Richmond Matters Podcast

Chris Hardie talks with Acacia St. John of Forward Wayne County and Alex Painter of the Wayne County Foundation about the recently released "County Indicators" report, and what it means for the health and future of our community. The post “I can do something to make it better.” Acacia St. John and Alex Painter on community needs and strategies appeared first on Richmond Matters.

When we talk about COVID-19 and its impact on all of us, it’s tempting to focus on the numbers: deaths, tests, positivity rates, charts that go up and down. These are very important, but they don’t tell the whole story. And if we only talk numbers, we risk losing touch with what’s really going on […] The post Mary Walker and Ashley Sieb on the power of story-telling to help us navigate COVID-19 together appeared first on Richmond Matters.

Randy Baker is retiring soon as the General Manager of Richmond Power & Light. In this podcast episode, he reflects on his time there as we speak about how power generation and distribution has happened in our community over the years, the politics of electricity rate changes, and what might be ahead for our municipal […] The post Randy Baker of RP&L on the past, present and future of local electricity appeared first on Richmond Matters.

One of my favorite subjects, and a question that I think continues to be critical in shaping the future of our community, is that of where and how people get their news and information. Over the years I’ve had a lot of different relationships to that question, from being a casual media critic blogger to […] The post Jason Truitt on the changing landscape of local news, life at the Palladium-Item appeared first on Richmond Matters.

I first interviewed Valerie Shaffer on this site back in 2017 about what the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County does, how they measure success, and the rollercoaster of wins and losses in helping our community find its path forward. Recently her team at the EDC went through a strategic planning process that has shifted […] The post Valerie Shaffer on developing quality of place, talent for economic health appeared first on Richmond Matters.

One of my favorite kinds of community conversations to have is with someone who is making great things happen, but who isn’t necessarily high profile in their work. They lead, guide, advise, nudge and help in powerful ways, but their names don’t always make the traditional “community leader” lists. That’s why I wanted to talk […] The post Lauralee Hites on developing strategy, having hard conversations and finding our place appeared first on Richmond Matters.

On September 5th 2020, Richmond saw an act of aggression and violence against peaceful marchers who were demonstrating in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, as a local man drove his vehicle through the line of people, striking and injuring some of them. A few people have reduced this event to arguments over traffic […] The post Kelley Cruse-Nicholson on witnessing the vehicle attack on Black Lives Matter marchers appeared first on Richmond Matters.

As a follow up to the hosting of WCTV’s IN Focus public affairs program that I did in July of this year, where I focused on topics of systemic racism and concern about police violence against people of color, Eric Marsh and I sat down to debrief how those conversations went. We ended up having […] The post IN Focus with…me appeared first on Richmond Matters.

The third and final (for now) episode of the public affairs program IN Focus that I have been guest-hosting in July aired this evening on WCTV. Like my earlier conversations with Betsy Schlabach, Archer Bunner and Bill Engle, it again touches on some of the challenges of confronting and addressing racism in our communities. First […] The post IN Focus with Mike Britt and Brylynn Quisenberry appeared first on Richmond Matters.

In July I’m continuing to guest host a few episodes of the public affairs program IN Focus on WCTV, talking with my guests about racism and what it means for people in our community — especially white people — to be listening, learning and taking meaningful anti-racist action so that everyone who lives here can […] The post IN Focus with Archer Bunner and Bill Engle appeared first on Richmond Matters.

In the month of July I’m guest-hosting a few episodes of IN Focus, the public affairs program on Whitewater Community Television‘s WGTV Channel 11. In talking with my guests I’m hoping to keep the conversation going around our region’s biggest challenges and opportunities when it comes to addressing racism, and making sure that white people […] The post IN Focus with Betsy Schlabach appeared first on Richmond Matters.

After 16 years working at the Richmond Friends School, Marcie Roberts is wrapping up her time leading the local independent school through significant growth and change. The current public health crisis has altered what her final months as Head of School look like, especially for an institution that values getting kids outside together, but the […] The post We all need fresh air: Marcie Roberts of the Richmond Friends School appeared first on Richmond Matters.

Child abuse and neglect is already a tough but important issue for our community to tackle, and JACY House is on the front lines of providing prevention and advocacy services, as well as forensic interviews when an allegation of abuse is made. The current public health situation, where children may not have the usual safe […] The post Believe them, listen to them: advocating for child safety, even during a pandemic appeared first on Richmond Matters.

Rebecca Gilliam had only been in the Executive Director job at the Wayne County Foundation for a few months when the COVID-19 pandemic changed daily life for everyone in Wayne County. From helping not-for-profit providers of essential services to shifting day-to-day office operations to planning for the future of grant-making and philanthropy in our community, […] The post Rebecca Gilliam on adapting community philanthropy and support during COVID-19 appeared first on Richmond Matters.

There are lots of great options for outdoor play in Richmond. A newer one that you may not have encountered yet is the Playscape at Hayes Arboretum. A series of hands-on activities, stations and outdoor experiences built almost entirely from natural or found materials, it’s a place for kids (and grown-ups too!) to engage with […] The post Lisa Burkhardt and Steve Hayes Jr. on outdoor education at the Playscape appeared first on Richmond Matters.

Forward Wayne County is a relatively new organization driven by a simple idea: that we’re already equipped to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our community, and that by improving communication, collaboration and how we understand and measure our work, we can make real and lasting progress. As Program Director, Richmond native Megan Sanders […] The post Communication, data and collaboration: Megan Sanders on Forward Wayne County appeared first on Richmond Matters.

If you’ve visited the Richmond Farmers Market in the last few years, you may have seen Caleb Smith wandering around to offer a smile and make sure everything runs smoothly. As the Market Coordinator for the Richmond Parks Department, Smith has led the efforts to improve and expand the Market experience for shoppers and vendors […] The post Caleb Smith on the Farmers Market, food security and Richmond after Earlham appeared first on Richmond Matters.

Shana Nissenbaum is an educator, a builder, a community organizer, and a non-profit founder…and that’s just the start of a long list of the many ways she spends her time to make Richmond a better place. In this conversation we cover a lot of ground including Shana’s work empowering women through power tools via Women’s […] The post What you make of it: Shana Nissenbaum on power tools & building a life in Richmond appeared first on Richmond Matters.

Amy and Andy Dudas are, among many other things, the creators of the new Dudas Inspiration Venue for the Arts in Richmond’s downtown. It’s a place, yes, but it’s also a project that hopes to bring together all kinds of artists for collaboration, exhibition, performance and creativity. I talked with Amy and Andy about why […] The post Unscripted: Amy and Andy Dudas on creating a new space for art appeared first on Richmond Matters.

Ply Fiber Arts stands out on Richmond’s Main Street as one of the most colorful, creative and inviting retail spaces you can find here. But for owners Sam and John Purcell it’s much more than the building and business they opened together in 2013, it’s a jumping off point for all kinds of community improvement […] The post Sam and John Purcell on knitting together business and community appeared first on Richmond Matters.

Pat Heiny has lived in Richmond for over 47 years, and brings an incredible amount of energy, clarity and thoughtfulness to her community building work. She’s served as a teacher, facilitator,  consultant, board member and leader, parent, friend, advocate for children, and in so many other roles. We talked about some of Richmond’s opportunities and […] The post Pat Heiny on consensus building and making hard decisions appeared first on Richmond Matters.