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The New Yorkers Podcast

The New Yorkers Podcast

Written by: A New York City Podcast By Kelly Kopp With Executive Producer Jae Watson
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Welcome to The New Yorkers Podcast, hosted by Kelly Kopp (@newyorkcitykopp). Each week, Kelly sits down with the people who make New York City what it is... lifelong New Yorkers, creators, entrepreneurs, artists, community leaders, personalities, and fascinating characters with a New York story to tell. From growing up in the five boroughs to building a life in the greatest city in the world, every guest brings a different perspective on what it means to be a New Yorker. Executive Producer: Jae Watson (@studiojae170) New episodes every other Tuesday.© 2025 The New Yorkers Podcast Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • New York Women over Dinner! -With Aubrey Fuller and Sofia Teplitzky

    New York Women over Dinner! -With Aubrey Fuller and Sofia Teplitzky
    Oct 13 2026

    In this episode, Kelly talks with nonprofit leaders Aubry Fuller and Sofia Teplitzky! Aubrey is the Director of Women Over Dinner and leads the worldwide women’s movement: Women Are Power. She has grown the organization to gather more than 6,300 women to the dinner table in 30 countries. Aubrey has also edited and published “The Women’s Steps to Unleashing Power”. A book based on the teachings of the founder of Women Over Dinner. Sofia is the Director of Partnerships at Women Over Dinner. She partners with New York staples like Orwasher’s and Magnolia bakeries to bring their dinners to life event after event. And she is writing a book, drawn from her own life, about women's power and what becomes possible when women reclaim it.

    Kelly asks Aubrey and Sofia about where they're from and how they met. Aubrey and Sofia talk about growing up in California and how strongly they believe in women's empowerment. Aubrey talks about her women's empowerment movement and how she met Sofia through it. Sofia talks about growing up in Southern California around food and how that shaped her current career.

    Sofia tells Kelly about Free Food! A free restaurant they partner with in Harlem that delivers free three-course meals to the people who need them most. They talk about family karaoke nights, how they do arts and crafts, and the different days of the week that they operate. Aubrey also talks about volunteering for the restaurant and how bringing dignity to people who need it is fulfilling. Kelly absolutely loves the idea and is resolved to go see it for himself.

    Kelly asks Sofia about working in fine dining. Sofia talks about her time as a hostess working at a Michelin-star restaurant where she saw herself as a director of sorts: Guiding the flow of the restaurant like an artist. She talks about how she learned from the servers how to bring that artistry to Women over Dinner.

    Sofia and Aubry talk about Women over Dinner. They describe how it was founded and what its goal is. Kelly asks them about their worldwide reach, and they tell Kelly how they've talked to people around the world who set up events for their own communities. They describe the joy and fulfilment that comes from women who take on the challenge of bringing the event to their family.

    Kelly then asks the women about women over dinner in correctional facilities. Aubrey and Sofia talk about how much they have loved getting to run that program. They talk about the growth that it has seen between their different visits, how the women get excited for them to come and continue to talk about it after they leave. They describe the growth that they've seen in some of the women because of the experience they've had at Women Over Dinner. And they talk about how welcome and at home they have been made to feel because of their experiences.

    Finally, Sofia and Aubrey talk about the first ever Women Over Dinner Gala that they are hosting in Harlem. They talk about all of the activities and events they will be putting together, and the cause that they are raising money for.

    But above all else; Sofia and Aubrey are New Yorkers.

    Kelly's Social Media:

