WAMU-FM (Washington, D.C.)

5 days ago | wamu.org | Jackson Sinnenberg |Tyrone Turner

The Cathedral of St. Matthew was quiet but bustling with energy only an hour after Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost was announced to the world as Pope Leo XIV. Cathedral workers were busy putting up a new bunting – the colored banner that hangs above the cathedral’s main doors – to celebrate the announcement that still rang across the globe: “Habemus Papam”….we have a pope. Rev. Msgr.

1 week ago | wamu.org | Cara Anthony

It’s May, which means pool season is right around the corner. While swimming can be a great activity, Black Americans face disproportionately higher rates of drowning. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 3 (36.8%) of Black adults say they don’t know how to swim, compared to 15% percent of all adults. In addition, 2 in 3 Black adults (63%) say they’ve never taken a swimming lesson.

1 week ago | wamu.org | Tamika Smith |Jackson Sinnenberg

D.C. jazz bassist Ben Williams digs into his family history of activism and religion on his fourth studio album, Between Church & State, which came out Friday, May 2. Williams was already known as one of the best young bassists in jazz – or “Black American Music” as his collaborator Nicholas Payton calls it – when he released his album I Am A Man in 2020. The album is based on Williams’ introspection about social justice and the human experience during the latter half of the last decade.

1 week ago | wamu.org | Jackson Sinnenberg |Esther Ciammachilli

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the stories WAMU will be highlighting in the days ahead:The Theodore Roosevelt bridge will start undergoing years of repair work this week. The 56-year old bridge has been classified as in “poor condition” according to the District Department of Transportation and requires surface replacement. The sidewalks also need to be widened and many of the traffic and directional signs on the bridge need to be replaced.

1 week ago | wamu.org | Matt Blitz |Tamika Smith

The weather is warm, the calendar has flipped to May, and far too many fun events are going on in D.C. this Saturday. So, how do you decide what to do? How do you cram as much as possible into one day? Luckily, we are here to help you schedule that jam-packed weekend and plan your perfect D.C. event-topia day minute by minute. First up, get your rest Friday night because it’s an early Saturday morning. The day starts at 8 am sharp at Malcolm X/Meridian Hill Park for – Warblerplaooza.