EXPLORING THE GREEN DIVIDE

ecoWURD is a multimedia environmental justice journalism initiative examining Black communities at the intersection of race, health, income & the environment.

ecoWURD is a production of WURD Radio, Pennsylvania’s only Black-owned talk radio station. The ecoWURD team is comprised of a talented group of thought leaders, reporters and journalists who are tackling issues in places like Philadelphia and beyond through in-depth investigative articles, audio and video content and photography.

Reporting and conversations on ecoWURD explore the most pressing issues facing Black people locally, nationally and globally, illustrating the connection between environmental racism, climate change, economic opportunities and our communities. Philadelphia will serve as a prime example of this link, as it remains the poorest big city in the United States, a majority-Black urban center of 1.6 million people where African American residents are perpetually battling broader issues of air quality, water quality, residential displacement, pollution, climate change and toxicity. These challenges both instigate and aggravate stubborn racial and socioeconomic disparities.

The mission of ecoWURD is to report on how environmental issues uniquely impact Black communities across the nation and the world.

OUR TEAM

Sara M. Lomax

Sara is the President and CEO of WURD Radio, Pennsylvania’s only African American owned talk radio station, and publisher of ecoWURD. Prior to her work with WURD, Sara co-founded and ran HealthQuest: Total Wellness for Body, Mind & Spirit, a trailblazing nationally circulated African-American consumer health magazine. She has written for numerous publications, edited two books and in 2016 contributed to a book of essays titled “Our Black Sons Matter.”

P.O.C.

Tamara Russell, also known as P.O.C. (Proof of Consciousness) and host of ecoWURD Magazine on WURD Radio, is the Founder and Host of REVIVE RADIO, an online broadcasting platform, and a media correspondent for the joint venture REVIVE Media. The depth of her interviews stimulates conversation ranging from politics, societal issues, small businesses, music, health, nonprofits, and trending topics. When she is not behind the mic, she is curating workshops for the youth, engaging with the community by meeting them where they are, and volunteering for different community services. P.O.C. became the youngest African-American woman regularly scheduled on Philadelphia’s NPR WHYY station 90.9 FM in 2020. She is an active member of Philadelphia’s NPR PBS WHYY “N.I.C.E.” News Information Community Exchange Program and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism Constellation News Leadership Initiative Fellowship. She also completed the 2023 Philadelphia Media Founders Exchange Fellowship. P.O.C. is an honorary founding member of the National Black Media and Press Association and a member of For(bes) The Culture. Lastly, P.O.C. is the recipient of The National Black Media and Press Association Award for excellence in audio media.