We welcome Lois Harr to the Podcast, Liois Harr is a community activist and spearheads Friends of Waldo Sanctuary.

Madeline Ritter and Katie Davis speak about Riverdale Choral Society, RCS has been singing fine choral music since 1964. Based in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, it is a volunteer chorus, independent of any religious or educational institution. Members are a congenial group of people ranging from young adults to senior citizens: students, working people and retirees, singles and couples from backgrounds that are diverse in every way. RCS numbers about 60 members, who come not only from Riverdale but also from other parts of the Bronx, Manhattan, and Westchester County.

At RCS, we value long-term relationships with the musical professionals who lead us. In September 2023, we welcomed Mun-Tzung Wong as Music Director, following 12 years as accompanying pianist and occasional mezzo-soprano soloist. In 2024, David Stech, became co-music director.

Librado Romero, born in Los Angeles, in 1942, has been drawing and painting since childhood, exhibiting both photography and paintings in Europe, Mexico and throughout the United States. In 1965, after art school in San Francisco, he enlisted in the U.S Army and while stationed in West Germany, he was assigned as the Regimental Photographer. This marked the beginning of his fifty-year career in photojournalism. Upon returning stateside he was hired as a staff photographer for the Providence Journal. Two years later in 1969, he joined the staff of The New York Times, but resigned four years later to pursue magazine work. He worked for The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Newsweek and Time Magazines and others. In 1976 he was offered an opportunity to work as a consultant to El Sol de Mexico newspaper in Mexico City which he accepted and then decided to try his hand at painting full time and returned to his home-state of California where he opened and operated an art gallery in Venice. After that, he took a summer job with the Los Angeles Times and then settled into a staff position at the San Francisco Examiner where he remained for the next six years. In 1985 he returned to New York and was rehired at The New York Times where he worked until his retirement in 2013. In 2002, he was a awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News as a staff member of The New York Times’ series on “Race In America”. Lee is a Riverdale resident. He is presently spending his retirement painting full time in his Yonkers studio.

Join us as we meet Rondane Hollar. Rondane was born in Jamaica, and has lived in the Bronx for 30 years. He is a former radio producer & engineer at Whitney Radio in New Rochelle. Rodane has been involved in political & community causes, and has made philanthropic donations to causes such as the Democratic Party & Democratic campaigns, animal rights & causes, the environment & against climate change, women’s rights & causes, causes for children, children’s hospitals, causes for veterans, causes for the disabled, causes for the elderly, donations against diseases like cancer, ALS, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, donations against bullying & domestic violence, donations against poverty & homelessness, support for the Jewish community, etc. Rondane enjoys serving his community and meeting new people. Additionally, in his free time, he enjoys downloading & producing videos, playing video games, watching YouTube videos, going out to events, eating pizza, and most importantly, spending time withn his cat nephews.

Join us as we meet Celia Anzalone Bowers, Mrs. Tennessee International 2024.

Celia is the Founder and President of her non-profit, Lead with Love International, a published author, podcast host and TEDx speaker.

Join us as we meet Lea Torres.

Lea is a true Riverdale local. Born in the Bronx, her family moved to Westchester when she was 6 years old, but she is quick to point out that she went to Fieldston from PreK-12th grade, so Riverdale is who she is and what she knows.

Lea’s love for cooking and baking started at a very young age, she baked cookies and cakes with her mother when she was in elementary school. Christmas sugar cookies and carrot cakes were her favorites!

In late 2021, Lea began to sell cookie and brownie platters to her friends and neighbors for the holidays. It caught on, and people started asking if she could make more custom desserts for occasions, so in early 2022, she officially opened Lea Mommy Chef Treats to the greater Riverdale area. Lea Mommy Chef Treats has gone from a side hustle to a full time passion, making all kinds of cookies and brownies, cakepops, decorated treats and items for dessert tables.

Join us as we meet Mario Curanaj, owner of Salvatores of SoHo and YoBurger.

Salvatores of SoHo: 3738 Riverdale Ave, Bronx, NY 10463

YoBurger: 3726 Riverdale Ave, Bronx, NY 10463