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Honoring Philadelphia’s new generation of Living Legends: Isaac “Ikey Raw” Gardner, Ernest Owens, Chad Fain, Matt Cain, Tom “Tom Flies” Manning, Colin Chambers, and Damona “Mona” Love, for their roles as podcast influencers, as part of the commemoration of Black History Month.
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WHEREAS, Podcasts are a bold and emerging arena that allow individuals the opportunity to share their feelings, their opinions, and their lived experiences with members of the general public through the touch of a button. They also provide black and brown individuals the opportunity to share their thoughts about daily life in their communities; and
WHEREAS, Podcasts provide outlets for a variety of different individuals to share a variety of viewpoints with a wider audience. Even though hosts and viewers may disagree, these platforms are launching pads for receiving and transmitting useful information; and
WHEREAS, Isaac “Ikey Raw” Gardner is the CEO of Unsolved Murders in Philly with Ikey Raw. This podcast gives a voice to the stories of the victims of unsolved murders in Philadelphia and provides their families with the platform to share their feelings and insights. He is also the host of “Raw Talk with “Ikey Raw” Man Of The People,” where he examines the latest information on criminal justice, crime, sports, and politics in Philadelphia along with the latest on entertainment and social media; and
WHEREAS, Ernest Owens is the host of the acclaimed podcast “Ernestly Speaking!” Where he breaks down the latest headlines, controversies, and everything in between. Ernest has spent his entire professional career in the communications, media, and journalism. He has worked with numerous different media outlets including CNN, NBC Universal, and BET. Currently, Ernest is the CEO of Ernest Media Empire, LLC, Editor at-large of the Philadelphia Magazine, and the President of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. In addition to his journalistic work, he has taken the skills he has learned and is giving back to his community by serving as an adjunct professor at Cheyney University; and
WHEREAS, Chad Fain and Matt Cain are the co-hosts of “The Realest Podcast Ever.” Founded in 2017, Fain and Cain have spent their hosting careers giving a platform to the voiceless. Over the past six years and 10,000 hours of episodes, they have been a voice for honest expression. They have spent there more than half a decade on the air providing intelligent and insightful analysis that perfectly blends both the humorous and the enlightening; and
WHEREAS, Tom Manning, better known as “Tom Flies,” is the host of “Tapped in with Tom Flies” broadcast on HipHopSince1987. Tom amplifies the stories of those who grew up in Philadelphia and highlights the impact they have had on different spheres of the city’s culture. One area that Tom focuses on is music. His podcast uplifts young artists and gives them a platform to share how they got to where they are now. “Tapped in with Tom Flies” provides the opportunity to musicians to share their journey and inspire others to pursue their dreams; and
WHEREAS, Colin Chambers is the main host of the Office XIV Podcast. Office XIV brings together five friends who come together to share their life experiences and give advice on how to deal with the thorny issues of life. Through their personal stories, Chambers and his friends change the narrative on life discussions to show how real people are affected by challenges; and
WHEREAS, Damona “Mona” Love is the host of “Don’t Call Me White Girl.” Damona delivers a unique brand of insight, advice, and comedy on a variety of different topics. Her success story inspires all her followers and listeners. After growing up in an underserved Philadelphia neighborhood, she struggled with her self-confidence as a child. After issues with the legal system in her late teens and early twenties, she has shown that everyone deserves and can benefit from a second chance. She found great joy in her life came from making others laugh, and as a result, she founded her podcast in 2018. Damona provides a unique viewpoint on her podcast by centering on a woman’s experience in the world; and
WHEREAS, These podcasters uplift black and brown voices and their incredible work must be honored and commemorated; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby honors Philadelphia’s new generation of Living Legends: Isaac “Ikey Raw” Gardner, Ernest Owens, Chad Fain, Matt Cain, Tom “Tom Flies” Manning, Colin Chambers, and Damona “Mona” Love, for roles as podcast influencers, as part of the commemoration of Black History Month.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That Engrossed copies of this resolution be presented to these outstanding living legends as a sign of the respect and admiration of this legislative body.
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