South Bend on Purpose

Andrea Cramer is the founder of Neighbor to Neighbor, a friendship-based network cultivating mutual relationships among the South Bend area's refugee, immigrant, and non-immigrant communities. Growing up in rural Indiana, she never imagined that she would team up with the ACLU to sue the state BMV as an act of friendship.- - - - -The Studebaker Talks is an annual gathering on a former Studebaker factory floor to listen to stories about South Bend's people, ingenuity, and progress. Our first gathering happened October 8, 2021, with 7 speakers and a sold-out crowd of 250, raising nearly $3,000 for the South Bend Education Foundation.Save the date: Our second gathering is scheduled for October 7, 2022.Speaker submissions will be open during May, and early bird tickets will be available this summer. Join the email list on our website to get notified.

Antonius Northern is a public servant in the truest sense—whether as an activist, artist, resident, or municipal employee, he has a record of bringing goodness into the city. He is focused on helping the City of South Bend foster a more inclusive economy.- - - - -The Studebaker Talks is an annual gathering on a former Studebaker factory floor to listen to stories about South Bend's people, ingenuity, and progress. Our first gathering happened October 8, 2021, with 7 speakers and a sold-out crowd of 250, raising nearly $3,000 for the South Bend Education Foundation.Save the date: Our second gathering is scheduled for October 7, 2022.Speaker submissions will be open during May, and early bird tickets will be available this summer. Join the email list on our website to get notified.

Magistrate Judge Andre Gammage presides over a variety of civil and criminal matters in the St. Joseph County Circuit Court in South Bend and teaches as an adjunct professor at the University of Notre Dame School of Law. In 2020, he gathered judicial officers, community leaders, and clergy to develop a series of four expungement clinics called "Fresh Start Fridays," and over 400 people showed up at the first clinic.- - - - -The Studebaker Talks is an annual gathering on a former Studebaker factory floor to listen to stories about South Bend's people, ingenuity, and progress. Our first gathering happened October 8, 2021, with 7 speakers and a sold-out crowd of 250, raising nearly $3,000 for the South Bend Education Foundation.Save the date: Our second gathering is scheduled for October 7, 2022.Speaker submissions will be open during May, and early bird tickets will be available this summer. Join the email list on our website to get notified.

Kathe Streeter is the district coordinator of restorative justice and restorative youth leadership at the South Bend Community School Corporation. Using Circle process in her classrooms and meetings, Kathe gives children and adult learners a tool for sharing stories about their lives.- - - - -The Studebaker Talks is an annual gathering on a former Studebaker factory floor to listen to stories about South Bend's people, ingenuity, and progress. Our first gathering happened October 8, 2021, with 7 speakers and a sold-out crowd of 250, raising nearly $3,000 for the South Bend Education Foundation.Save the date: Our second gathering is scheduled for October 7, 2022.Speaker submissions will be open during May, and early bird tickets will be available this summer. Join the email list on our website to get notified.

Juan Constantino is the executive director of La Casa de Amistad in South Bend, Indiana. For the inaugural Studebaker Talks, he shared his personal story of immigrating to the United States and finding a sense of purpose here in South Bend.- - - - -The Studebaker Talks is an annual gathering on a former Studebaker factory floor to listen to stories about South Bend's people, ingenuity, and progress. Our first gathering happened October 8, 2021, with 7 speakers and a sold-out crowd of 250, raising nearly $3,000 for the South Bend Education Foundation.Save the date: Our second gathering is scheduled for October 7, 2022.Speaker submissions will be open during May, and early bird tickets will be available this summer. Join the email list on our website to get notified.

Kathy Burnette is the owner of Brain Lair Books, a bookstore in South Bend focused on developing empathy and building community with inclusive books. In 2020, The Oprah Magazine included the store in their "125 Black-Owned Bookstores in America That Amplify the Best in Literature." She is on a mission to build empathy, one book at a time.- - - - -The Studebaker Talks is an annual gathering on a former Studebaker factory floor to listen to stories about South Bend's people, ingenuity, and progress. Our first gathering happened October 8, 2021, with 7 speakers and a sold-out crowd of 250, raising nearly $3,000 for the South Bend Education Foundation.Save the date: Our second gathering is scheduled for October 7, 2022.Speaker submissions will be open during May, and early bird tickets will be available this summer. Join the email list on our website to get notified.

