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22 episodes with vanessa quirk
21 episodes with vanessa quirk
23 episodes with vanessa quirk
In this bonus episode, Deqah and Vanessa have a much-needed conversation with Erica Allen-Kim about her new—must-read—book, Building Little Saigon: Refugee Urbanism in American Cities and Suburbs, about Vietnamese American-built landscapes and cultural heritage. In this interview, Deqah and Vanessa dive deeper into themes from her book to explore the role that Vietnamese Americans played in physically and socially shaping their ethnic neighborhoods in American (and Canadian) cities and suburbs. They discuss how refugee and immigrant communities adapted urban spaces to meet their needs, the importance of Asian American preservation efforts, community advocacy, and legacy preservation, and the challenges these communities face today to remain extant. Erica Allen-Kim is an Associate Professor in the University of Toronto's Department of Architecture, Landscape, and Design. Her newest book, Building Little Saigon: Refugee Urbanism in American Cities and Suburbs, is out now and available for purchase! Credits: Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk. This episode was edited by Deqah, Vanessa, and Skyler Ficklin. Mixing by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Urban Roots is a project by Urbanist Media, a non-profit dedicated to preserving place through story. Even though we do need money to keep going, we try not to spam you with ads. Instead, we add the occasional giving plug, encouraging our listeners to support us by giving. Anything helps, even $10 or $20. Please consider sending us a donation via Venmo or Paypal. *Want to give big? Consider sponsoring a bonus episode. Email us at: urbanrootspodcast@gmail.com Follow us on IG at urbanrootsculture and on YouTube (Urban Roots podcast). Have a thought or question – drop us an e-mail
Deqah and Vanessa chat with Lori Gonzalez and Tyrell Anderson from the Decay Devils, an organization that started as a group of friends in Gary, Indiana who loved playing in abandoned buildings. They then started making some noise—posting on Instagram, starting a nonprofit, organizing community events—and gaining notice from the public and “big money” people. In this episode they dish on the trials and tribulations, ups and downs, they've faced trying to preserve Gary's Union Station. For anyone working in nonprofits, partially in the areas of preservation and community-engagement, this episode is a MUST-listen! Credits: Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk. This episode was edited by Skyler Ficklin, Deqah, and Vanessa and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Thanks again to Lori Gonzalez and Tyrell Anderson. Urban Roots is a product of Urbanist Media, a non-profit dedicated to community preservation. You can make a tax-deductible donation to us via Venmo or Paypal. Follow us on IG at urbanrootsculture. Drop us an email urbanrootspodcast@gmail.com
Throughout its history, Decatur, Alabama has produced a number of unapologetically bold, creative, and “difficult” women who weren't afraid to break the mold. In this episode, we'll tell you the story of one of them: Carolyn Cortner Smith, believed to be the first licensed female architect in the state of Alabama. Carolyn was born at a time when Southern women were expected to be gentile, acquiescent, amenable. Carolyn…wasn't. As a young girl growing up in 1900s Decatur, Carolyn would assemble lean-tos in the backyard; she was mesmerized by the idea of building. In 1913, she was rejected from three architecture schools, in all likelihood because she was a woman. Nevertheless, Carolyn persevered — believing she would become the architect she knew she meant to be. By the time she was 40, in 1934, she owned and ran a lumbermill company, had designed/built multiple houses in her signature stone style, and was tapped by the City of Decatur to oversee some significant projects: the restoration of the Old State Bank, one of Decatur's most treasured buildings, and the rehabilitation of City Park (now Delano Park) into a family-friendly area for recreation. Today, Delano Park's structures have been beloved by generations of Decaturites, and yet too few people know of Carolyn's struggles, accomplishments, and gifts to her hometown. Guests in this episode: Barbara Kelly (Delano Park Conservancy) Norman Kent Johnson The oral histories of Carolyn Cortner Smith you heard throughout this episode were courtesy of the Alabama Historical Commission. You can access these recordings via the Shelby County Museum & Archives website. Thanks to Caroline Swope and the City of Decatur who made this episode possible. This material was produced with assistance from the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior. Barbara Kelly is part of the non-profit Delano Park Conservancy; you can learn more about them, and their mission to preserve Delano Park, at their website. Credits Urban Roots is a podcast from Urbanist Media. Your hosts are Vanessa Quirk and Deqah Hussein-Wetzel. This episode was written and executive produced by Vanessa Quirk, with support from Deqah Hussein Wetzel. It was edited and mixed by Andrew Callaway. Music by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Editorial support from Andrew Callaway.
The city of Decatur, Alabama is home to many historic Black churches, including one with a particularly rich history: First Missionary Baptist Church, in Old Town, the city's predominantly Black neighborhood. Designed by one of the first African American architects, Wallace Rayfield, the church has — from its post-Civil War beginnings — been a cornerstone of Decatur's African American community. During the segregation era, it was particularly vibrant, hosting hundreds of congregants, including many teachers, and taking an active stance in the Civil Rights movement. However, de-segregation, and the decades of disinvestment that followed, have taken their toll on Decatur's Black neighborhood of Old Town — and First Mission Baptist is no exception. Today, this historic property is struggling to stay afloat. But its congregation, and dedicated leader, Pastor Daylan Woodall, see that the church matters today more than ever — and are determined to make sure this important piece of Decatur history has a future. This episode not only features the voices of Pastor Woodall and his congregants but also Ms. Frances Tate — of Celebrating Early Old Town with Art and the imminent Scottsboro Boys Museum — and relies on the historical research of Peggy Towns. Guests in this episode: Frances Tate Pastor Daylan Woodall Stephanie Gray Mary Lou Kelly Brenda Smith Nella Fletcher Lester Fletcher Thanks to Caroline Swope and the City of Decatur who made this episode possible. This material was produced with assistance from the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior. Also thanks to Peggy Towns, whose tour around Old Town and book, Scottboro Unmasked, gave us crucial context for this episode. The non-profit Miss Frances Tate is a part of is called Celebrating Early Old Town with Art (CEOTA). The CEOTA board is currently developing the Decatur Scottsboro Boys Civil Rights Museum. If you'd like to learn more or get involved, visit www.sbcmuseum.org CreditsUrban Roots is a podcast from Urbanist Media. Your hosts are Vanessa Quirk and Deqah Hussein-Wetzel. This episode was written and executive produced by Vanessa Quirk, with support from Deqah Hussein Wetzel. It was edited and mixed by Andrew Calloway. Music by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Editorial support from Francis Ramirez O-Shea of Alta Gracia Media and recording help from Alexander Richey.
Today New Richmond is a charming town along the Ohio River with a relatively tiny Black population. But for a moment in time in the 19th century, it was not only a hotspot of abolitionist activity, it was also home to a vibrant Black community. How did that happen? And why are there so few Black families left today? In this episode, part two of the Ohio River to Freedom series, the Urban Roots podcast team will explain this history. Along the way, they'll take you on a tour of New Richmond's abolitionist homes, schools, and churches — and introduce you to the people who are fighting to keep the town's Black history alive. Guests in this episode: Greg Roberts, resident and Vice President of Historic New Richmond Mary Allen, resident and longtime member of Historic New Richmond and the Vice President of the Clermont County Genealogical Society. James Settles, resident and great-grandson of Joseph Settles Dr. David Childs, Ph.D., Northern Kentucky University Thanks to Michael and Carrie Klein, who recorded the spirituals you heard throughout this episode as part of their 1996 Talking Across the Lines project. In this episode you hear "Oh Freedom Over Me" sung by Ethel Caffie-Austin and “Wade in the Water" by Emma Perry Freeman. This series was made possible due to funding from the Ohio Arts Council, Cincinnati Public Radio, and the private donations of the Mohamed family and Hub+Weber. CreditsUrban Roots is a podcast from Urbanist Media. Your hosts are Vanessa Quirk and Deqah Hussein-Wetzel. This episode was written and executive- produced by Vanessa Quirk, with support from Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Francis Ramirez O-Shea of Alta Gracia Media. It was edited by Connor Lynch and mixed by Andrew Calloway. Theme music by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and additional music from Artlist.
Black Underground Railroad agents lived perilous lives. Because they could be killed or jailed for their work, they hid any and all evidence of their activities. So, today, historical records of their efforts are rare. Luckily, however, historians in the town of Ripley, Ohio have not only uncovered the stories of their local Black Underground Railroad workers — they're actively preserving them for posterity. In this episode, part one of the Ohio River to Freedom series, the Urban Roots podcast team will take you to Ripley, a town along the Ohio River that was once home to more abolitionists than any other small town in the U. S. They'll introduce you to some Ripley historians and share the stories of two Black Underground Railroad agents you likely never heard about in history class: Polly Jackson and John Parker. Guests in this episode: Dr. David Childs, Ph.D., Northern Kentucky University Betty Campbell, The Rankin House Dewey Scott, The John P. Parker House Thanks to Michael and Carrie Klein, who recorded the oral histories and spirituals you heard throughout this episode as part of their 1996 Talking Across the Lines project, featuring people in Ohio and West Virginia who are descendants of enslaved people and underground railroad conductors, along with historians telling stories near and dear to them. In this episode you hear the testimonials of Ethel Caffie-Austin and Loran Williams and the spirituals "Oh Freedom Over Me" and “Freedom Train” sung by Ethel Caffie-Austin. This series was made possible due to funding from the Ohio Arts Council, Cincinnati Public Radio, and the private donations of the Mohamed family and Hub+Weber. Credits Urban Roots is a podcast from Urbanist Media. Your hosts are Vanessa Quirk and Deqah Hussein-Wetzel. This episode was written and executive produced by Vanessa Quirk, with support from Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Francis Ramirez O-Shea of Alta Gracia Media. It was edited by Connor Lynch and mixed by Andrew Calloway. Theme music by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and additional music from Artlist.
