Raised by Temple: Trenae Nuri’s Full-Circle Journey

Trenae Nuri, KLN ’10, will never forget celebrating her 7th birthday at Temple’s Katz School of Medicine. Her mother, Linda Malone, CPH ’96, was pursuing a master’s degree in physical therapy during Trenae’s early childhood, and Trenae often found herself sitting in the back of anatomy lectures about muscles, joints and bones. To keep her young daughter occupied during lectures, Linda packed what she called a “busy body bag,” a collection of Barbie dolls, coloring books and schoolwork, but Trenae was often more captivated by the lessons themselves. “I feel like I could have had a degree in physical therapy as much as I was with them,” she said.

Trenae spending a young birthday on Temple's campus.

Trenae spending a young birthday on Temple's campus.

Trenae with her mother Linda Malone, CPH ’96.

Trenae Nuri, KLN ’10 with her mother Linda Malone, CPH ’96

One day, Trenae left for the bathroom during a break in a lecture. By the time she had returned, Linda and the other members of her cohort had transformed the classroom for Trenae’s birthday, complete with a hanging banner and a gift the group had all chipped in to buy. “I was just so happy,” Trenae recalled. She reflects fondly on growing up surrounded by her mother’s cohort of graduate students, many of whom babysat her. Today, Trenae knows that these young women went on to have incredible careers as physical therapists and doctors, but at the time, they were simply young people figuring out their paths.

That experience shaped Trenae, teaching her to question many of her assumptions at a young age. “What does it mean to study? What does community look like? What does parenthood look like?” Trenae said. “Just because you’re a parent, that doesn’t mean your life is over. You can still do amazing things. I know there are so many incredible Owls who have balanced school with parenting, caring for family and navigating life. There was so much support.”

By the time Trenae herself was applying to colleges, she was ready for a change of pace. She left Philadelphia briefly to attend Hofstra University on Long Island, but life quickly brought her back home. When her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, Trenae returned to Philadelphia and enrolled in the journalism program at Klein College. She found herself walking the same streets she had as a child and eating at the same restaurants. This time, she was creating her own memories and friendships. “It was where I needed to be,” Trenae said. “Temple raised me.”

Trenae as a board member with TUBAA, the Temple University Black Alumni Alliance.

Trenae as a board member with TUBAA, the Temple University Black Alumni Alliance.

Trenae on commencement day with her mother Linda Malone, CPH ’96 in 2010.

Trenae Nuri, KLN ’10 on commencement day with her mother Linda Malone, CPH ’96

The day after graduating, Trenae drove to New York City to begin a fellowship with the National Association of Black Journalists. She spent the summer working at TheGrio, a news outlet focused on Black stories, before returning to Philadelphia, where she struggled to land her first full-time job. Journalism was rapidly changing, reshaped by social media and digital platforms. Eventually, Trenae found work at The Philadelphia Tribune, the oldest continually operating Black newspaper in the United States.

When Trenae later gave birth to her son and daughter, she had her mother’s example to follow. Even when she stepped away from work temporarily to raise her children, Trenae never stopped pursuing her ambitions, maintaining relationships with colleagues and mentors. “Maybe we shouldn’t use the word networking,” she said. “It’s relationship building. When you are a young person, and you have these ambitions, and you just want to get your foot in the door, sometimes people forget how to be human. To ask how someone is doing.”

Trenae with her son and daughter on Geasey turf.

Trenae with her son and daughter on Geasey turf.

Trenae advises young alumni to build relationships not only with supervisors, but also with their peers. “It is important to network with your contemporaries,” she said, “because when opportunities happen, you want them to think of you.”

That approach paid off in dividends. A few years later, one of Trenae’s mentors, Cherri Greg, KLN ’12, suggested she explore work in radio. Trenae was skeptical. “I told her no one does radio anymore,” she recalled. “That’s so corny!” Still, she took Cherri’s advice and applied for a weeklong intensive audio production course through Next Gen Journalism (formerly Next Gen Radio). Soon after, Trenae found herself in Tempe, Arizona, reporting on a medium security prison where inmates were training wild horses. “I was hooked,” she said, recalling how quickly she realized the power of audio storytelling.

Her experience and work at Next Gen Radio, combined with the mentorship and relationship building she had done, landed her a role as a producer at WHYY's Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane. She got the job, finding Marty Moss-Coane, CLA ’73, to be a pivotal mentor and friend. “That opened me up to a whole new world,” Trenae said. “When it came to being immersed, and just learning what a live interview looks like, Marty is top tier.”

Trenae went on to work as an associate at WHYY’s Morning Edition and as a producer on The Wall Street Journal’s news podcast before landing her current role at City Cast Philly, a daily news and culture podcast covering life in Philadelphia. In the role, Trenae wears many hats, from interviewing Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and District Attorney Larry Krasner to breaking down bike lane politics and defending her controversial opinions about the city’s best cheesesteaks.

“Being in the seat as the host of City Cast has me constantly learning,” she said. “Learning about myself as a journalist, as a host, as a Philadelphian. I am constantly learning to get better. I am a constant student of this craft.”

Once again, she takes after her mother. After a successful career as a physical therapist, Linda chose not to retire. Instead, she returned to school and is now pursuing a medical degree in radiology, hoping to help women going through experiences like her own battle with breast cancer.

Recently, Trenae returned to Temple classrooms to speak to Klein students about podcasting. This time, she brought her own two children to sit in the back of the room. “It was very much a family thing,” Trenae said. “We bring the children along so they can see us doing these amazing things.” She made sure to pack both of them their own busy body bags, just in case.