Joe Molnar is a local demographer and proud 4th generation son of South Bend. He is the author of More People, a podcast and article series about how our city lost 50,000 people in 50 years and what we can do about it. Joe believes that Studebaker was only South Bend's prologue, so it's time to give up the ghost.- - - - -The Studebaker Talks is an annual gathering on a former Studebaker factory floor to listen to stories about South Bend's people, ingenuity, and progress. Our first gathering happened October 8, 2021, with 7 speakers and a sold-out crowd of 250, raising nearly $3,000 for the South Bend Education Foundation.Save the date: Our second gathering is scheduled for October 7, 2022.Speaker submissions will be open during May, and early bird tickets will be available this summer. Join the email list on our website to get notified.

Last fall, we collaborated with South Bend City Church to host The Studebaker Talks: a gathering of people to listen to stories about South Bend's people, ingenuity, and progress. It was a special night. So starting this week, we're sharing the audio of those talks here on the podcast.And save the date: we're back at Building 112 on October 7, 2022, for the second year of Studebaker Talks!

This week, guest host Pam Blair is reading "Between" from Groshonda McDonald's book In The Process and reflecting on what it might be saying about our life together in South Bend.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus, Dustin Mix, and John Garry. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, we enjoy a conversation with Karen White, who has devoted over 28 years of service to South Bend as an elected official.We discuss her upbringing on Kenmore and Cherry Streets, how she learned a sense of responsibility to our community, and why we need to visualize the kind of city we want to become.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus, Dustin Mix, and John Garry. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, we are reading "Paradise on Fire" by Jahnari Pruitt and reflecting on what it might be saying about our life together in South Bend.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus, Dustin Mix, and John Garry. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, we enjoy a conversation with Alex Ann Allen. Alex is a South Bend-based artist best known for spending the past couple of years painting murals all across the city.We discuss Alex's path to becoming a muralist in her hometown, the joys and challenges of being a full-time artist, and her vision for a new mural festival right here in South Bend.In case it's not evident—we are big fans.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus, Dustin Mix, and John Garry. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, we are reading "Where We Are" by Gerald Locklin and reflecting on what it might be saying about our life together in South Bend.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus, Dustin Mix, and John Garry. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, we enjoy a conversation with Joe Mittiga. Joe is a husband, father, and the second-generation owner of Corby's Irish Pub in the East Bank neighborhood. We discuss his path to being a small businessman, which includes a surprise (to us) stint at South Bend Lathe in its last days on Sample Street, the complexities of owning a bar during the pandemic, beer salespeople moonlighting as virologists, and more.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus, Dustin Mix, and John Garry. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, we are reading a selection from Galway Kinnell's poem "When You Have Lived A Long Time Alone” and reflecting on what it might be saying about our life together in South Bend.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus, Dustin Mix, and John Garry. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, we enjoy a conversation with Antonius Northern. Antonius is a public servant in the truest sense—whether as an activist, artist, resident, or municipal employee, he has a record of bringing goodness to the city. He is currently helping the City of South Bend foster a more inclusive economy, particularly with women- and minority-owned businesses, through his role as Inclusive Projects Manager.Frankly, we can't believe this is Antonius' first time on the show. We will be considering some of his thoughts for a long time to come.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus, Dustin Mix, and John Garry. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, we are reading selections from Audre Lorde's poem “New York City 1970” and reflecting on what it might be saying about our life together in South Bend.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus, Dustin Mix., and John Garry. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, we enjoy a conversation with Beth Graybill, a resident of South Bend's near-west side historic neighborhood, who moved to the city with her husband and children two and a half years ago. Beth has found our city to be warm, welcoming, and gritty—and is refreshingly thoughtful about her decision to make a life here.We walked away from this conversation encouraged.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus and Dustin Mix. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, we are reading Alice Walker's poem “We Alone” and reflecting on what it might be saying about our life together in South Bend.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus and Dustin Mix. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, we enjoy a conversation with Mayor James Mueller about his time leading our City government during the pandemic. We discuss why he is not often active on social media and why he is hopeful for South Bend's future—and briefly entertain the possibilities of a new aquarium and the return of Pinhook public beach.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus and Dustin Mix. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, and every week in between interviews, we are trying something new. Our friend John Garry is joining the show to share "prose for the city" with us—shorter episodes that will contain a poetry reading and guided reflections.We asked John to share why we're trying this new kind of episode:"Poetry is a conversation with your community. I love poetry. It is, for me, a way that I have seen new parts of our city and seen new parts of the story. And it lends itself well to thoughtful practice. So, this is our chance to have a conversation and to create some open and structured space to think about certain aspects of our city that maybe we hadn't appreciated and the way we fit into that story."South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus and Dustin Mix. We enjoy conversations with the people who shape our city by practicing their purpose. And read poetry to reflect on our city and our own story in it.New episodes are published every Tuesday morning. For comments and questions about the show, please write to comments @ westsb.com. Thank you for listening.

