Soda City Speaks

We continue our conversations about the affordable housing crisis here in Columbia. In part 1 we explored the economic causes of the crisis and in this episode we sit down with two organizations that are working on community-centered solutions to help people access and stay in affordable housing in our city. First up is Interim CEO of the Columbia Housing Authority Yvonda Bean, who tells us about the history, challenges and plans for the authority, as well as the programs they offer to residents. Then we speak with two organizers from MORE Justice Columbia, Co-President Reverend Jackie Utley and Lead Organizer Lizzy Van Harn. MORE Justice is a network of faith-based congregations that come together to transform the systems that cause suffering by holding local officials accountable for resolving these inequities and injustices. This year they are putting a focus on housing issue with the establishment of a housing trust fund. As always, we also bring you Columbia headlines and community listings.

This month we will be exploring the affordable housing crisis in Columbia, with two episodes this month!! Lucky you :) We start with Lauren Taylor, the founder of Haven Home, who takes us on a deep historical and economic dive into the housing market, and its ramifications right here in Columbia. Links to some of the stuff we discussed: National Low Income Housing Coalition 60 Minutes Interview No Fizz this week, but as always we start with headlines and end with community listings! Join us again on May 23rd when we continue our conversation on housing in Columbia with: Yvonda Bean of Columbia Housing and Lizzy Van Harn and Jackie Utley of MORE Justice.

Mid March marked the end of the second year that Covid-19 has been a part of our lives. In this month of Soda City Speaks, we have a conversation with local Columbia organizer, activist and Lead Organizer at ZeroCovid SC, Tiffany James (@TiffanySJames) about the realities and challenges of Covid in our city. We are also joined by Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing), an epidemiologist & health economist, who was one of the first health professionals in the county to raise the alarm on the threat of Covid-19 to America. In the Fizz we hear excerpts from oral histories about Covid-19 conducted by students in the Covid-19 Oral History class at the University of South Carolina taught by Andrea L'Hommedieu, Director of the Department of Oral History at UofSC Libraries. We start as always with headlines and end with community listings. Sorry for the last release this month, Omme was away from Soda City, spending some time in the city of gold (aka Dubai).

It's 2022 and we are back!! In this episode we start like we always do with headlines from the city of Columbia The Fizz: Excerpts from the Mayoral Inauguration This month we take a deep dive into food policy and food justice in Columbia, SC. We were joined for an amazing conversation with Ashley Page Bookhart from SNAP-Ed, South Carolina and Christina Spach from the Food Chain Workers Alliance. Some of the resources we discussed: Columbia Food Policy Committee (CFPC) CFPC Food Equity Subcommittee Report Food Chain Workers Alliance: We Are Not Disposable, Food Workers Organizing on the Covid Frontlines Report Charleston Alliance for Fair Employment Fight for 15

In this episode of Soda City Speaks, we start off with headlines from across the Midlands for the month of November The Fizz - our year in review! Listen back to highlights from 2021 headlines, we've been through a lot this year Columbia Our feature this month is a conversation with Chris Trainor, city reporter at The State newspaper, where we break down the numbers, the attacks and the victories of the Columbia City Elections. We end as always with community listening for this holiday season in Cola. Stay tuned in the new year for exciting non-election shows examining issues in Columbia such as housing, food security, the census and more! Email us anytime with comments and suggestions at: sodacityspeaks@gmail.com and follow us on all the socials @sodacityspeaks

The City of Columbia's November 2nd elections are done, and two races have moved on to runoffs, taking place on November 16th. Take the next two weeks to re-listen to our candidates interviews to help you decide who to vote for! First, Omme and Dylan break-down the November 2nd election numbers in all the races. Then catch-up with candidate for: At large, Dr. Aditi Bussells (27:57) and Tyler Bailey (52:02) and Mayor, Daniel Rickenmann (1:10:46) and Tameika Isaac Devine (1:58:12) Join us right back here after the run-offs for a final election extravaganza with guest host Chris Trainor!!

It's almost election time, and we've done it y'all, we have spoken with all the candidates for Columbia City Council. Listen to our last two interviews with Daniel Rickenmann and Tameika Isaac Devine, both running for Mayor of this fine city. The Fizz this episode is an excerpt from the NAACP-hosted candidate forum for Richland One School Board. Watch the whole forum here And if you are as excited as we are about this election (even if you are not, but love parties) join us for the Soda City Speaks COLUMBIA ELECTION WATCH PARTY on November 2nd. We will be watching the results as they come in on the big screen at an outdoor location (its right outside our recording studio: Duncan Street Studios) with food, drinks (byob) and good company. RSVP here. We are so excited to meet you! Links to Community Listings in this Episode: Films at the Farm Let's Talk Race Boo at the Zoo Vista Lights SC Pride