EXCITING NEWS…Season 3 is coming soon! If you're not subscribed to our podcast or our newsletter, please do so now! You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. That way, you'll know immediately when a new episode drops. Today we have a high-energy conversation with Justin Garrett Moore, program director for the Mellon Foundation's Humanities in Place program and a renaissance man of urbanism. We talk with Moore about his childhood in Indianapolis, IN, his formative professional moments (at a high school internship and at the University of Florida), and the particular challenges he sees facing preservation today (including its fragmentation, over-emphasis on credentials, and the under-valuing of narrative). Plus, we dive deep into the Humanities in Place program, which funds nonprofits doing cultural preservation, urban development, placekeeping, and storytelling. We talked to Justin about: His youth and the internship that changed his life [4:23-11:23] Going South and getting an education — in more ways than one [11:24-17:10] The challenges facing preservation and the power of narrative [17:11-43:48] Spotlighting organizations funded by Humanities in Place [43:49-51:21] Humanities in Place: What it does and doesn't do [51:22-1:15:08] What's close to his heart: Flanner House and Urban Patch [1:15:09-1:20:13] Mentioned In this Episode: Scalawag Magazine - A magazine focused on the South Ekvn-Yefolecv - an intentional ecovillage community of Indigenous Maskoke persons who bought land in Alabama to build a place where they could preserve their culture through language. New York LGBT Sites - broadening people's knowledge of LGBT history beyond Stonewall and placing that history in its geographical context The American Indian Community House - a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization serving the needs of Native Americans residing in New York City. Flanner House - An African-American community service center in Indianapolis Urban Patch - An Indianapolis-based organization focused on inner cities. Credits: Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk. This episode was edited by Deqah and Vanessa and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Thanks again to Justin Garrett Moore and Zuri Phelps. Urban Roots is a product of Urbanist Media, a non-profit dedicated to community preservation. You can make a tax-deductible donation to us via Venmo or Paypal. Follow us on IG at urbanrootsculture. Drop us an email urbanrootspodcast@gmail.com
Housekeeping first! Please give to our GoFundMe Campaign – we need your help to earn $5,000 by December 31: https://www.gofundme.com/f/urbanistmedia We're also up for an Anthem Community Voice Award! Vote for us (Sign in and click “Celebrate”) by December 21! Now our amazing guest: Zahra Ebrahim, the co-founder of Monumental, a social purpose business working to advance equitable city-building and urban development. Earlier this year she also helped start FutureBuilds, a BIPOC Real Estate Development Incubator. She's currently an Urbanist-in-Residence at the University of Toronto's School of Cities, a Next City Vanguard Civic Leader, and one of the Urban Land Institute's WLI Champions. Mentioned In this Episode: A refresher on who we are [0:00-2:16] Please donate to our GoFundMe! [2:17-5:51] Please vote for us for the Anthem Awards! [5:52-7:10] Introducing Zahra Ebrahim [7:11-8:26] Zahra's background and journey into this work [8:27-25:17] Community engagement and moving at the speed of trust [25:18-31:34] Deep and human, not broad and cold [31:35-44:35] Do your homework and listen [44:36-53:39] What do we preserve and why? [53:40-1:03:20] Why diversifying real estate matters [1:03:21-1:10:29] Credits [1:10:30-1:11:50] Credits: Thank you to Zahra Ebrahim and Elaine Gant. This episode was edited and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk. Urban Roots is a product of Urbanist Media, a non-profit dedicated to community preservation. You can make a tax-deductible donation to us via GoFundMe https://www.gofundme.com/f/urbanistmedia Follow us on IG at urbanrootsculture. Or drop us an email urbanrootspodcast@gmail.com
Today, pod squad, you're in for a treat: Rukaiyah Adams is one of our favorite, most inspiring people on the planet. Rukaiyah had a long, successful career in investment banking before she moved back home to Portland, Oregon and joined the board of the Albina Vision Trust, an organization dedicated to restoring the historic Black neighborhood of Albina, where Rukaiyah grew up. Today, she's the Chief Executive Officer of the 1803 Fund, and she's raising hundreds of millions of dollars that she will invest not only in Albina but in community-based organizations in education, place, and culture and belonging across Portland, Oregon. Credits: Urban Roots is a product of Urbanist Media, a non-profit dedicated to community preservation. You can make a tax-deductible donation to us via Venmo or Paypal. Follow us on IG at urbanrootsculture. Drop us an email urbanrootspodcast@gmail.com Thank you to Rukaiyah Adams. This episode was edited and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk.
To celebrate Juneteenth, Urbanist Media's Urban Roots podcast has partnered with Cincinnati Public Radio (WVXU) to bring you Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: weekly, 90-second tributes to people and places important to Cincinnati's African American history. Today, for our last short, we feature Marian Spencer, the civil rights activist and Cincinnati pioneer who got her start in 1952. Back then, Ms. Marian Spencer was a mother of two kids who were begging her to let them go to Coney Island. Ms. Spencer had a hunch they wouldn't be welcome. She called and the girl on the line said: “I'm sorry, We don't admit Negroes.” adding “But I don't make the rules.” Ms. Spencer replied: “I know honey, but I'm going to find out who does.” Ms. Spencer did — and she changed the rules. Tune in to 91.7 WVXU on Thursdays at 5:49 and 7:50 a.m. during Morning Edition and again at 4:50 p.m. during All Things Considered. Additionally, episodes will air on sister station 90.9 WGUC each Thursday at 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. If you missed the broadcasts, don't worry – you can find each short on the Urban Roots podcast feed, our Instagram, and YouTube pages. Credits Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts is brought to you by Vanessa Quirk, Deqah Hussein-Wetzel, and Connor Lynch. Special thanks to Jenell Walton and all the folks at Cincinnati Public Radio for the opportunity.
To celebrate Juneteenth, Urbanist Media's Urban Roots podcast has partnered with Cincinnati Public Radio (WVXU) to bring you Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: weekly, 90-second tributes to people and places important to Cincinnati's African American history. Today, we're highlighting Union Baptist Cemetery, one of Cincinnati's oldest African American cemeteries. It's the final resting place of many of Cincinnati's important Black residents, including the woman who integrated Cincinnati's street cars, Sarah Fossett (along with her husband and his entire family), Jennie Porter, the first Black woman to become a principal in Cincinnati, and baseball legend Newt Allen Jr., one of the best second baseman the game has ever seen. Find each short on the Urban Roots podcast feed or tune in to 91.7 WVXU on Thursdays at 5:49 and 7:50 a.m. during Morning Edition and again at 4:50 p.m. during All Things Considered. Additionally, episodes will air on sister station 90.9 WGUC each Thursday at 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Credits Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts is brought to you by Vanessa Quirk, Deqah Hussein-Wetzel, and Connor Lynch. Special thanks to Union Baptist Historian Chris Hanlin. Sources Union Baptist Cemetery website Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Lesson Plan – Union Baptist Cemetery and Cincinnati's African American History (Grades 6-12)
To celebrate Juneteenth, Urbanist Media's Urban Roots podcast has partnered with Cincinnati Public Radio (WVXU) to bring you Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: weekly, 90-second tributes to people and places important to Cincinnati's African American history. Today, we're highlighting Sarah Fossett, the hair stylist and Underground Railroad conductor who — with two acts of defiance in 1862 — spurred the integration of Cincinnati's street cars. While we couldn't quite fit it into this short, Sarah would go on to help found the First Baptist Church of Cumminsville. If you want to learn more about Sarah's remarkable life of service, check out our season one episode on South Cumminsville. Find each short on the Urban Roots podcast feed or tune in to 91.7 WVXU on Thursdays at 5:49 and 7:50 a.m. during Morning Edition and again at 4:50 p.m. during All Things Considered. Additionally, episodes will air on sister station 90.9 WGUC each Thursday at 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. And tune in on the Juneteenth Holiday -- Monday, June 19 at noon and 8 p.m. -- when WVXU will present a one-hour special featuring some episodes (including the South Cummunsvill episode where we talk about Sarah) from Season 1 of the Urban Roots podcast! Credits Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts is brought to you by Vanessa Quirk, Deqah Hussein-Wetzel, and Connor Lynch. Special thanks to Urbanist Media board member and Queens of Queens City's Sean Andres for making this episode possible! Sources Wendell P. Dabney, Cincinnati's Colored Citizens. Dabney Publishing Company, 1926. Sean Andres, Queens of Queen City, “Sarah Maryant Walker Fossett”, 2022.
To celebrate Juneteenth, Urbanist Media's Urban Roots podcast has partnered with Cincinnati Public Radio (WVXU) to bring you Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: weekly, 90-second tributes to people and places important to Cincinnati's African American history. Today, we're highlighting the Cotton Club in the West End's Hotel Sterling. It was not only a mecca of jazz music AND the one place in Cincinnati where Black and white folks could dance, together, until about seven in the morning, it was ALSO a home for black queer performers at a time when most bars and nightclubs denied LGBTQ+ folks. Find each episode on the Urban Roots podcast feed or tune in to 91.7 WVXU on Thursdays at 5:49 and 7:50 a.m. during Morning Edition and again at 4:50 p.m. during All Things Considered. Additionally, episodes will air on sister station 90.9 WGUC each Thursday at 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. And tune in on the Juneteenth Holiday -- Monday, June 19 at noon and 8 p.m. -- when WVXU will present a one-hour special featuring some episodes from Season 1 of Urban Roots podcast! Credits: Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts is brought to you by Vanessa Quirk, Deqah Hussein-Wetzel, and Connor Lynch. Special thanks to Queer Cincinnati's Jake Hogue for his help making this episode possible! Sources: Cincinnati's West End by John W. Harshaw. Page 118. / “Josephine Baker, 3 Cats, Tons of Luggage Arrive.” Cincinnati Post. June 15, 1951.
Located between Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon, Vanport was a temporary wartime housing project built in 1942 to support the workers of the Kaiser shipyards. Working class people of African, Japanese, European, and Indigenous descent came for its well-paying jobs and affordable housing. Despite the fact that segregation was the norm in Oregon at the time, Vanport was a multicultural place where people felt a sense of acceptance and belonging. The city was built on a floodplain, but residents were assured the surrounding dykes would never break. However, in 1948, a wall of water totally and rapidly destroyed the community. Those who survived were left devastated and had to begin their lives from scratch. The ripples of Vanport's destruction continue to be felt in Portland today. For the past eight years, the nonprofit Vanport Mosaic has been collecting oral histories from Vanport survivors and descendants and putting on an annual festival to celebrate their memories. May 30 will be the 75th anniversary of the Vanport flood — and this Vanport Mosaic festival will not be one to miss. We are collaborating with Vanport Mosaic to develop a podcast series about Vanport and the lessons it still teaches us today. The whole team is on planes to Oregon now, as we speak, and we would love to see you at the Festival, too. Admission is free! See you there? https://www.vanportmosaic.org/festival2023 Voices Heard in This Teaser (In order of appearance): LaVeta Gilmore Luther Avery William Stacey Chisao Hata Janice Okomoto Bea Gilmore Ed Washgington Credits: Thank you to Laura Lo Forti, LaVeta Gilmore, and Chisao Hata. Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk. This episode was edited by Vanessa Quirk and Connor Lynch and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Visit Urbanist Media for more information.
