Pod and Market

At the corner of Prospect and Ferry Streets, a restaurant had a quiet opening. The usual fanfare around grand openings had to wait. The Ironbound was in the grips of a pandemic that brought the usually bustling thoroughfare to a mute standstill. Nevertheless, SIhana set its tables and opened its doors to the community, presenting a fresh new take on a space to eat, hang out, and absorb art. Kreshnik Berisha, one of the founders and owners of Sihana, joins the pod to discuss the unique mission of Sihana and what it is like to open a space during what may be the most challenging epoch in this city’s history—at least in the last 50 years..

Design Challenge, Challenging Times: An Interview and Conversation with Erin Sweeney and Schools That Can

Newark Symphony Hall remains one of the most iconic performance venues in Newark, as well as in New Jersey. Constructed in 1925 at a cost of $2M, the space has been the home of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the New Jersey State Opera, McDonald’s Gospelfest, the New Jersey Ballet, the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival, and the Newark Boys Choir School. Performers over the years have included Judy Garland, Bob Dylan, Patti Labelle, Richard Pryor, Amalia Rodrigues, Gladys Knight, the Rolling Stones, Parliament Funkadelic, Tony Bennet, and Eric Clapton. It has even been used for state funerals of prominent Newarkers (including Amiri Baraka and Jerry Gant) and weddings that have been featured in the New York Times. However, Symphony Hall is also a reflection of the city itself. The space hit a sustained period of disinvestment and funding shortages over the last few decades (the space was definitely not neglected). Though the space is in dire need of renovation and capital investment, it is still an active performance and community space. Taneshia Nash Laird, CEO and President of the venue since 2018, has undertaken an ambitious campaign to bring renewed attention to Symphony Hall and to restore and update the building. She is unique, as she is the only Black woman leading a performing arts center in the state. She is a self-professed entrepreneur, social change agent, and community developer, with a background in economic development and the arts, having led the Arts Council of Princeton and served as a director of economic development in Trenton. She is also an adjunct professor at Drexel University (in their entertainment and arts management program). Guest: Taneshia Nash Laird—Taneshia Nash Laird is a social change agent and community developer who centers cultural equity in her work. She is the President and CEO of Newark Symphony Hall, a historic performing arts center located within the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Newark, NJ. Since her appointment in November 2018, she has expanded programming to respond to community needs and announced plans to restore the 1925 vintage concert hall in a $40 million renovation and leverage it for neighborhood revitalization in a process she calls Symphony Works. Background & Articles: Newark Symphony Hall’s Official Page: here Nonprofit Finance Fund Interview with Taneshia: here CBS Piece on NSH: here “The Soul of Newark Symphony Hall”: here New York Times Profile of Wedding Held in NSH: here Amalia Rodrigues’ Performance at Symphony Hall [believed]: here Quote: “Science, knowledge, logic and brilliance might be useful tools but they didn’t build highways or civil service systems. Power built highways and civil service systems. Power was what dreams needed, not power in the hand of the dreamer himself necessarily but power put behind the dreamer’s dream by the man who it to put there, power that he termed “executive support”.”—Robert Caro, The Power Broker

Kai Campbell left the world of Newark politics and development to try his hand at a venerable city tradition, food creation and service. Kai was no stranger to this area of work, coming from a long line and tradition of chefs and restaurant managers in his family. He has since flourished and is the impresario behind three newly minted Newark institutions: Walla, a South Asian style burger join; Bragman’s, a decades old Jewish deli in the South Ward; and the Yard, a soon to open outdoor eatery and bar. Kai comes on the pod to discuss how he came to this business, his hopes for the city, and what it will take for more restaurants to flourish.

Newark has always been a city with a rich food tradition. It's now at the crossroads of maintaining that tradition while expanding into new fields. Charlie Shelton, head chef at Barcade, joins the podcast to talk about what's good to eat, what Newark should do to support its food culture, and what it takes to be a food-centric city.

Newark has come to a standstill. Businesses are closed. Newarkers are sheltering in place. The podcast explores what this means for the city and its residents.

Our second season begins with a special guest, Liz DelTufo. Liz has led the effort to preserve this city's cultural landmarks and historical sites for the past 50 years. On this episode, she shares her journey in this city and some of the anecdotes from her fights to protect our unique look.

Have you ever wondered about to visualize sound, especially in an artistic medium? What would it look like? How would it feel? Wolfgang Gil, local artist and principal at the Honk Tweet, explores these questions through his design and his art. Based out a studio in Project for Empty Space, Wolfgang designs mixed-reality experiences that highlight the visual potential of sound. Join the pod as we discuss his art and his upcoming exhibit at the Newark Museum of Art.

M'Jestie, 2x platinum-selling songwriter from Newark, released her first solo album "III." She joins the pod to discuss her journey as an artist, the inspiration behind her music, and the meanings behind her songs on the album.

What is a timely monument for Newark? This is the central question to "A Call to Peace," a public art and history exhibition which calls into question Gutzon Borglum's Wars of America monument in Military Park. Alliyah Allen, an assistant curator on the projects, comes on to discuss the issues around the statue and how "A Call to Peace" moves this conversation forward.

This is a very special episode. We have Miguel Antunes, the brother of the pod's host, join for a discussion about growing up in Newark and leaving Newark. This episode hits a wide array of topics, from getting the most out of college, to finding inspiration, to figuring out what path to follow in life.

Where do I begin with Jordan? I suppose I can talk about how we first met. I was assigned by the Harvard Club to interview a student from University High School in Newark, one they were quite interested in. The person I met astounded me. He was easily admitted into Harvard. However, and unfortunately, he decided to attend Princeton instead. Still, we’ve kept in touch, and I remain fascinated by every thing he does. Rather than explain who he is in this article, I ask that you listen to the episode to get the full sense of Jordan.

Guests, Don Charles and Derek Walls, join the podcast to share the preparations and work behind Porchfest, a 50-plus artist/performers celebration throughout Forest Hill on September 28, 2019

Up the hill sits Old Essex County Jail, site of many incarcerations and executions in New Jersey history. The building, when in opened in the 1800s, was considered to be the model for progress in the penal system. Today, the building has fallen into disuse and disrepair. Myles Zhang joins the pod to discuss the future of the site and of preservation and development in Newark.

Newark was once a center of alcohol production and consumptions. Massive breweries and distilleries dotted the landscape, while, during prohibition, speakeasies could be found on every corner. John Ward from Cool Vines and Gil Spaier from All Points West come on to the pod to discuss their successes in reviving this culture and the challenges they still face.