It's time to hear from our Columbia City Mayoral Candidates. In October we will be giving you TWO episodes, so that you can take your time hearing from our mayoral candidates. We start as always with headlines from the city, and this time around we make some commentary on what's been going on, because it's been a rough couple of weeks. We brought back The Fizz this month with clips from Columbia's Rally for Reproductive Rights and Justice We then sat down and spoke with Moe Baddourah and Sam Johnson who are both running for mayor in the upcoming election. Lots of community listings, here is where you can get more details on them: Pray Away Film Screening on October 19 Famously Hot South Carolina Pride, October 22 & 23 South Carolina State Fair, October 13-24 Walk for Freedom, October 16 NAACP hosts Richland One School Board Special Election Virtual Forum, October 12

In this episode we continue to bring you conversations with candidates in the upcoming Columbia City elections. This episode we speak with Christa Williams and Tina Herbert, both running for the district one seat to replace Sam Davis who is stepping down. We start off with headlines from the past month of Columbia news, and end with community listings for our city in September . Follow us on social media @sodacityspeaks or send us an email at sodacityspeaks@gmail.com We will be hosting an election viewing party on November 2! Join us to watch the results come in on a big screen outdoors. Email us for the venue: sodacityspeaks@gmail.com

In this episode, we start like always with headlines, lots going on in Columbia! This month we are skipping the Fizz because there are just so many candidates in this race, and we want you to hear from all of them! In this episode we speak with Deitra Matthews and John Tyler, both running for the City Council At-Large seat. We end with community listings, things to do in Cola! Here are the two references we mentioned: Kutchi Kitchen Candidate Forum on Food Justice Follow and like us on FaceBook, Twitter and now Instagram!! @sodacityspeaks and/or email us at sodacityspeaks@gmail.com

In this episode, we start like we always do with headlines from Columbia, SC for the month of June. Then we dig deeper into the recently passed Conversion Therapy Ban at the City of Columbia. Our candidate interview for this month is with Tyler Bailey who is running for the City Council at Large seat in the upcoming election. We end as always with community listings for the month of July in Cola. Reference mentioned during the Conversion Therapy discussion: Taught to Hate Myself Boy Erased Good Fruit Project The Agape Table But I'm a Cheerleader It's summertime! That means vacations, and this month Omme was out of town so we had to record via Zoom, so the audio quality is not the best, sorry about that! Follow and like us on FaceBook and Twitter @sodacityspeaks and/or email us at sodacityspeaks@gmail.com

In this episode of Soda City Speaks, we kick off as always with headlines from Columbia; major events and happening from May in our city. In The Fizz we dig a big deeper into the 'Caslen Debacle'; the controversies over his hiring as president of UofSC, his mishandling of Covid and faculty sexual assault allegations, and his demise with the botched graduation speech and his resignation. Then we continue with our series on the Columbia Elections with an interview with Heather Bauer who is running for the Columbia City Council At-Large seat in the upcoming election. And we end as always with community listings; what to look out for in Columbia in June. Our featured Columbia artist this month is Jon Rooks, and theme music is by Preach Jacobs. Follow us on FaceBook and Twitter @sodacityspeaks

Welcome to Soda City Speaks, THE podcast for everything Columbia. On this episode, we start with Columbia headlines from the past month. The Fizz: a deeper dive into SC Pride and the challenges of putting on the festival in a Covid world with Jeff March, scpride.org Candidate interview with Aditi Bussells, who is running for the City Council At-Large seat in the upcoming elections, aditiforthecity.com We end with your community listings for Columbia in May Our featured artist this month is Diaspoura, find them at disapoura.com Theme song by Preach Jacobs, find him at preachjacobs.co

Welcome to Soda City Speaks, your guide to all things Columbia! Each episode will start with headlines, then a deeper dive into one, followed by a long-form interview, rounding off with community listings. In this episode, we sit down with Mayor Benjamin to discuss his legacy of service, what's left to be done before his terms ends, and what he thinks the future holds for Columbia. Plus a look at who has declared their candidacy to become our next Mayor (and Council members)! Follow us on FaceBook and Twitter @sodacityspeaks or email us at sodacityspeaks@gmail.com Our next episode drops May 1

Soda City. Famously Hot. Cola. Real Columbia. The Southern Hot Spot. Gamecock Nation. These descriptors are often used to represent Columbia, SC. But what's going on in this hidden gem of a city we call home? Join us monthly as we discuss culture, history, politics, music, arts, events, and all things Columbia. Spend some time letting Soda City speak to you! First episode drops on March 15th featuring an in-depth conversation with Mayor Steve Benjamin, discussing his legacy of service, what's left to be done before his term ends, and what he thinks the future holds for Columbia. Subscribe on your