The 52 Weeks of Firsts Podcast

First Authentic Chinese Gate Built in America

From a community forged through exclusion to a landmark born of global collaboration, this episode uncovers the story behind Philadelphia’s Friendship Arch: the first fully authentic Chinese gate in the U.S. Host Marisa Magnatta sits down with Kun-Yang Lin, acclaimed choreographer and founder Kun‑Yang Lin Dancers, to explore how immigration, artistry, diplomacy, and community power shaped this iconic symbol of Asian American pride and belonging.

First Abolitionist Society in America

This episode uncovers how one woman’s fight for her children sparked the creation of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society: the first organization of its kind in the world. Host Marisa Magnatta is joined by Philly Media Personality Tomika Bryant, to explore how Dinah Nevil, a woman of Lenape and African descent, forced the "City of Brotherly Love" to confront its own contradictions, and how a small group of reformers turned a personal tragedy into a blueprint for justice that still operates today.

First African Methodist Episcopal Congregation

From a segregated church pew to a national movement, this episode explores how an act of resistance in a Philadelphia church led to the founding of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Host Marisa Magnatta is joined by Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Elizabeth Wellington to unpack how faith, race, and self-determination shaped this origin story, and why Mother Bethel still matters today.

First Public Girl Scout Cookie Sale

Before Girl Scout Cookies became a national phenomenon, they were sold door to door, and they launched generations of entrepreneurs. Host Marisa Magnatta is joined by Food Network champion and former Girl Scout Ashley Landerman to explore how a Philly-born bake sale became a powerful business model, and how those same lessons in confidence, community, and hustle shaped Ashley’s path from cookie booths to national TV.

First Professional Basketball League

Before packed arenas and superstar contracts, basketball was chaotic, physical, and played with peach  baskets, a soccer ball, and a cage. Host Marisa Magnatta is joined by Marc Anthony Jackson - former NBA player, Philly native, and current Philadelphia 76ers television analyst. Together, they connect basketball’s rough-and-tumble origins to the discipline, creativity, and edge that still define the sport today - and explains why Philly’s early role is baked into basketball’s DNA.

First Volunteer Fire Company

Former volunteer firefighter Marisa Magnatta is joined by Jason Patton, a 15-year firefighter/paramedic and the creator behind @firedepartmentchronicles. Together, they explore how 1730 Philadelphia, built almost entirely of wood and vulnerable to fires, forced Philadelphians to invent something radical: a volunteer fire company that protected everyone. Along the way, we uncover how Philadelphia set the tone for how communities come together to respond to crises.

First Folk Parade

Marisa Magnatta unpacks how a mashup of immigrant traditions fused in South Philadelphia to create America’s first folk parade. With roots stretching back to 1600s Swedish revelry, English mummers plays, German belsnickling, and centuries of neighborhood pageantry, this tradition evolved into the first official Mummers Day Parade in 1901. With WMMR’s Jackie BamBam, Marisa explores how this rowdy ritual became an essential part of Philly culture - and why it still owns New Year’s Day.

First Balloon Flight In America

Marisa Magnatta digs into the wild story of America’s first balloon flight, featuring a French aeronaut, a hydrogen-filled silk balloon, a prison yard launch, and the first-ever airmail delivery. Joined by local weather mogul Nor'easter Nick (Nick Pittman), she explores what made this moment possible, what the weather likely looked like that day, and how ballooning went on to shape both aviation and modern forecasting.