A few weeks ago, we got to sit down with Nick Clooney, famous broadcaster and father of George, and his wife Nina to talk about a black church that they bought years ago in Augusta, Kentucky. After they bought the church, they discovered it had been founded in the 1830s by a formerly enslaved black woman named Sarah Thomas. The more they learned about their story, the more it blew them away. Nick has not only created a non-profit to preserve the church, he has assembled a group of historians, many at Northern Kentucky University, and journalists, including us, to uncover more about Sarah and the church — and tell their stories. We're working on a bonus episode now of the interview with Nick and Nina, but that's only the beginning. We're also collaborating with folks at Northern Kentucky University — including Black church expert Dr. David Childs and Dr. Brian Hackett — to create a documentary series about the African American and abolitionist history of towns along the Ohio River (“River to Freedom”). That said — we need your help! If you'd like to make this episode, and series, possible, please consider donating to our 501c3 Urbanist Media. You can also support us via PayPal or Venmo. Please just note the word “Pod” when you donate. If you want to mail us a check, please first contact us at urbanrootspodcast@gmail.com. Credits: Thank you to Nick and Nina Clooney, Carina Kolodny, and Dr. Brian Hackett at Northern Kentucky University. Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk. This episode was edited by Vanessa Quirk and Connor Lynch and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy.
Today on the pod, we have a conversation with one of the biggest contributors to African American Preservation alive today... Brent Leggs! If you're in historic preservation – or a similar field– you probably heard of Brent. But for those of you who haven't — Brent is a Senior Vice President at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. And while Brent has done many amazing things to preserve African American heritage, as the Executive Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, he's raised over 80 MILLION DOLLARS for Black heritage organizations. We talked to Brent about: Brent's education at University of Kentucky [6:35] Brent's childhood in Paducah, Kentucky [9:52] Preserving the intangible as well as the tangible [16:34] Preservation-Based Economic Development and who's doing it well [33:44] The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund: deciding who to fund? [59:18] Training future preservationists [1:09:14] Brent's ideal Urban Roots episode [1:10:46] Mentioned In this Episode: Lejuano Varnell, Sweet Auburn Works - Atlanta, Georgia 8th of August - Paducah, Kentucky Bryan Stevenson, Equal Justice Initiative - Montgomery, Alabama Jair Lynch and Howard University, U Street development - Washington, D.C. Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, and Phylicia Rashad, Actor and director - Co-Chairs of Advisory Council for the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund Civil Rights Trail - Alabama Dr. David Childs, Director of Black Studies at Northern Kentucky University Palmer Pharmacy - Lexington, Kentucky Eldorado ballroom - Houston, Texas Faith Ringold - Englewood, New Jersey James Weldon Johnson (and Sheryl Lee Ralph) Lucille Clifton - Baltimore, Maryland Credits: Thank you to Brent Leggs. This episode was edited and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk. Urban Roots is a product of Urbanist Media, a non-profit dedicated to community preservation. You can make a tax-deductible donation to us via Venmo or Paypal. Follow us on IG @urbanrootsculture. Drop us an email urbanrootspodcast@gmail.com
Happy April Fool's...but it's no April fools here...today, we're 100% introducing you to two boss women doing dope work with Main Street America revitalizing urban main streets across America: Dionne Baux, the Vice President of Urban Development, and Amanda Elliot, Senior Program Officer and Director of California Programs. We met Dionne and Amanda last year at HAANDS — the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit — and this episode concludes our series with HAANDS attendees. BUT don't fear, we will still be introducing you to more all-star practitioners in equitable preservation-based development in some upcoming bonus episodes. Stay tuned! Mentioned in This Episode: Sweet Auburn Works Betty Reid Soskin, Park Ranger Richmond, California / Richmond Main Street The East Oakland Black Cultural Zone Destination Crenshaw in LA Credits: Thank you to Dionne Baux and Amanda. Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk. This episode was edited by Vanessa Quirk and Connor Lynch and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy.
Today, we're introducing you to two all-star women we met at HAANDS — the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit — who are doing great work in Texas. First up, Tanya Debose, a fourth-generation Houstonian, the Executive Director of the Independence Heights Redevelopment Council, and the founder of Preserving Communities of Color in Houston. Then, Desiree Powell, a program coordinator for The Congress for the New Urbanism and the founder of Do Right By the Street (DRBTS), a planning firm that facilitates the creation of community-driven places in South Dallas, like the Sunny South Dallas Food Park. We'll be publishing more interviews with HAANDS attendees — and introducing you to more practitioners of preservation-based economic development — in the coming weeks. Stay tuned! Credits: Thank you to Tanya Debose and Desiree Powell. This episode was edited by Vanessa Quirk and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk.
Rita Cofield is an associate project specialist working on the Los Angeles African American Historic Places (LAAAHP) at the Getty Conservation Institute. Deqah first met Rita virtually on a National Trust panel on preservation podcasting, and Vanessa was connected to Rita by LA Principal City Planner Ken Bernstein (our special guest at the Biddy Mason Listen & Learn, which you should check out if you haven't yet!). We got to know Rita in-person at the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit in Atlanta, HAANDS. We recorded this conversation there, and will be publishing more with HAANDS attendees in the coming weeks. So stay tuned :) In this conversation, Rita shares her exciting work on the LAAAHP, which expands on work that was started with the SurveyLA project, a previous partnership between the Getty Conservation Institute and the Los Angeles City Planning's Office of Historic Resources between 2010 and 2017 to survey and inventory parcels in the city and surface places historically significant to communities of color. Rita also volunteers as Executive Director of the Friends at Mafundi, an advocacy organization that seeks to protect and preserve the historic Watts Happening Cultural Center (also known as the Mafundi Building) in Watts, California, a project close to Rita's heart. She mentions a great mentor who she worked with on the project: Roger E. Mosley, actor, director, coach, and beloved mentor to creatives, academics, and athletes. The Watts community also recently lost Oscar Neal, a Watts activist, advocate, historian, business owner and former owner of the historic Jordan's Café in Watts. Credits: Thank you to Rita Cofield. This episode was edited by Vanessa Quirk and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk.
Lejuano Varnell is the co-founder of the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit, HAANDS, and the executive director of Sweet Auburn Works, which does preservation-based economic development along the historic Auburn Avenue corridor in Atlanta. We met Lejuano when we were in Atlanta for the first, in-person HAANDS, and were lucky enough to receive a tour from him of Auburn Avenue, which is home to many historic African American sites, such as the Atlanta Daily World building (the headquarters of the first African American newspaper) and the Prince Hall Masonic Lodge (which used to house WERD Radio, the first African American owned radio station in North America). We were really inspired by the work he and the landowners on the Avenue are doing to make sure it remains a hub of African American culture and entrepreneurship moving forward. In this conversation, Lejuano breaks down their approach — which weaves both tactical programs and narrative storytelling — and gives us some insight into the future of HAANDS. Mentioned in this Episode: Sweet Auburn Works HAANDS HAANDs Summit 2021: America's Black Wall Street w/ Dr. Jelani Cobb and Hannibal Johnson Sweet Auburn Bread Company Credits: Thank you to Lejuano Varnell. This episode was edited by Vanessa Quirk and Connor Lynch and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk. Social Media Handles IG: @_haands / @sweetauburnworks TW: @_haands / @sweetauburnwork LN: HAANDS / Sweet Auburn Works Audiogram - Audio “The more you uplift the place-based narrative … the harder it is to erase it.” Lejuano Varnell is the co-founder of @_haands — the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit — and the executive director of @sweetauburnworks. Every day, he does whatever it takes to improve his historic Atlanta corridor — and make it a place where small African American businesses can thrive. Listen to our full episode to hear more about Lejuano and how he's building on the work of his predecessors to strike a path for preservation-based economic development in Atlanta — and beyond.
We're back from the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit (HAANDS) and we're still buzzing! Deqah and Vanessa discuss the many things they learned about preservation-based economic development — and gush over the great people they met who are working to help their communities stay in place, connect with their past, and thrive into the future. Our experience at the summit really crystallized the importance of storytelling (and the work we do) when it comes to preserving communities of color. We have so many ideas for future episodes; we just need support from listeners like you to make them a reality. If you believe that the work we do matters, and want to see more of it, please donate to our PayPal page or Venmo. If you donate today (Giving Tuesday), your donation will be matched. If you want to know more about HAANDS, check out our previous conversation with co-founder Elijah Davis. Credits: Thank you to Claudia Polley and Krista Weatherholt of the Urban Legacy Lands Initiative who made our trip to Atlanta to attend the summit possible. Thanks to HAANDS co-founders Elijah Davis of Urban Impact and Lejuano Varnell of Sweet Auburn Works. This episode was edited by Vanessa Quirk and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk. Handles IG: @ulli1_org, @_haands / @sweetauburnworks / @elijahedavis FB: @UrbanLegacyLandsInitiative TW: @_haands / @elijahedavis / @sweetauburnwork LN: HAANDS / Elijah E. Davis
Elijah Davis is the co-founder of the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit, HAANDS, for short. HAANDS brings together professionals in historic preservation and storytelling, economic development and entrepreneurship, and community organizing to share ideas about what can be done to “preserve, enhance, and elevate” Historic Black places. In this conversation, we learn more about Elijah's family connections to Mobile, his work in community economic development with Birmingham-based Urban Impact, and how he started HAANDS with his co-founder Lejuano Varnell of Sweet Auburn Works. This year's summit will take place over November 17 and 18 in Atlanta Georgia — and guess what, listeners… we'll be there! Claudia Polley of the Urban Legacy Lands Initiative, which we featured in our Indianapolis episodes, has offered us a travel stipend to attend. To help us cover the remainder of our travel costs, we're hoping to raise $500 dollars from our listeners. If you believe in the work we do, sharing and preserving the histories of underrepresented people and places, then please donate to us via our PayPal page or Venmo. Note the word “HAANDS” when you donate. If you're interested in the future of black heritage lands, we think you'll really enjoy this conversation — and maybe even get inspired to join as at the summit! Hope to see you there! Credits: Thank you to Elijah Davis, Claudia Polley, Krista Weatherholt, and ULLI. This episode was edited by Vanessa Quirk and Connor Lynch and mixed by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Your hosts are Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Quirk.