    @NewYorkCityKopp

    Jae's Social Media

    @StudioJae170

    Women Over Dinner:

    https://womenoverdinner.org/

    @WomenOverDinner

    Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - Intro and Guest Welcome
    • (00:01:03) - Meet Aubrey and Sophia: Women Are Power & Unconditional Freedom
    • (00:02:57) - The Prison Monastery Project
    • (00:04:03) - Free Food: Harlem's Dignity-Centered Restaurant
    • (00:07:45) - Restoration of Dignity Across Initiatives
    • (00:09:22) - Family Night and Community Vibes
    • (00:10:33) - Sophia's Restaurant Background and Michelin Star Experience
    • (00:13:56) - Food as Love and Passion
    • (00:15:45) - Aubrey's Journey to New York
    • (00:18:16) - Finding New York Identity
    • (00:19:09) - How Aubrey and Sophia Met
    • (00:23:08) - Origins of Women Over Dinner
    • (00:25:22) - The Women Over Dinner Team and Growth
    • (00:26:54) - What Happens at a Women Over Dinner Event
    • (00:29:15) - Satellite Dinners and Global Expansion
    • (00:32:28) - Women Over Dinner in Prisons
    • (00:35:06) - Emotional Stories from Incarcerated Women
    • (00:39:40) - Dignity in the Dining Experience
    • (00:43:54) - Including All Parts of the Justice System
    • (00:45:23) - Upcoming Gala and How to Get Involved
    • (00:48:48) - Closing Thoughts: What It Means to Be a New Yorker
    • (00:50:53) - Outro and Social Media Shoutouts
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 3 mins
  • The New Yorkers Answer Your Questions Part 2!

    The New Yorkers Answer Your Questions Part 2!
    Sep 29 2026

    In this Episode, Kelly is joined by Melissa and Jae as they all answer your questions!

    Melissa tells us how she and Kelly met. She talks about her love for New York City, and how she discovered more of it thanks to Kelly's private tours. Melissa talks about being from Buffalo New York, and how she loves to travel to the city a few times a year to see various sites and do various activities.

    For the first questions, a viewer asks: What everyone's favoirte observation deck is. Jae offeres an embarrasing omission, and Melissa and Kelly debate which view is better: The empire state building or the top of the rock.

    Next, a viewer asks: what we would do if we only had one day in New York. Kelly and Jae both talk about central park of course, but Melissa talks about all of her favorite winter activities if she were to visit during that time of year.

    Another viewer asks: what are some unconventional places tourists might not visit. Melissa talks about her favoirte village to walk around in, Jae talks about a neighborhood that you can't get to by train, and Kelly talks about an island that he refuses to take the tram to.

    Kelly then asks the group: What are three places that they think tourists should visit. Jae talks about some of his favoirte spots in Brooklyn, Melissa talks about her favorite spots in Manhattan, and Kelly tries to remember the name of a new neighborhood he's been exploring, but Jae helps him figure it out.

    Finally, a viewer asks: What is everyone's favorite spot in New York is. Each New Yorker talks about their own favorite park and why they love it.

    But above all else; Kelly, Jae, and Melissa are all New Yorkers!

    Kelly's Social Media:

    @NewYorkCityKopp

    Jae's Social Media

    @StudioJae170

    Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - Intro and welcome
    • (00:01:18) - How Melissa and Kelly met
    • (00:03:46) - Tribeca and Love Story tour experience
    • (00:06:14) - Being a New Yorker at heart
    • (00:07:34) - Q: Favorite observation decks in NYC
    • (00:11:09) - One World Trade and emotional 9/11 memories
    • (00:13:28) - Favorite observation deck picks
    • (00:14:06) - Q: One perfect day - spring in Central Park
    • (00:16:09) - Winter in New York City
    • (00:17:40) - Autumn foliage and favorite fall spots
    • (00:20:39) - Halloween festivals and fall decorations
    • (00:22:22) - Q: Overlooked NYC neighborhoods
    • (00:24:22) - Fort Greene and Brooklyn's Bridge play
    • (00:26:37) - Q: Top spots for unconventional tourists
    • (00:30:53) - Harry Styles concert walk story
    • (00:34:28) - Q: Absolute favorite spot in NYC
    • (00:37:20) - Central Park memories and Shakespeare in the Park
    • (00:41:08) - Hidden park near Jefferson Library
    • (00:43:14) - Closing thoughts and what being a New Yorker means
    • (00:46:40) - Outro and credits
    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • New Yorkers Volunteer to Commemorate 9/11 -With Ed Welter