This week, we enjoy a conversation with Pam Blair, a local artist and organizer of the Poetry Den—a community-based safe stage for the spoken word hosted at the Civil Rights Heritage Center.South Bend on Purpose is a podcast about place, belonging, and South Bend co-hosted by Jacob Titus and Dustin Mix. Conversations with people who shape our city by practicing their purpose, and poetry to reflect on our life together. New episodes every Tuesday morning.

We're back for a new, fifth season of South Bend on Purpose. 

This week we welcome Kathy Burnette to the podcast. Kathy is the owner of The Brain Lair, a bookstore in South Bend focused on developing empathy and building community with inclusive books. The store was recently included in The Oprah Magazine's "125 Black-Owned Bookstores in America That Amplify the Best in Literature" and next week is hosting a virtual event with Chasten Buttigieg to discuss his new book.Kathy's work is unique and it is vital to the life and growth of our city. A city our size in the American Midwest probably shouldn't have a Brain Lair, but she has chosen to do this work here in South Bend.Until we're on the other side of the pandemic, you can find the store at brainlairbooks.com and on Twitter @brainlairbooks.

One year since the murder of Eric Logan and just weeks since the murder of George Floyd, our city is in the streets calling for justice.This week, we listen to these calls at the largest protest of the month in downtown South Bend. It occurred on the evening of Friday, June 5th, and was organized by Black Lives Matter South Bend and a group of recent high school graduates.A companion video with footage shot by Ryan Blaske is streaming on Vimeo.Referenced LinksWhy Ta-Nehisi Coates is Hopeful - The Ezra Klein Show'Community' Is a Verb. And It’s Hard - The United States of AnxietyNot Just Another Protest - It's Been a Minute with Sam SandersA Decade of Watching Black People Die - Code SwitchThe Least You Could Do - Reply AllA Secret Meeting in South Bend - The United States of Anxiety

This week we welcome Jenny Casas to the podcast. Jenny is a reporter for New York Public Radio’s Narrative Unit. She is New York based, via Chicago, where she reported on and produced season one of The City, USA Today's first narrative podcast about a 6-story tall illegal dump. We met Jenny when she began reporting for an episode of WNYC's The United States of Anxiety titled, “A Secret Meeting in South Bend,” which told the story of Better Homes of South Bend: an early African American building co-op formed by Studebaker employees. Find Jenny's latest work at wnyc.org and follow her on Twitter.Referenced LinksBlack Lives Matter South Bend Rally for BLACK LIVES – June 5, 2020 @ 6pmBrain Lair Books 'This List is Anti-Racist' Reading List

This week, we podcast remotely with our friend and collaborator Chuck Fry, who is fresh off the release of his new hit video "South Bend, Lean on Me."In this conversation we discuss Chuck's road to South Bend, how he learned to tell stories, why he got out of bed to start creating things during quarantine, and the internal battles that come with being a full-time artist. It is one of our best yet.New episodes of South Bend on Purpose release every other Wednesday.Chuck Fry is a director and DJ based in South Bend. Find his work at chuckfry.com and follow him on Vimeo, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

On this forty-fourth episode, we record remotely for the first time and are joined by Jason Miller for a long conversation about the state of belonging amid the pandemic.New episodes will release every other Wednesday.Jason Miller is a resident of South Bend and the founding pastor of South Bend City Church.