E-S-G. If you haven't heard that term before, it stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. It's a framework that investors use to help them decide whether or not to put money into a company. Over the last 20 years, investors have increasingly embraced the “E” in ESG, and ESG funds are now consistently driving strong returns. In fact, 2020 was the biggest year for ESG-investing yet. With the events of 2020, the “S” of ESG — which includes some of society's toughest problems, like economic opportunity and racial inequity — has come to the forefront. Investors are, more and more, pursuing socially-minded ESG investments. And this pivot has huge implications for real estate, as investors are now ready and willing to lend capital to real estate companies that are pursuing projects with real social and racial impact. But what do those projects look like, and how can real estate transform the development process to achieve them? As we've explored throughout this season of City of the Future, developing socially-minded projects is a complex undertaking. Our season finale explores ways developers can begin to figure out what this “S” piece of ESG means. And if they can, it's not just real estate that will benefit — our cities will, too. In this episode: [00:00 - 05:34] The founder and CEO of Green Generation, Brad Dockser, describes investors' embrace of the “E” of ESG. [05:35 - 8:29] Associate director of inclusive development at Sidewalk Labs, Chrystal Dean, explains why it's time for development to tackle the “S” of ESG. [08:30 - 15:07] The principal and CEO of Direct Invest Development, Carlton Brown, talks about the kinds of long-term, socially-minded metrics developers need to track. [15:08 - 19:22] Director of development and external affairs for Farpoint Development, Morgan Malone, explains how to create social metrics in collaboration with communities. [19:23 - 27:07] The hosts, Vanessa Quirk and Eric Jaffe, discuss the development business case for socially-minded projects with associate director of inclusive development at Sidewalk Labs, Chrystal Dean. To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page at https://bit.ly/3GB3zoU. City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk, and produced by Guglielmo Mattioli. Story editing by Rough Cut Collective and Benjamin Walker. Mix is by Andrew Callaway. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Brad Dockser, Carlton Brown, Chrystal Dean, and Morgan Malone.
In the early 20th century, many U.S. factories were located in urban cores, where workers could easily access their jobs. But the benefit of proximity also meant workers lived near loud, polluting factories. And as we know from the history of zoning in the U.S., low-income people frequently had no option but to live in neighborhoods built around intense industrial use. The consequences of those land use decisions are felt most severely today by communities of color, who continue to suffer from higher rates of health issues like asthma and cancer. So bringing manufacturing back to urban neighborhoods — especially neighborhoods that may have been exposed to the harms of the industry — may seem fraught. But it also offers an opportunity to right some of these historic wrongs. In this week's episode of City of the Future, we explore the idea of bringing a new generation of cleaner, greener manufacturing facilities back into our urban cores. We talk to folks at Buffalo's Northland Workforce Training Center, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and the Boston-based development Indigo Block. We also consider the potential for next-gen manufacturing to create wealth-generating opportunities for people who need it, jumpstart development in disinvested communities — and even provide a new, more resilient economic model for our cities. In this episode: [00:00 - 1:33] A brief history of urban manufacturing in the U.S. from World War II to present. [1:34-5:32] We interview an expert in workforce development, Stephen Tucker, in Buffalo, New York about Northland Workforce Training Center, an organization with a mission to prepare local residents for careers in advanced manufacturing and clean energy. [6:44 - 8:56] Hosts Vanessa Quirk and Eric Jaffe discuss how the 20th-century history of zoning and land-use decisions around manufacturing negatively impacted low-income and Black neighborhoods. [8:57 - 16:24] The Brooklyn Navy Yard's chief development officer Johanna Greenbaum introduces us to different folks who work at the Yard's next-gen manufacturing companies, including Nanotronics' chief operating officer, James Williams. [16:25 - 25:50] We talk to Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation's director of real estate, Beth O'Donnell, and director of strategy and development, Kimberly Lyle who show us around one of their most recent projects, Indigo Block — a real live next-gen manufacturing ecosystem! To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page at https://bit.ly/3rSbrys. City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk, and produced by Guglielmo Mattioli. Story editing by Rough Cut Collective and Benjamin Walker. Mix is by Andrew Callaway. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Stephen Tucker, Johanna Greenbaum, James Williams, Beth O'Donnell, Kimberly Lyle, Alison Novak, Jesse Shapins, and Chrystal Dean.
Innovation ecosystems — places where companies and anchor institutions cluster and connect with startups, incubators, and smaller accelerators — are far from a new urban trend. As technology has become core to our economy in the past few decades, big coastal cities like Boston, San Francisco, and Seattle have become big tech innovation ecosystems, attracting more and more talented workers, startups, and investment capital from across the country and the world every year. Despite all the growth spurred by these tech-based innovation ecosystems, the resources and the capital haven't been shared equitably with existing communities. Additionally, as we've seen in these big coastal cities, the creation of housing hasn't kept up with the influx of workers — causing prices to skyrocket and creating new challenges for lower-income groups and people of color. But there's a new global trend happening to intentionally plan innovation ecosystems in a way that still brings the advantages of economic opportunity and jobs, while also attempting to share the benefits more broadly. In this episode, we explore this new generation of innovation ecosystems that could not only spark economic growth, but offset some of the urban development approaches that have left too many neighborhoods behind. In this episode: [0:00 - 5:50] Phil Armstrong, executive director of Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street History Center, and Trey Thaxton, entrepreneur and owner of the Tulsa-based Goldmill Co. and Greenwood Ave. cover the history of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and what tomorrow could look like with a new innovation ecosystem in place. [5:51 - 10:33] The podcast hosts Vanessa Quirk and Eric Jaffe discuss Innovation Ecosystems and how a mixed-use innovation ecosystem in neighborhoods might benefit from the opportunities by staying in their communities as well as generating wealth over time. [10:34 - 22:16] Landon Taylor, co-founder of Legacy First Partners, and Victor MacFarlane, founder and CEO of MacFarlane Partners, explain their vision for the Freedom West that will allow the residents to have access to job training, entrepreneurship training, and access to capital to allow them to participate in the 21st-century economy. [22:17 - 29:03] Randy Wiggins, founding managing director of Build in Tulsa, and Brian Brackeen, general partner of Lightship Capital strives to build Tulsa as the most Black entrepreneur-centric ecosystem in the country and in the world. To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page at https://bit.ly/3DdhNKL City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk, and produced by Guglielmo Mattioli. Story editing by Rough Cut Collective and Benjamin Walker. Mix is by Andrew Callaway. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Phil Armstrong, Trey Thaxton, Landon Taylor, Randy Wiggins, Brian Brackeen, Alison Novak, Jesse Shapins, and Chrystal Dean.
Cities throughout the U.S. (and around the world) are struggling with the many issues that come with neighborhood growth and displacement. But what if, instead of being negatively impacted by development, residents benefited from it instead? In this episode — part two of our two-part series on new models for wealth-building — we explore “neighborhood REITS,” a model that helps community members invest in local development projects. This innovative approach can help folks participate in their own communities' growth, and as we see through the work of Albina Vision, it can also potentially begin to redress some of the racial inequities that have been baked into our housing system for decades. In this episode: [00:00 - 05:30] Local Portland artist Cleo Davis shares the struggles of gentrification that destroyed the legacy of his community in the historically Black neighborhood of Albina. [06:16 - 13:07] Marc Norman, associate professor in affordable housing, breaks down a new wealth-building model called a neighborhood REIT. [13:08 - 23:09] Rukaiyah Adams, Board Chair of the Albina Vision Trust, discusses the history of Lower Albina and her hopes that a neighborhood REIT could be one way to help people access the multi-generational wealth that they were denied. [23:10 - 25:37] Cleo Davis wraps up with the hope that Albina Vision will be the greatest monument to Black creativity and prosperity that the neighborhood could have. To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page at https://bit.ly/3FhzYQW. City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk, and produced by Guglielmo Mattioli. Story editing by Rough Cut Collective and Benjamin Walker. Mix is by Andrew Callaway. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Cleo Davis, Marc Norman, Rukaiyah Adams, Winta Yohannes. Annie Koo, Alison Novak, Jesse Shapins, and Chrystal Dean.
Cities across the U.S. are suffering from dire housing crises. Housing supply is low, and prices are high — in some cities, sky high. And wages and income aren't keeping up. Many struggle to make rent, let alone save for a home. So it's no wonder that affordable housing programs often focus on getting people into homes — people need help now. But we also need long-term solutions that could help renters generate wealth they could pass on to their families and children. In other words, as essential as affordable housing is, it isn't enough on its own to close the wealth gap, which in the U.S. is particularly stark between Black and White Americans. In the first episode of our new season of City of the Future, we talk to the founders of Esusu and Portland's Community Investment Trust and explore new economic models that could help renters, particularly immigrants and new arrivals, become home or partial building owners — and have the opportunity to access multi-generational wealth as a result. In this episode: [00:00 - 04:24] Marc Norman, associate professor in affordable housing, talks about the racial wealth gap and new economic models that could help non-homeowners generate wealth to pass on their families and children. [04:55 - 15:02] We speak with Abbey Wemimo and Samir Goel, the co-founders of Esusu, which helps renters achieve and improve credit scores by paying their rent on time. [15:03 - 26:34] Vanessa flies to Portland, Oregon to meet John W. Haines, organizer of Plaza 122, the country's first Community Investment Trust. We also meet with Yonas Kassie, Hawi Muleta, and Sonya Damtew of the Ethiopian and Eritrean Cultural and Resource Center. To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page at https://bit.ly/3DarHxB. City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk, and produced by Guglielmo Mattioli. Story editing by Rough Cut Collective and Benjamin Walker. Mix is by Andrew Callaway. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Marc Norman, Abbey Wemimo, Samir Goel, John W. Haines, Yonas Kassie, Hawi Muleta, Sonya Damtew, Annie Koo, Alison Novak, Jesse Shapins, and Chrystal Dean.
