Unglamorous Faithfulness: A Conversation with Pastor Carl Day on North Philly, Prison, and Building Culture That Lasts

Unglamorous Faithfulness: A Conversation with Pastor Carl Day on North Philly, Prison, and Building Culture That Lasts

Some people are formed by their environment. Pastor Carl Day decided to go back and change his. Born and raised in North Philadelphia, Carl grew up with an absent father, a teen mother carrying two boys, and a neighborhood shaped by poverty, drugs, and violence. He was intelligent. Ambitious. Competitive. And for a long time, those gifts found the wrong address. By 22, he was in a county jail cell facing an attempted murder charge with a half-million-dollar bail. What happened next is the kind of testimony that doesn't fit neatly into a salvation trope. It wasn't just a prayer that turned his life around. It was a pastor who refused to count him out. It was a jail chaplain who handed him a theology book. It was young men on his block calling him "Rev" before he called himself anything. In this episode of Can I Get a Witness?, Danielle Marck welcomes Pastor Carl Day, founder of Culture Changing Christians and Beat the Block, pastor of Culture Changing Christians Worship Center in Philadelphia, and one of the most clear-eyed voices in the city on what it actually takes to change culture. The conversation is raw, honest, and long overdue. They talk about: * What it means to grow up "intelligent, ambitious, and competitive" in an environment designed to redirect those gifts toward destruction * The pastor who saw something in Carl before Carl saw it in himself * What jail gave him that the streets couldn't: a theology, a calling, and men who needed him to mean it * The hidden cost of faithfulness, including an epilepsy diagnosis at 30 that changed everything * Why the current generation of young people is more brilliant than we give them credit for * Why marches and hashtags alone are an antiquated playbook, and what innovative activism actually looks like * What Beat the Block is building, and why paying young men to develop themselves is discipleship, not charity * The legacy he wants to leave: not a name on a building, but a movement that moves without him This episode is for anyone who has wondered if their worst season was wasted. Pastor Carl would tell you: nothing is wasted when God is the one doing the accounting.

A Conversation with Tracy Michael Lewis-Giggetts on Black Joy, Embodied Faith, and the Courage to Take Up Space

What does joy feel like in your body? When NAACP Image Award–winning author Tracy Michael Lewis-Giggetts couldn't answer that question in her therapist's office, it set her on a journey that would transform her writing, her faith, and her understanding of Black survival. In this episode, Danielle Marck sits down with the New York Times bestselling collaborator and author of Black Joy and Then They Came for Mine for a conversation about embodied faith, the courage to take up space, and what it means to surrender our small plans to a God who longs to blow our minds.

Charlotte Crabbe: Cultivate Vibrance

In the seconepisode of Can I Get a Witness, Danielle Marck sits down with creative and entrepreneur Charlotee Crabbe. Charlotee is a wellness advocate and the founder of Cultivate Vibrance, a platform designed to help Black women live more intentional and fulfilling lives. Her journey began after a challenging season of health issues sparked a deeper curiosity about the lifestyle changes that foster true wellbeing. As a former athlete, she understood the value of physical fitness, and as a woman of faith who valued therapy, she knew these dimensions of life were deeply connected — she just needed to figure out how. That pursuit led her to create Cultivate Vibrance, a warm and intentional space for women who pour into everyone around them yet often neglect their own care. Through her platform, she encourages women to pause, nurture themselves, and cultivate lives full of purpose and vibrance. Be sure to share this episode with someone who would enjoy it!

Christina Faith: Grind with Grace

In the first full episode of Can I Get a Witness, Danielle Marck sits down with creative and entrepreneur Christina Faith. Christina is a bold creative force dedicated to telling impactful stories. Her journey began in social work, where she developed a deep understanding of resilience and the power of personal stories. Driven by a passion for storytelling, Christina transitioned into filmmaking, earning critical acclaim for her documentaries, feature films, and series that engage audiences and spark meaningful conversations. Through her company, The Grindhouse Inc., Christina mentors emerging creatives and helps them craft compelling content that leaves a lasting impression. Her work continues to inspire and demonstrates that creativity is a powerful tool for connection and change. Be sure to share this episode with someone who would enjoy it!

Introducing "Can I Get a Witness?"

Welcome to the first episode of Can I Get A Witness, a podcast hosted by Danielle Marck featuring curated conversations featuring the witness of Black Christian faith leaders, writers and tastemakers.