Welcome to the third episode of our series documenting our Kickstarter-funded trip to South Carolina.On this episode, Jacob and Dustin are joined by Maria Gibbs and John Garry to reflect on a Saturday in Greenville, South Carolina where we were confronted with a widely gentrified city and unexpectedly met a supporter of Mayor Pete who had traveled to see South Bend last year.Referenced LinksThe New York Times - Why This Trump-Leaning Corner of South Carolina Has The Jitters

Welcome to the second episode of our series documenting our Kickstarter-funded trip to South Carolina.On this episode, Dustin and Jacob are joined by Maria Gibbs and John Garry to reflect on a Friday in Columbia, South Carolina where we ate barbecue, knocked on doors in suburban and rural neighborhoods, and attended Mayor Pete’s final town hall in the state.Referenced LinksEater Carolinas - True BBQ Claims Best Hash in South Carolina

Welcome to the first episode of our series documenting our Kickstarter-funded trip to South Carolina.On this episode, Dustin and Jacob are joined by Maria Gibbs to reflect on our drive from South Bend to Asheville, North Carolina and interview her mother Cynthia Gibbs about her support for Mayor Pete and the political environment in her community.

Welcome to the third and final episode of our three-part series documenting our trip to the Iowa caucus.On this episode, Dustin and I are joined by Maria Gibbs to reflect on our Monday in Dubuque on the day of the Iowa Caucus. We ate lunch at a quintessential dive bar, explored historic sites around the city, got to know an immigrant restauranteur, and observed a caucus in a high school gymnasium.

Welcome to the second episode of our three-part series documenting our trip to the Iowa caucus.On this episode, Dustin and I are joined by Maria Gibbs to reflect on our Sunday in Cedar Rapids and Grinnell and look forward to the Monday night caucus. We attended a Tom Steyer climate justice morning town hall in Cedar Rapids, visited a RAYGUN shop, drove out to Grinnell, and ended the day with a 12-pack of Grainbelt to watch the Super Bowl and West Wing.

Welcome to the first episode of our three-part series documenting our trip to the Iowa caucus.On this episode, Dustin and I are joined by Maria Gibbs and John Garry to reflect on our Saturday in Waterloo, IA. We attended Mayor Pete’s morning town hall at The National Cattle Congress, knocked on seventy-one doors to get out the caucus, visited Joe Biden’s evening event, and ended the day with local pizza and Old Milwaukee around the kitchen table.

On Monday, August 12th we hosted the final live event at Ironhand Wine Bar inside The Amory. We interviewed Brad and Regina Emberton, the duo behind The Armory's transformation, and enjoyed an evening of eclectic vinyl spun live by Ethan Marosz, tours of the building, and spirited conversation. For a visual glimpse into the evening, read our story A Night at The Armory. Our conversation explores the Emberton’s path to purchasing the condemned building, its curious history as a shooting range, recreation facility, and wedding venue, and the future of the surrounding district.

This episode, though part of our live series, is a throwback to the season two format of the two of us in the studio with a guest. We interviewed Aaron Perri, Executive Director of Venues Parks & Arts, about his work to re-imagine the future of Howard Park, South Bend’s oldest and largest park. Our wide-ranging conversation explores Aaron’s history with South Bend, his thoughts on what a good park can do for a neighborhood, how he thinks about ending creative projects, the founding of Howard Park as an innovative pleasure ground, and what Howard Park’s multi-million dollar transformation will mean to the city at-large. It is one of our favorite episodes.

On Tuesday, June 25th we hosted the third of these live events in The Lauber Kitchen and Bar, a newly-opened restaurant inside the historic J.C. Lauber Building. We interviewed Frank Perri, the building’s owner and developer, and Patrick Whittling, a partner in the project, who, separately and together, are rapidly changing the landscape of South Bend’s East Bank neighborhood. Our conversation explores the neighborhood’s history as Lowell, Indiana before becoming part of South Bend, Frank and Patrick’s history with the city, and how they think about designing a space that serves a modern purpose without compromising the building’s legacy.

Neighborhoods, and the streets that run through them, are the lifeblood of our city, the spaces where daily life unites with culture, art, and business. Streets like Western Avenue, at once owned by everyone and no one, are often an emblem of pride for the surrounding residents, but without investment can deteriorate into a blemish on the neighborhood’s identity. It’s a challenge and an opportunity. This is a story about a group of people who took on the responsibility of fighting for their corridor’s future, transforming Western from a street that you would drive through, to a neighborhood that you drive to.On Wednesday, May 15th we hosted the second of these live events on Western Avenue, a West Side corridor home to a string of small, family-owned businesses including Chico's Restaurant, Taqueria Chicago, and La Rosita. We interviewed Sam Centellas, Director of La Casa de Amistad, and Scott Ford, former Director of the City's Community Investment office, who both played pivotal roles in the corridor’s transformation and economic resurgence.