    New Yorkers Volunteer to Commemorate 9/11 -With Ed Welter
    Sep 15 2026
    In this episode, Kelly is joined by Ed Welter. Ed has operated a construction company for more than 40 years, worked as the chief dialysis technician at Kings County Hospital and has volunteered at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. He is also a licensed New York City tour guide who leads tours of the historic Woolworth Building. Kelly asks Ed about growing up in Alphabet City, where one of his earliest memories is of his grandfather coming home from work and bathing in the kitchen while listening to “Volare.” Years later, Ed visited the Tenement Museum with his father and was reminded of his grandparents’ home. Ed then talks about his mother’s battle with kidney disease. When she died, she was the longest-surviving woman on dialysis in the world. At only eight years old, Ed was trained to help operate her home dialysis machine. His mother helped found the American Association of Kidney Patients and traveled to the House of Representatives to help secure dialysis treatment for Americans who needed it. Ed tells Kelly why 38th Street—the street where the podcast studio is located—holds such a special place in his heart. His father’s construction company was based there, his parents met there and Ed later met his wife there. He also talks about getting married, moving to Long Island to raise his family and never quite feeling at home away from New York City. After separating from his wife, Ed moved back to Manhattan and began volunteering at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. That experience inspired him to volunteer when the 9/11 Memorial opened and eventually become a licensed New York City tour guide. Ed believes many of the best things in his life came from volunteering. While volunteering at the 9/11 Museum, Ed met Helen Post Curry, the great-granddaughter of Woolworth Building architect Cass Gilbert. She invited him to become a guide at the Woolworth Building, where he met his future business partner, Bob Gelber. After working there as guides, Ed and Bob eventually took over the tour company and helped bring public tours back to one of New York City’s most iconic landmarks. Ed also tells the remarkable story of how Frank W. Woolworth rose from humble beginnings to build a retail empire and commission what became the tallest building in the world when it opened in 1913. Finally, Kelly asks Ed to share the heartfelt story of the birdhouse that was left at the 9/11 Memorial to honor one of the victims of the attacks. But above all else—Ed Welter is a New Yorker. Kelly's Social Media: @NewYorkCityKopp Jae's Social Media @StudioJae170 Book a tour with Ed & Bob! https://woolworthtoursnyc.comhttps://www.facebook.com/WoolworthToursNYChttps://www.instagram.com/woolworthtoursnyc/https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d34318952-Reviews-Woolworth_Tours_NYC-New_York_City_New_York.htmlhttps://www.viator.com/tours/New-York-City/Official-Woolworth-Building-Lobby-Tour-with-Vault-Access/d687-5643763P3Info@woolworthtoursnyc.com Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro and Guest Background(00:01:57) - Growing Up in Alphabet City(00:03:38) - The Tenement Museum and Family Memories(00:07:12) - Mother's Battle with Kidney Disease and Dialysis Legacy(00:10:17) - Learning Dialysis as a Child and TV Feature(00:11:39) - Life in Manhattan, Marriage, and Long Island Years(00:13:47) - Returning Home to New York City(00:15:30) - Billionaires Row and City Growth(00:17:11) - Morningside Heights and Cathedral of St. John the Divine Tours(00:18:37) - The Vertical Tour and the Sweeper Story(00:20:58) - Surprise Concert with Clapton and Bon Jovi(00:21:55) - Joining the 9/11 Memorial as a Volunteer(00:23:42) - Becoming a Licensed Tour Guide(00:25:17) - Meeting Helen Curry and the Woolworth Building Tours(00:26:07) - Rebuilding the Tour Company After COVID(00:28:38) - Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Smart Homes(00:30:12) - The Tunnel to Towers Run and Stephen Siller's Story(00:33:58) - History and Legacy of the Woolworth Building(00:35:24) - Woolworth's Segregation History and New Tours(00:37:45) - Lighting the Koenig Sphere(00:43:09) - Knicks Parade Thank You(00:43:56) - The Birdhouse Tribute Story(00:48:53) - 25th Anniversary Security and Dignitaries(00:50:57) - Closing Thoughts on New York and Doing Good
    Show More Show Less
    53 mins
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