The process of real estate development is critical to urban life. Without it, we'd have no homes, no stores, no community centers. But development isn't working for everyone. All too often, new projects advance without sufficient concern for affordability, economic opportunity, or long-term vibrancy. But as Sidewalk Labs' Head of Urban Development Alison Novak tells us, 2020 made a lot of people pause and ask: “What am I doing, and how am I impacting the world?” Real estate developers are no exception. Today, the industry is at a tipping point, and many developers are asking themselves how they can do better — while still making money. This season of City of the Future will be all about the ideas and innovations that could lead to more equitable development. But before we can understand how development could become more inclusive in the future, we have to understand how it works today. So, in this bonus episode, Alison helps us dig into the financials, the planning documents, and beyond. Join us for some Development 101. In this episode: [0:01 - 5:49] We meet with Sidewalk's Head of Urban Development, Alison Novak, a long-time affordable housing developer at a project she once worked on in Prospect Lefferts Garden, Brooklyn. And we learn why, when it comes to community engagement, development can be fraught. [5:50 - 13:00] Alison gives us the breakdown of a development project, from how developers determine their pro forma, to when and how they refine the architectural design, to the risks involved in creating and getting approval for planning documents. [13:01 - 17:00] Alison describes the beginning of a shift toward more inclusive development happening in the industry, and why this matters now more than ever. To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page at https://bit.ly/3ERCwVP. City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk, and produced by Guglielmo Mattioli. Story editing by Rough Cut Collective and Benjamin Walker. Mix is by Andrew Callaway. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Alison Novak, Jesse Shapins, and Chrystal Dean.
The pandemic has forced us to reexamine and reimagine how we use one of our most precious public spaces: our streets. From outdoor dining to expanded bike lanes, cities have been re-designing streets so they can be better shared by all — drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians alike. But could we take this idea even further? What if we could use design and technology to make our streets more flexible? So they could change use according to the season, the week, or even the hour? In our season finale, we explore a future where city streets can do just that — and better respond to all of our needs. In this episode: [0:01 - 6:44] We meet with transit guru Gridlock Sam to talk about the history of political battles over New York City streets and the recent changes in response to Covid [6:54 - 11:18] Aspen Director of Parking & Downtown Services Mitch Osur and Coord Head of Policy & Partnerships Dawn Miller explain how data is allowing cities to solve problems like traffic and curb congestion [11:43 - 14:40] We visit Sidewalk Labs Senior Creative Technologist Nick Jonas to test out Pebble, a new technology for vehicle occupancy detection [16:23 - 23:43] Associate Director of Planning & Delivery Siqi Zhu and Director of Mobility Willa Ng imagine how our streets can adapt to be shared more equitably To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page. City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk, and produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Mix is by Zach Mcnees. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Sam Schwartz, Mitch Osur, Dawn Miller, Nick Jonas, Siqi Zhu, and Willa Ng.
For about a century, architects and developers have dreamed of the promise of factory-based construction — after all, if Henry Ford revolutionized the auto industry with assembly lines, why shouldn’t we be able to make buildings in factories, too? But, in North America at least, almost every attempt to revolutionize this industry has failed. But now, thanks to innovations in design, materials, and machinery — and a green wave taking over the industry — factory-based construction could be an idea whose time has finally come. In this episode: [0:01 - 3:11] We take a fun trip back in time to Expo 67 and explore why the influential prefabricated concrete building Habitat 67 was just too ahead of its time. [3:35 - 8:26] Northeastern University architecture professor Ivan Rupnik relays the history of factory-based construction, including Operation Breakthrough, the U.S.’s initiative to out-build the Soviet Union during the Cold War [8:46 - 16:28] Sidewalk Labs Director of Product Design for Buildings Karim Khalifa and Associate Director of Building Innovations Lily Huang describe how Sidewalk Labs is developing an architectural kit of parts to allow architects to build with quality, speed, and sustainability [16:43 - 22:30] Architect and author Susan Jones shares her experiences building her own prefabricated mass timber house and working on the committee to change international building code for mass timber To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page. City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk, and produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Mix is by Zach Mcnees. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Ivan Rupnik, Karim Khalifa, Lily Huang, and Susan Jones.
In an era of remote work, when people can work from anywhere, where will they choose to live? And what can cities do to set themselves apart from the competition? In this episode, we look at the ways remote work could change not just the way we live in cities — but which cities we live in, too. In this episode: [0:01 - 4:47] Tulsa Remote community manager Taylor Allen tells her story of moving from Florida to Tulsa, Oklahoma, sight unseen [7:09 - 11:00] Professor of Urban Economics Richard Florida on why the future of economic development is about talent [12:02 - 14:06] Digital transformation adviser Anett Numa on how Estonia became one of the most digitally enabled countries in the world [14:12 - 16:23] Topia Chief Product Officer Sten Tamkivi on what kinds of factors draw people to specific cities [16:36 - 18:22] Topia Director of Product Management Chantel Rowe shows Estonia’s digital infrastructure in action — and how it made her move to the country easy [19:43 - 22:59] Taylor returns to explain why fostering a sense of community matters in attracting talent To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page. City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk, and produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Mix is by Zach Mcnees. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Richard Florida, Anett Numa, Sten Tamkivi, Chantel Rowe, and Taylor Allen.
Generative design is the process of automatically producing thousands of designs based on goals and constraints you feed into a computer. In this episode, we ask: could you apply generative design to something as complex as the urban planning process? Could it reveal better designs for buildings, neighborhoods, districts — showing us options we didn’t even know were possible? And, in the future, could this new emerging field even empower urban development teams to create better, more human cities? In this episode: [0:06 - 4:13] Hosts Vanessa Quirk and Eric Jaffe on the unintended consequences of the 1915 Equitable Building (the “monstrosity” that influenced New York City’s first zoning laws) [4:15 - 11:42] Sidewalk Labs’ Senior Product Manager Violet Whitney and Senior Design Lead Brian Ho on Delve, a product that uses generative design to reveal unexplored urban design options for any given development project [11:43 - 18:13] Carnegie Mellon University’s Associate Professor of Ethics & Computational Technologies Molly Wright Steenson on the history of architecture and computing — and the contributions of thinkers like Cedric Price, Christopher Alexander, and the MIT Architecture Machine Group [18:14 - 20:16] Geographer and City Planner Evan Lowry on how visualization software could transform community engagement in Charlotte, North Carolina [20:19 - 22:42] Violet and Brian return to explain why it’s important for cities to visualize how urban designs could impact their communities. To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the link-rich transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page. City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk, and produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Mix is by Zach Mcnees. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Violet Whitney, Brian Ho, Molly Wright Steenson, and Evan Lowry.
Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal brings an outsider’s eye to American politics (or as he puts it, a perspective from” an outpost of the empire”). Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa Quirk ask about his new book, Revolt (out in Hebrew here, out in English soon); about what Trump got right and the media got wrong; and what it means to live in a radical moment.If you haven’t already — please subscribe here (or wherever you get your podcast).[0:40] An unsolicited window into Adaam & Vanessa’s domestic life[3:30] Nadav’s career in a nutshell[4:40] Into Trumpland [6:00] The first (and weakest) horseman of the apocalypse[10:40] Standing up to China[13:30] Amateur Hour at the White House[16:00] Obama-phoria & the pendulum swing[17:00] Nick Griffin, a dreadful man with a grasp on reality[22:50] The failures of the Obama administration[24:20] Back into Trumpland[26:20] What a globalist is[34:02] Nationalism and an empire in retreat[36:30] The revolt is a sentiment, not an ideology (Or Molotov cocktails in Athens)[42:00] “The America that we dreaded, we feared, we hoped for is gone.” What’s to be born?[45:42] Living through a radical moment[52:10] No progress without struggle[54:50] The natural order is change, we were just born in a pause[55:40] The responsibility of journalists[1:00:20] The journalist’s dilemma [1:07:00] The advantage of being Israeli (On chutzpah and frank conversations) Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe
To save our planet, we’ll need to reduce emissions — fast. And if we’re serious about addressing climate change, we’ll need to address one of our biggest carbon emitters: buildings. That doesn’t just go for the new, shiny skyscrapers with access to lots of resources, but all buildings: old and new, big and small. We’re kicking off season 3 with an episode exploring an idea that could make our cities more sustainable and even more just. Energy-efficient buildings. In this episode: [0:02 - 2:58] Architect Wanda Dalla Costa on her work creating an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly housing development for the Gila River Indian Community [3:59 - 7:27] Sustainable buildings expert Kimi Narita on why retrofitting buildings is so important for cities responding to climate change [7:48 - 10:04] Proptech expert Ryan J. S. Baxter on why energy regulations can fall short in incentivizing buildings to make energy upgrades and why tech adoption could change that [10:17 - 14:05] Sidewalk Labs Senior Product Manager Rachel Steinberg and Data Scientist Jenny Chen on Mesa, a solution to help office buildings become more energy-efficient [14:43 - 16:12] Rachel Steinberg on green leases, which encourage energy-efficiency for tenants and landlords [16:22 - 18:20] Kimi Narita on why we need new technologies and regulations to get to net-zero carbon by 2050 To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page. City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk and produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Mix is by Zach Mcnees. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Wanda Dalla Costa, Kimi Narita, Ryan J. S. Baxter, Jenny Chen, and Rachel Steinberg.
We often take history for granted, skirting around subjects as if we already know everything there is to know about a historical event, person, or place. But, what do we really know? There are many stories that have not been told and many topics that have not been fully explored. This podcast challenges you to think beyond the familiar, and broaden the scope of what we see as urban history. Urban Roots is hosted by Deqah Hussein (historic preservationist and urban planner) and Vanessa Quirk (journalist and producer). This podcast offers a holistic narrative of urban America by utilizing rich archival materials, interviewing passionate local experts, and exploring “untold” stories.