Three years ago, a local couple purchased a seemingly nondescript printing plant in downtown South Bend for $240,000. In the coming months, together with eight additional partners, the couple would gather $6 million to undertake what is perhaps the city’s most ambitious and risk-laden side project in recent history.Their goals: contribute to the city’s resurgence and “don’t lose any f***ing money.”On Monday, March 25th we hosted the first of these live events in the basement of The Hibberd, a historic printing plant finding new life as a mixed-use apartment and retail space in downtown South Bend. Our guests, Mark Neal, Kyle Copelin, and Deirdre Mylod, are longtime city contributors and three of the partners in The Hibberd restoration project. Our conversation explores their decision to risk time and money on a restoration project, The Hibberd’s contribution to South Bend’s resurgent narrative, and their vision of a vibrant, walkable downtown.

For anyone, owning a building and business in downtown South Bend over the past twenty-eight years has been anything but easy. How people conjured up the courage to invest in South Bend after watching decade after decade of near-constant decline and demolition is beyond us. Mark McDonnell did it and is the subject of today’s episode. A couple days before our end-of-Season 2 party at LaSalle Kitchen and Tavern, Jacob and Dustin sat down for a conversation with the restaurant’s owner, Mark McDonnell, in his 3-story brick building on Colfax – the oldest existing commercial structure and the second oldest building in downtown South Bend.Our conversation explores the history of the building, from its original construction and the many businesses that resided within, to its role today as home to two of the most popular downtown restaurants.

It is difficult to imagine a world where INVANTI, West.SB, South Bend on Purpose, and Vested Interest exist without Pete Buttigieg first being elected mayor. His resurgent vision and talented administration have turned South Bend into a “shining model of urban reinvention.”But the resurgence cannot stop at city hall. South Bend and the countless American cities it resembles rely on entrepreneurs to make new things. Enter INVANTI.INVANTI is a startup generator based in South Bend that activates and attracts entrepreneurial talent to start companies that make communities stronger. The current cohort comprises seven people from New York, Washington D.C., St. Louis, Miami, Ireland, and Mishawaka focused on building scalable ventures to support America’s small business owners.On Thursday, February 7th Pete Buttigieg interviewed a panel of the cohort members about their time in South Bend and the problems they aim to solve. This evening took place inside a newly renovated wing of The Exner Office, a collaborative workspace currently home to INVANTI, West.SB, South Bend on Purpose, and Hurry Home.

In Season 2 of South Bend on Purpose, we talked to twelve people about their purpose – why they're doing what they're doing in South Bend. People in public service like Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Kareemah Fowler, or Shawn Henderson, who grew up on Haney Street and went on to become the principle of Riley High School. Entrepreneurs like Dave Matthews, Michelle Fitzgerald, and Max Brickman. Faith leaders like Jason Miller of South Bend City Church, and activists like Kintae Lark.In Season 3 of South Bend on Purpose, we'll tell the stories of people who are betting on South Bend by investing new purpose into old spaces, whether that's an old industrial building or a once lively plot of land; people whose internal purpose has manifested itself into a physical part of our city – the streets, parks, buildings, and restaurants of South Bend. People like Mark McDonnell, owner of LaSalle Grill, who spent almost 30 years investing in the oldest commercial building in our city, or the partners of The Hibberd, who recently opened up a mixed use apartment and retail space in an old downtown printing plant.Each episode will tell the story of a space in South Bend, and the season will be structured around a series of live events where you'll be able to come hear us interview the people that have invested into those spaces. Each of these live recordings will be recorded and editing into episodes that will go deeper into the story. We want to challenge you to consider, while you're driving through the city – whether on the way to work, or to a restaurant, or taking your kids to school – where did these spaces come from and why do they matter so much to our city?

