About this Event
Join WURD Radio for our 2026 Founder’s Day Gala, the annual celebration honoring the legacy of WURD founder Walter P. Lomax Jr., M.D.
The evening will feature:
- WURD’s Community Impact Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations making a meaningful difference in Philadelphia
- Dinner and an open bar
- Live music
- DJ and dance party
- A dynamic program celebrating Black art, culture and people
This year’s keynote speaker is Kimberlé Crenshaw, the pioneering scholar, writer and civil rights advocate whose groundbreaking work introduced the concept of intersectionality and transformed how we understand race, gender, inequality and the law.
The 2026 Founder’s Day Gala will also mark the culmination of Freedom Journeys, WURD’s year-long storytelling project honoring Black Philadelphians whose ideas, leadership, creativity, resistance and achievements have helped shape Philadelphia and the nation.
Founder’s Day is WURD’s signature annual celebration — bringing together community leaders, artists, entrepreneurs, advocates, listeners, partners and friends for an evening rooted in Black culture, community and connection.
Founder’s Day commemorates the vision of Dr. Walter P. Lomax Jr., the physician, entrepreneur, philanthropist and community leader who founded WURD Radio in 2003. Dr. Lomax was committed to creating a platform where Black people could make their voices heard, tell their own stories and engage the issues affecting Black communities.
More than two decades later, WURD remains Pennsylvania’s only Black-owned talk radio station and one of the few remaining Black-owned and operated talk radio stations in the country.
Created in recognition of America’s 250th anniversary, Freedom Journeys builds on that vision, expanding the story of America by placing Black achievements at the center of it.
Celebrate Black culture and excellence at the 2026 Founder’s Day Gala for an evening you won’t forget.
WURD Radio’s 2026 Founder’s Day Gala is brought to you by Comcast, the Pennsylvania Lottery, PECO, the Barnes Foundation, Jefferson, CHOP and Verde Capital.
Event venue & nearby stays
Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.