In the first segment [1:18-11:30], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: The future of consumption and cities (Frank Trentmann, TNR) https://bit.ly/33YCxrC Portland’s landmark zoning reform (Laura Bliss, CityLab) https://bloom.bg/2E16zA3 In the second segment [11:54 -21:58], Sidewalk Senior Software Engineer Samara Trilling explains why we need to temporarily ban mortgage lending algorithms during the pandemic. (Morning Consult) https://bit.ly/31TicBu / (Aspen Tech Policy Hub) https://bit.ly/2CqQsva And in the final segment [22:05-23:55], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Future predictions from 1964 (Bryan Walsh, Axios Future) https://bit.ly/2PSk087 New job aspiration: official city wizard (Julia Hollingsworth, CNN) https://cnn.it/2DZlbzY
In the first segment [1:24-15:47], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Covid and the affordability crisis: (Quoctrung Bui and Emily Badger, NYT) https://nyti.ms/2DMogn2 / (Wolf Richter, Wolf Street) https://bit.ly/3fywn3v / (Derek Thompson, Atlantic) https://bit.ly/3ip3vwJ San Diego pushes back on “smart” streetlights (Sarah Holder, Bloomberg CityLab) https://bloom.bg/31yB8oM Cities consider reparations: (Dasia Moore, Boston Globe) https://bit.ly/2C7PQKV / (Rosanna Xia, LA Times) https://lat.ms/3a3s0we In the second segment [16:09 - 22:45], the hosts talk to author Emily Anthes about her book The Great Indoors. https://bit.ly/3kmVQk2 And in the final segment [22:52-25:01], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Cleaning robots (Lisa Prevost, NYT) https://nyti.ms/30BWgez Hairdressers (Marc Bain, Qz) https://bit.ly/2PuUyFw
In the first segment [1:32-16:15], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Why eliminating single-family zoning isn’t enough (Emily Hamilton, CityLab) https://bloom.bg/3gimtnR / (Ashley Salvador, Reasons to be Cheerful) https://bit.ly/3k8WRMK How algorithms could help detect — and prevent — discrimination (PNAS) https://bit.ly/2D9VnAW Walls are making a comeback (Amanda Mull, Atlantic) https://bit.ly/3jXKra9 In the second segment [16:37-22:33], the hosts talk to journalist Laura Raskin about Studio Ma and “desert urbanism.” (Sidewalk Talk) https://bit.ly/2BN9pbh And in the final segment [22:38-25:13], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Cute Laundry Shop Couple Stylishly Models Clothes Left Behind by Their Patrons (Jason Kottke, Kottke.org) https://bit.ly/2Pc3VtD ‘City Dreamers’: a documentary on four pioneering female architects (Kristen Yoonsoo Kim, NYT) https://nyti.ms/310W33E
In the first segment [1:50-12:55], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Taiwan’s digital minister Audrey Tang leverages open data in the fight against Covid (Andrew Leonard, WIRED) https://bit.ly/39opznI / (Eric Jaffe, Sidewalk Talk) https://bit.ly/39paL8p The most important bike technology is … street design (Eric Jaffe / Sidewalk Talk) https://bit.ly/2CDgonE In the second segment [13:15-21:55], the hosts talk to architect and accessibility consultant Karen Braitmayer about the state of accessible architecture 30 years after the passing of the ADA. (Michael Kimmelman, NYT) https://nyti.ms/32RaVEr And in the final segment [22:00-24:30], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Real-Time Crowding Info Helps Boston’s Bus Riders (Transit Center) https://bit.ly/2CYkjuV Engineer makes robot to cut his hair (Digg) https://bit.ly/3eWPdkA
In the first segment [1:46-16:52], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Good news? We have the clean tech we need to get to net zero by 2050. Bad news? They’re so not ready yet. (David Roberts, Vox) https://bit.ly/3haOBcy The tech industry is built on serendipity. If workers flee the Bay Area, what then? (Steve Levine, Marker) https://bit.ly/2ZDW0Lz Who gets to make noise about who gets to make noise in the city? (Kate Wagner, Atlantic) https://bit.ly/3h9tirR In the second segment [17:12-23:30], the hosts talk to journalist Philip Preville about Kansas City’s stormwater innovation. (Sidewalk Talk) https://bit.ly/2B7BrxG And in the final segment [23:34-26:25], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Noise-canceling headphones for your apartment (David Waldstein, NYT) https://nyti.ms/30psWXm New York’s streateries (Diana Budds, Curbed) https://bit.ly/3h8GflH
In the first segment [2:00-17:12], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Renewables vs. Natural Gas (Ivan Penn, NYT) https://nyti.ms/2BVUQC4 / From Peaker Plants to Publicly-Owned Solar (Clarisa Diaz, Gothamist) https://bit.ly/3iQau2z Singapore’s Home Ownership Success (Adam Majendie, CityLab) https://bloom.bg/38GZ7Wa The New Boomerang Kids (Joe Pinsker, Atlantic) https://bit.ly/2W6j7fU In the second segment [17:35-23:35], the hosts talk to Laura O’Reilly, the founder of the placemaking organization Wallplay, about pop-ups and ground-floor retail recovery. (Carrie Denning Jackson, Sidewalk Talk) https://bit.ly/2ZRlaW4 And in the final segment [23:42 - 26:40], the hosts share what made them smile this week. A brief history of the ice cream truck (Colin Dickey, Smithsonian) https://bit.ly/2WnfTVt Elsa Majimbo, the star of Kenya's lockdown (Helen Sullivan, Guardian) https://bit.ly/3gYbm3F
In the first segment [1:39-16:23], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: The perils of facial recognition: Wrongfully accused by an algorithm (Kashmir Hill, NYT) https://nyti.ms/2CLC00L 11 ways Covid Recovery is Changing Cities (CityLab) https://bloom.bg/2CKVqTr Analysis finds millions of Americans can’t afford their water bills (Nina Lakhani, Guardian) https://bit.ly/385U8xU In the second segment [16:46-22:59], the hosts talk to Deirdre Mask, the author of The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power https://bit.ly/2Ny0Pzk And in the final segment [23:05 - 26:25], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Barbershops Lead the Reopening Effort (Bloomberg) https://bloom.bg/2ZgN3Xr Nashville Public Library’s "Curb Side, Baby" https://bit.ly/38bYaoA
In the first segment [1:04-15:32], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: The policing case study of Camden, New Jersey (James Doubek, NPR) https://n.pr/37psgEq / (Scottie Andrew, CNN) https://cnn.it/2XXn8Ey Study finds that rental property managers screen minority households into more polluted neighborhoods (Eric Jaffe, Sidewalk Talk) https://bit.ly/3hoZ1qb Scientist studies how face-masks change human behavior on city sidewalks (Craig Timberg, Washington Post) https://wapo.st/3hpG6LC In the second segment [15:56 - 23:02], the hosts talk to reporter Perla Trevizo about how Texan cities are supporting local businesses (especially those owned by minorities) that didn’t get help from the federal pandemic program (ProPublica / Texas Tribune) https://bit.ly/2MPRcM7 And in the final segment [23:05 - 25:33], the hosts share what made them smile this week. “Why the Golden Gate Bridge Is Now a Giant Orange Wheezing Kazoo.” (Gabe Meline, KQED) https://bit.ly/3ffU2Gn Astoria diner hosts drive-in movies (Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker) https://bit.ly/3hm1lxT
First and foremost, we stand with the millions of Black Americans and allies across the country fighting for racial justice and equality. The murder of Mr. George Floyd is only the latest example of America’s structural racism. We cannot build inclusive cities until we confront this reality. We’re going to recommit to elevating the voices of people of color on this show, not just on today’s episode, but on all our platforms from now on. In that spirit, today’s format is slightly different. In the first segment [3:41-9:08], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss Bryan Lee Jr.’s great piece on how urban planners can help build cities that are more just. (CityLab) https://bit.ly/2MAj9aG In the second segment [9:08-14:13], the hosts read quotes from a handful of other compelling perspectives shared this week: “We often call on technology to help solve problems. But when society defines, frames, and represents people of color as “the problem,” those solutions often do more harm than good.” — Charlton McIlwain, MIT Tech Review https://bit.ly/2MuKJWC “So when we get into these Vision Zero plans, often we talk like we’re doing people a favor; we’re making streets safe! But then, in practice, we just use Vision Zero approaches to laser in on minor infractions in a way that hurts communities.” — Kristen Jeffers, Streetsblog https://bit.ly/2z4SZcK “As we call people to peace but not to patience, we should not be patient with the structural inequities and racism and microaggressions, and certainly not with the legal or court precedents or the obstacles in police-union contracts all over the country, that prevent us from holding people accountable when this happens.” — Mayor Melvin Carter, New Yorker https://bit.ly/2Y8dMob “So, to white people who care about maintaining a habitable planet, I need you to become actively anti-racist. I need you to understand that our racial inequality crisis is intertwined with our climate crisis. If we don’t work on both, we will succeed at neither.” — Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, WaPo https://wapo.st/3cFxVr0 In the third segment [14:31-26:14] the hosts chat with Chicago-based urban planner and author of the Corner Side Yard blog, Pete Saunders, about the history of urban policing http://cornersideyard.blogspot.com/ And in the final segment [26:18 - 28:26], the hosts share what made them smile this week. 8 police policy changes that together could decrease police violence by 72% https://8cantwait.org/ Deeply Rooted Heritage podcast’s first episode, which spotlights the Finding Kenyon Barr exhibit https://spoti.fi/3h0U5r0
A special episode this week! Featuring an extended interview with renowned urban economist Richard Florida. In the first segment [1:18-6:31], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top story: Estonia Already Lives Online—Why Can’t the US? (Nina Jankowicz, Atlantic) https://bit.ly/2Aofv0M In the second segment [6:52 - 22:21], the hosts ask Florida about inclusive growth and the future of cities post-Covid. (Sidewalk Talk) https://bit.ly/2Ag0BcJ And in the final segment [22:27 - 25:09], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Cleveland building the US’s largest tall timber building (Konrad Putzier, WSJ) https://on.wsj.com/3eAWozj AI Maestro creates soundtrack for life (Steven Levy, Wired) https://bit.ly/3gucvQZ
In the first segment [1:39-16:17], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Can America’s cities be engines of opportunity again? (NYT Editorial board) https://nyti.ms/364AZLN / What opportunity looks like (David Leonhardt and Yaryna Serkez, NYT) https://nyti.ms/2LyiMgg) Needed: Main Street Regenerators (Bruce Katz, Frances Kern Mennone, Michael Saadine, and Colin Higgins, New Localism) https://bit.ly/2AoHDk7 Why online voting isn’t safe yet (Lily Hay Newman, Wired) https://bit.ly/3dT9x6t In the second segment [16:44 - 23:26], the hosts ask housing expert Carol Galante why it’s time for cities to embrace density. (NYT) https://nyti.ms/3bDC3au And in the final segment [23:31 - 26:16], the hosts share what made them smile this week. German cafe asks customers to wear ‘noodle hats’ (Ewan Somerville, Evening Standard) https://bit.ly/2LvsuzR Philly makes it easier to turn blocks into playgrounds (Catalina Jaramillo, WHYY) https://bit.ly/2yQRHCk