In this episode we talk with Kintae Lark, the founder and owner of Inspiration Barber-Salon and Inspiration School of Beauty Culture. Kintae brings a unique perspective to this season because for him, life in South Bend has been anything but easy and yet his will to contribute is more palpable than most.Our conversation weaves through stories of Kintae’s upbringing and career that together illustrate first, why he chose to start a business in South Bend, two, how the challenges he faced growing up makes him a powerful and positive force for our city’s youth, and three, why he firmly believes that South Bend is “his assignment.” Towards the end of the episode, Kintae, in explaining his personal work and mission, shared a beautiful thought that resonates with many of our discussions this season: We need to be more intentional about helping people, especially who need to make it. That’s why you’ll see me hashtag all the time online ‘inspiration over dysfunction,’ or ‘we rescue ourselves.’ Nobody is coming in here with a cape or in a helicopter to fix our problems. As a city, if we want help, we have to help ourselves, at the end of the day. We’re waiting on a grant, we’re waiting on an opportunity, but what if the grant never comes? … What if the prince in shining armor never comes? We’ve still got to live. We’ve still got to build.

In this episode we talk with Max Brickman, the managing director of South Bend-based venture capital firm Heartland Ventures. Max is originally from Wisconsin where he started his first business at the age of 14, eventually landing in South Bend to follow his then-girlfriend as she attended Notre Dame. Our conversation centers around how he decided to stay in South Bend, his venture capital firm’s unique partnerships with Midwest family-owned businesses, and how this path has shifted the way he values community.

In this episode we talk with Chuck Nelson, the Executive Director of The Judd Leighton Foundation. Chuck was born in Plymouth, Indiana, but soon moved to South Bend, first living on the West Side and later moving to a hot just South of Notre Dame. Our conversation centers around his current interest in economic development and entrepreneurship, Notre Dame’s relationship with the city, and memories about South Bend’s booming past that affect the way he thinks about the city today.

In this episode we talk with Santiago Garces and Brian Donoghue, South Bend’s Chief Innovation Officer and Director of Civic Innovation, respectively. Santi comes to us from Bogota, Colombia while Brian comes from Youngstown, a city that, similar to ours, experienced painful industrial decline and decay. Our conversation centers around the founding of enFocus and the City’s Department of Innovation, our local culture of getting shit done, and stories explaining why South Bend’s name is increasingly being spoken around the world.

In this episode we talk with Marian Hodges, the VP of Operations at South Bend-based technology firm Data Realty. Like our previous episode with Robert Ramsey, Marian falls into the category of people who are from a distant land, but have found a strong purpose working here in South Bend. Our conversation and her initial interest in the internet, how to get invited to people’s homes in the Midwest, and her brief brush with the what’s now known as the 1992 LA Riots.

In this episode we talk with Robert Ramsey, a relatively new resident of South Bend who intentionally moved here in an effort to “get back to the Midwest” and more specifically, to get back to Midwestern culture. Robert and I connected through the West.SB site and I was quickly captivated by his thoughts on South Bend’s value proposition for people who want to live meaningful lives. Our conversation centers around his love of Midwestern values, how we get to know a new city, and why South Bend is the ideal place to build a meaningful life.It’s a fascinating conversation – Robert even turns the tables to hit us with a tough question.

In this episode we talk with Dave Matthews, a real estate developer who was raised in South Bend and later made the decision to move back and become an entrepreneur. Dave is most well known for his investments in the East Bank as he has developed townhomes across from the Morris and helped bring restaurants like Render and Baker & Rose to the neighborhood. Our conversation centers around his decision to come home after college, how he leveraged unique characteristics of South Bend to build new buildings, and why culture is paramount to rebuilding a city.

In this episode we talk with Shawn Henderson, the head principal at South Bend’s Riley High School. Shawn brings a unique perspective to this role because he grew up on Haney Street just a couple blocks from the school. Our conversation weaves through stories of Shawn’s upbringing and career that together illustrate first, how a kid from the South East side became the unlikely principle of his neighborhood school, and two, how that background makes him a powerful and positive force for our city’s youth. It is easy to be discouraged by the state of public school. Talking with Shawn was refreshing and gave us hope that, at least in our neighborhood, school can be a place of growth. It’s a good one.

In this episode we talk with Kareemah Fowler who currently serves as Clerk for the City of South Bend. Kareemah moved to South Bend's South East side as a senior in high school and quickly gained a burden for changing the city's culture. Our conversation centers around how her entrepreneurial ventures (like buying 9 houses straight out of high school) and city government roles have pushed South Bend to be a place where opportunity abounds for all people in all neighborhoods.