, near Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. When he was 4 years old, his family moved to the countryside. Pepe learned to read at an early age and became an avid and voracious reader, opening hi mind to worlds beyond his humble roots. 

Jíbaro music was the first type of music Pepe heard as an immediate part of his everyday life. Later, through the radio, he heard the music of cuartetos like Mayarí and Marcano, the music of Cortijo and his Combo with Ismael Rivera, etc. These forms of music became the foundation of Pepe’s musical journey, which led him to collect records and books since the early age of 12 years old. Besides listening various and diverse forms of Puerto Rican and Caribbean music, he read everything related to music and history he could get his hands on, from liner notes to magazine and newspaper articles, books and academic papers, etc, etc. As a teenager, Pepe began attending live performances and dances where groups like El Gran Combo, Tommy Olivencia y su Orquesta, La Sonora Ponceña and others played salsa music and dancing became an integral part of his life, character and persona.

At age 19, Pepe migrated from Puerto Rico and arrived in the Lower East Side of New York City, where he quickly became a community activist focused primarily, but no exclusively, in the areas of early childhood education, affordable housing, community gardens and public spaces. In NY, Pepe expanded his interest in music to Cuban, Jazz, Brazilian, African, etc…, significantly expanding his collection and knowledge. In the spirit of his mentors, René López, Andy González, Harry Sepúlveda and many others, as his music personal knowledge, music collection and library grew, Pepe consistently made these invaluable resources available to selected musicians and researchers sharing his love for music and respect for musicians.

Bomba and Plena Music with Pepe Flores

WGRL interview with Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo.

Interview with Councilmember Laurie Cumbo

Tune in for an intimate interview with New York City Councilmember Margaret Chin, where she discusses her background, inspiration and her job as a politician serving District 1 with our young reporters! 

Interview with Councilmember Margaret Chin

Police are People too - WGRL profile of retired officer Joey Morelli. 

Police are People Too: Interview with Joey Morelli

At a time when police and community relations are at an all time low, our WGRL reporters took the opportunity to reach out and speak to two retired members of the police force in the hopes that better communication and understanding of one another’s worlds can foster healthier communities.



Police are People Too: Interview with Karen Carlo

Fashion Designer Mara Hoffman joins our young reporters to discuss fashion, art and inspiration! 

Fashion Designer Mara Hoffman on the Art of Fashion

We were thrilled to have the influential Editor-in- Chief of Glamour magazine, Cindi Leive, take time out from her hectic schedule to drop by our studios for an interview in the famous WGRL airstream! Cindi shared her outlook and personal history in this intimate chat and reinforced how important it is for women to support each other. We were so grateful for this wonderful opportunity to speak with one of the most innovative and forward thinking women in the publishing business today. We hope you enjoy the interview! Thanks Glamour magazine for your continued support of our programs! 

Glamour Magazine Editor-in-Chief Cindi Leive Inspires Us With Her Story!

Lillian “Lee” Llambelis is the deputy commissioner for community partnerships and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Architecture/Art and Mathematics) initiatives at the Department of Design and Construction. She leads the agency’s outreach, and develops and strengthens programs that support educational initiatives that create a pipeline for students from middle school through employment. Join us for a chat about how important science and engineering is with our WGRL team and the lovely Lee!

Talking STEAM with Lee Llambelis from the DDC

WGRL (Where Girl Radio Lives is our all girl-powered online radio station and podcast series based out of The Lower Eastside Girls Club of NY. 

Trained in the art of radio journalism and engineering by professionals in the field, our young reporters cover a wide variety of stories. WGRL produces regular podcasts and interviews with celebrities, community activists, musicians, politicians, fashionistas and powerful women in just about every walk of life. We've covered events as varied as the Halloween Dog Parade at Tompkins Square Park, National Record Store Day and the Women’s Herstory event at NYC City Hall.

Our goal in the WGRL studio is to tell our stories through the skills and mediums we are gaining proficiency in, and in turn share these stories with the world!

WGRL

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