In the first segment [1:11-16:30], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Why we’re no longer pursuing the Quayside project in Toronto (Dan Doctoroff, Sidewalk Talk) https://bit.ly/2L4Ntcz The death of the office? (Catherine Nixey, 1843) https://bit.ly/2LatRng The startup trying to crack safe autonomous driving (Alex Davies, Wired) https://bit.ly/2zqXOwL In the second segment [16:52 - 23:21], the hosts bring on Sidewalk Labs’ Director of Mobility for Streets, Willa Ng, to answer a listener question about a controversial road diet in Alexandria, Virginia. (Hat tip to these reporters: Jordan Pascuale for WAMU https://bit.ly/2WCayIV / Beth Lawton for Alexandria Living Magazine https://bit.ly/3fz3Mw6 / Canaan Merchant for Greater Greater Washington https://bit.ly/2zhgZct) And in the final segment [23:24 - 26:01], the hosts share what made them smile this week. “Yuppie” turns 40 (Phoebe Mogharei, Chicago Mag) https://bit.ly/3dkL4GS Quarantine Bolero (Tim Teeman, Daily Beast) https://bit.ly/2ywKlUm
In the first segment [1:20-15:36], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: The Pandemic Will Change American Retail Forever (Derek Thompson, Atlantic) https://bit.ly/2xoTyxe The case for putting restaurants outside (Henry Grabar, Slate) https://bit.ly/2yhnko9 Retail Covid-19 testing is failing black communities (Aaron Ross Coleman, Vox) https://bit.ly/35lU37X In the second segment [15:58-21:39], the hosts interview Olga Stella, the host of the Detroit City of Design podcast and the executive director of Design Core Detroit, who wrote about an innovative, affordable leasing program that attracted creative-sector entrepreneurs to an underutilized landmark in Detroit. (Brookings) https://brook.gs/3fcnMo6 And in the final segment [22:02-24:10], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Discover the history of your neighborhood, without leaving home (Ariel Aberg-Riger, CityLab) https://bit.ly/2VUuqIc The hidden history of some NYC skyscrapers (Michael Kimmelman, NYT) https://nyti.ms/2xmPu0q And a BONUS this week: a parrot singing Stairway to Heaven (Facebook) https://bit.ly/2KSUYTL
In the first segment [0:59-15:52], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Cities face challenges putting homeless populations into hotels (Alissa Walker, Curbed) https://bit.ly/2KJ4sRL / (Sarah Holder and Kriston Capps, CityLab) https://bit.ly/2Kt9AJz 9 ways to revive transit (Eric Jaffe, Sidewalk Talk) https://bit.ly/2Kt9FNn Tech needs to enter the real world (Ben Thompson, Stratechery) https://stratechery.com/ In the second segment [16:12-22:12], the hosts interview economist Issi Romem describes the pros and cons of a new housing financing model that combines renting and buying. (NYT’s Upshot) https://nyti.ms/3bBqTDT And in the final segment [22:24-24:50], the hosts share what made them smile this week. NYC sidewalk width tool http://www.sidewalkwidths.nyc/ (Caroline Spivack, Curbed) https://bit.ly/2Ky3tUg Ukulele song captures life in quarantine (Makeshift.Macaroni, Tik Tok) https://bit.ly/2zkIgL1
In the first segment [1:39-16:17], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Covid is cleansing India’s air — can it last? (Raghu Karnad, New Yorker) https://bit.ly/34HFrQ1 / China’s real-time pollution data (Eric Jaffe, Sidewalk Talk) https://bit.ly/2KeybBG How NYC can rebound from Covid (Dan Doctoroff, New York Times) https://nyti.ms/2RI3KYv / Lessons from Pittsburgh 1918 (Eric Jaffe, Sidewalk Talk) https://bit.ly/34HhyrA Bringing industrial use back to neighborhoods (Ray Dubicki, Urbanist) https://bit.ly/2wRy8sw In the second segment [16:40-22:54], the hosts interview Newsha Ghaeli, co-founder of the epidemiology start-up Biobot about tracking Covid through city wastewater. (Gregory Barber, Wired) https://bit.ly/2VfotVN And in the final segment [23:10-25:08], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Banksy works from home (Christopher Jobson, Colossal) https://bit.ly/2RNikhz GOAT 2 Meeting (Paige Leskin, Business Insider) https://bit.ly/3bk5PSn
In the first segment [1:07-15:20], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Covid’s inequitable impact on low-income communities and people of color (Jennifer Valentino-DeVries, Denise Lu, and Gabriel J.X. Dance, NYT) https://nyti.ms/2JWySPO / (Robert Samuels, WaPo) https://wapo.st/34p0O8w The urbanist’s guide to the crisis and its potential impact on cities (Dan Bertolet, Sightline) https://bit.ly/2RsFTfv The power plant of the future is in your home (Daniel Oberhaus, Wired) https://bit.ly/3c5rmhJ In the second segment [15:46-22:06], the hosts interview Sidewalk’s Head of Engineering, Craig Nevill-Manning, about the resilience of the internet. (Will Douglas Heaven, MIT Tech) https://bit.ly/2y46h8I And in the final segment [22:12-24:49], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Animals take back the world (Laura Millan Lombrana and Eric Roston, Bloomberg) https://bloom.bg/2V0IO17 Dog delivers wine (Antonia Noori Farzan, WaPo) https://wapo.st/2JZ0YtC
In the first segment [1:40-15:00], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Rent-strikes would offer relief now, but at what cost down the line? (Kriston Capps, CityLab) https://bit.ly/2ywBRfu A short history of the Census — and why this could be the U.S.’s last (Andrew Whitby, Wired) https://bit.ly/2yomeqf Covid has demonstrated just how unevenly public space is distributed (Alissa Walker, Curbed) https://bit.ly/3bNVldJ / In ode of “sociable distancing” (Michael Mehaffy, CNU) https://bit.ly/2wfpKmi In the second segment [15:25-22:25], the hosts interview reporter Gregory Scruggs about the city of Seattle, which has started using the revenues generated from its controversial soda tax to fund emergency grocery vouchers for families during the Covid-19 outbreak. (Next City) https://bit.ly/2JDcnPS And in the final segment [23:00-25:05], the hosts share what made them smile this week. A history of the Drive-Thru (Adam Chandler, Serious Eats) https://bit.ly/3aGP2J0 Lori Lightfoot memes (Susan Moskop, Chicago Tribune) https://bit.ly/2Xdb3LH
In the first segment [1:20-15:15], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Density is under attack these days. Should it be? (Emily Badger, Upshot) https://nyti.ms/3bvGKDH / (Bill Lindeke, Streets.Mn) https://bit.ly/3araTnq Is now the time to take cars off streets? (Andrew J. Hawkins, Verge) https://bit.ly/39qnFkO / (Kea Wilson, Streetsblog) https://bit.ly/2JkNDf6 Where are the delivery robots? (Carolyn Beans, Slate) https://bit.ly/2UJCjhK In the second segment [15:45 - 22:30], the hosts interview John Brownstein, the Chief Innovation Officer at Boston Children’s hospital and a professor of epidemiology at Harvard Medical School, who talks about crowdsourcing covid symptoms. [16:30 - 22:10] https://cnb.cx/3bobIh8 And in the final segment [22:50-25:00], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Sports commentator turns to everyday life (Poke) https://bit.ly/3amAk9W Wholesome cowboy tweets (Bored Panda) https://bit.ly/2UEIcwF
In the first segment [1:10-16:00], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Could location data slow Covid-19? (WaPo) https://wapo.st/2U3ZrZo and (Sara Morrison, Recode) https://bit.ly/2xfowYs The toll of quarantine on mental health (Eric Jaffe, Sidewalk Talk) https://bit.ly/2QxhaGo / Toll on older Americans (Lindsay Ullman, Medium) https://bit.ly/2Wt2dZL / Neighbors Mobilize Over Facebook (Arielle Pardes, Wired) https://bit.ly/3bkdKyR Designing cities in a new age of pandemics (Diana Budds, Curbed) https://bit.ly/395lu67 / Pandemics as an urban planning problem (Ian Klaus, CityLab) https://bit.ly/3dfTdgt In the second segment [15:00-22:00], the hosts interview reporter Jennifer O’Mahony, who gives us a sense of life on lockdown in Madrid, Spain. [16:30 - 22:10] https://nyti.ms/2wsinrJ And in the final segment [22:20-24:40], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Drive-in theaters make a comeback (Daniel Miller, LA Times) https://lat.ms/2Ua80lv Care-mongering in Canada (Tom Gerken, BBC) https://bbc.in/33zE1q0
In the first segment [1:00-15:00], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's top stories: Lessons for cities from 1918 (Eric Jaffe, Sidewalk Talk) http://bit.ly/2wSSLE2 and Singapore (Adam Rogers, Wired) http://bit.ly/2IX1qsd Eviction embargos in CA (Sarah Holder, CityLab) http://bit.ly/3cVHbc1 U.S. transit lags behind (Aaron Gordon, Vice) http://bit.ly/2wRgfcQ In the second segment [15:00-22:00], the hosts interview Journalist Philip Preville about a technology whose time may finally have come: vacuum waste. (Sidewalk Talk) http://bit.ly/2vT0tOo And in the final segment [22:00-24:00], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Cat tracking https://on.natgeo.com/2vSpauB Puppies in a bucket http://bit.ly/39SrPTG
In the first segment [1:05-15:05], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's three must-reads: Compost http://bit.ly/2xiwgc3 (Rivka Galchen, New Yorker) Tulsa http://bit.ly/2wEpIE4 (Sarah Holder, CityLab) Quarantine http://bit.ly/2VPTUXv (Ian Bogost, Atlantic) In the second segment [15:10-20:15], the hosts play a game called “Taking the Local,” focusing on the story of Reno’s Tesla-led tech transformation, and its impact on housing affordability: http://bit.ly/2vzkPfH (Patrick Sisson, Curbed) And in the final segment [20:20-22:40], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Eric’s Pick: Secrets of slow walking http://bit.ly/2TtBk5R (Lisa Wood Shapiro, Wired) Vanessa’s Pick: The rogue plaque maker http://bit.ly/3cCgaKm (Aaron Gordon, Vice)
The Sidewalk Weekly is a show for people who are big on cities but short on time. In the first segment [1:20-15:20], hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss this week's three top stories: Los Angeles and new mobility companies fight over trip data (Laura Bliss, CityLab) The challenges of mapping gentrification — and why it matters (Eric Jaffe, Sidewalk Talk) The Sustainability Potential and Pitfalls of Prefabrication (Shaun Kuo, Urbanist) In the second segment [15:40-22:40], the hosts interview reporter Alan Greenblatt, who just wrote about the only city in the U.S. to have established a Privacy Commission. (Governing) And in the final segment, Last Smile [22:40-25:00], the hosts share what made them smile this week. Eric’s Pick: Barcelona pilots real-time occupancy screens in its subway cars (Intelligent Transport) Vanessa’s Pick: The MTA vs. John Tauranac (New Yorker)
Welcome to the Sidewalk Weekly, a show from Sidewalk Labs for people who are big on cities but short on time. Each Friday your hosts — Vanessa Quirk and Eric Jaffe — will discuss the biggest stories from the urban tech world that week. We’ll do interviews, we’ll play games, we’ll make some bad jokes, and set you off into your weekend smiling. If this sounds like the show for you, then subscribe today! You can expect shows dropping in your feed on a Friday coming soon.
In the last century, we started to design our buildings in a way that was divorced from the environment. We made sealed, hermetic structures that never moved and never changed. But now, technologies and materials are allowing our buildings to move, evolve, and even respond — not only to their environments, but to us, too. In this episode, hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk discuss the past, present, and future of responsive architecture with Sidewalk Labs' director of public realm Jesse Shapins, engineer and microclimate expert Goncalo Pedro, "Bubbletecture" author Sharon Francis, and renowned architect Liz Diller of Diller Scofidio + Renfro. For a link-rich transcript of this episode, click here. City of the Future is produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Mix is by Zach Mcnees. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. If you want to hear more of Adaam’s work, you can check out his band, Lost Amsterdam.
For a sustainable future, we need to turn away from fossil fuels and turn towards electricity. But to electrify everything — our cars, our buildings, our entire neighborhoods — we'll need to make some big changes first. In this episode, hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk explore the future of electrification with Gretchen Bakke, author of The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future, and Sidewalk Labs' director of sustainability Charlotte Matthews. For a link-rich transcript of this episode, click here. City of the Future is produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Mix is by Zach Mcnees. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. If you want to hear more of Adaam’s work, you can check out his band, Lost Amsterdam.
Getting around cities today can be challenging. Streets are congested and chaotic, and new modes seem to be popping up daily, adding to the confusion. Cities won't just need physical infrastructure to prepare for these growing mobility options, but the digital infrastructure to help coordinate them all. In this episode, hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk explore the future of mobility: author Horace Dediu talks about micro-mobility; TriMet's Bibiana McHugh tells the story behind GTFS and the OpenTrip Planner; MaaS Global CEO Sampo Hietanen explains the concept of Mobility as a Service (MaaS); and Sidewalk Labs' Corinna Li explains what Mobility on Demand could be like in the city of the future. For a link-rich transcript of this episode, click here. City of the Future is produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Mix is by Zach Mcnees. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. If you want to hear more of Adaam’s work, you can check out his band, Lost Amsterdam.
We're in a housing crisis. Could affordability by design be part of the solution? In this episode hosts Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk look at trends in housing — from unit design to co-living — and ask how the private sector can do more to support the public sector in creating more choice and affordability in cities. Special thanks to Ori CEO Hasier Larrea, nArchitects' Eric Bunge, Starcity CEO Jon Dishotsky, Sidewalk Labs' Associate Director of Development Annie Koo, Don Row, and Johanna Greenbaum. For a transcript of this episode — including links to the research and clips we feature — click here. City of the Future is produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Mix is by Zach Mcnees. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. If you want to hear more of Adaam’s work, you can check out his band, Lost Amsterdam.
For our first live show, co-host Vanessa Quirk moderates a discussion with some of the familiar voices from season 1: Director of Buildings Innovation Karim Khalifa; Director of Mobility for Streets Willa Ng; and Associate Director of Sustainability Emily Kildow. We talk about everything from fire testing timber to congestion pricing to pneumatic tubes. Thanks to City Farm Presents for having City of the Future at the Brooklyn Podcast festival.
Simple as it may seem, recycling properly is really hard — and our misguided attempts are actually harming the planet more than helping. But what if we could know, instantly, if we're recycling correctly? What if we were "nudged" to recycle better? Or reuse more? In this episode, we explore how behavioral science — and computer vision — could help us help our planet. City of the Future is produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Our hosts are Vanessa Quirk and Eric Jaffe. This episode was mixed by Zach McNees. Music is by Adaam James Levine-Areddy (check out his band at amsterdamlost.com). Art is by Tim Kau. Special thanks to all who made this episode possible: Benjamin Miller, Emily Kildow, Sasha Tregebov, and Clare Miflin.
Every day, truck drivers are out battling rush hour traffic, maneuvering through narrow city streets, circling for parking, emitting exhaust — all to get you your package as fast as possible. For the sake of our cities, and our planet, things have to change. The future of delivery will be smaller, less loud, and more sustainable. In fact, in the future, you package might just find its way to you. City of the Future is produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Our hosts are Vanessa Quirk and Eric Jaffe. Mix by Sharif Youssef. Music is by Adaam James Levine-Areddy (check out his band at amsterdamlost.com). Art is by Tim Kau. Special thanks to all who made this episode possible: Chris Lutick, Brian Clark, Anne Goodchild, Sandra Rothbard, and Rohit Aggarwala.
Traffic lights were invented to improve pedestrian safety, but they also created streets that put cars first. But what if traffic lights could respond to the actual conditions at the intersection — perhaps stay red for an elderly walker or turn green for a crowded bus? In this episode, we explore an innovation that could change the hierarchy of the street: adaptive traffic lights. City of the Future is produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Our hosts are Vanessa Quirk and Eric Jaffe. Mix by Sharif Youssef. Music is by Adaam James Levine-Areddy (check out his band at amsterdamlost.com). Art is by Tim Kau. Special thanks to all who made this episode possible: Willa Ng, Ryan Vilim, Richard Saylor, Kara Oehler, Claire Mullen, Taylor Wizener, and Sven Kreiss.
In our second episode, we explore how modular pavement — which would allow us to embed technologies into our streets — could transform our cities. We talk to Tim Allen, co-founder of a start-up working to make pavement warm up and melt snow (Arctic Heat Technologies); Thierry Sedran, the father of "removable urban pavement"; and Chris Sitzenstock and Cara Eckholm of Sidewalk Labs. City of the Future is produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Our hosts are Vanessa Quirk and Eric Jaffe. Mix by Sharif Youssef. Music is by Adaam James Levine-Areddy (check out his band at amsterdamlost.com). For this episode, we also used two songs from the Free Music Archive: "Battle of Pogs" and "Ending" by Komiku. Art is by Tim Kau. Special thanks to all who made this episode possible: Kara Oehler, Claire Mullen, Tim Allen, Thierry Sedran, Chris Sitzenstock, and Cara Eckholm.
In our first episode of City of the Future, our new bi-weekly podcast, we explore how mass timber could transform our cities — by making wooden skyscrapers possible. We talk to the world’s leading expert on tall wooden buildings, Michael Green, and Sidewalk’s Director of Buildings Innovation, Karim Khalifa. This episode was produced by Kara Oehler. Our hosts are Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk. Mix by Sharif Youssef. Our music is by Adaam James Levine-Areddy (check out his band at amsterdamlost.com). Our art is by Tim Kau. Special thanks to all who made this episode possible: Michael Green, Karim Khalifa, Claire Mullen, Eric Baczuk, Benjamen Walker, and Andrew Callaway.
In the first podcast of 2017 Chris and Esther take a whistlestop tour through all the media news of the past week, we speak to podcasting guru Vanessa Quirk to find out what it'll take for the medium to become (more) mainstream, and we get a special guest appearance from Alexa herself.
On this week's It's All Journalism podcast, Producers Michael O'Connell and Amber Healy talk to Vanessa Quirk, author of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism's Guide to Podcasting. She discusses the challenges journalists face in creating sustainable podcasts and shares some of the technical barriers that have slowed the wider adoption of the medium as a storytelling device. The guide is also available for digital download.
Listen in as ArtsCultureBeat talks with spitfire actor, writer, and producer Reverend Billy Talen of Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir and Choir member and activist Dragonfly (aka Miss Justice Jester). For nearly two decades, performance artist Reverend Billy has staged protests in the style of Evangelical sermons passionately agitating against wide-ranging sins such environmental exploitation, commercialism, and police brutality. He's been an NYC mayoral candidate, the subject of the documentary "What Would Jesus Buy?," and he's been arrested more than 70 times, most recently at a Black Lives Matter protest at Grand Central Terminal. He's joined by Dragonfly , longtime Choir member and activist, a leader in the Ferguson protests. Her hug of a Ferguson riot cop in front of the police station, which was a mutual hug, was seen by many millions, picked up by AP, "New Yorker." Now, just before the launch of Reverend Billy's “Faster, Monsanto! Die! Die!” world tour, Reverned Billy and Dragonfly talk to ArtsCultureBeat’s Vanessa Quirk and Yashica Dutt about activism, acting, and the blurry line between playing and becoming a character.
Listen in as ArtsCultureBeat talks with spitfire actor, writer, and producer Reverend Billy Talen of Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir and Choir member and activist Dragonfly (aka Miss Justice Jester). For nearly two decades, performance artist Reverend Billy has staged protests in the style of Evangelical sermons passionately agitating against wide-ranging sins such environmental exploitation, commercialism, and police brutality. He's been an NYC mayoral candidate, the subject of the documentary "What Would Jesus Buy?," and he's been arrested more than 70 times, most recently at a Black Lives Matter protest at Grand Central Terminal. He's joined by Dragonfly , longtime Choir member and activist, a leader in the Ferguson protests. Her hug of a Ferguson riot cop in front of the police station, which was a mutual hug, was seen by many millions, picked up by AP, "New Yorker." Now, just before the launch of Reverend Billy's “Faster, Monsanto! Die! Die!” world tour, Reverned Billy and Dragonfly talk to ArtsCultureBeat’s Vanessa Quirk and Yashica Dutt about activism, acting, and the blurry line between playing and becoming a character.
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