In 2015, there were over seven-hundred Confederate monuments displayed in cities, parks, and towns throughout the United States. Since that time more than 25 American cities have removed one or more Confederate monuments from public view, sparking a heated national debate - Is this revisionist history or an attempt at rectifying a historical wrong? The country is extremely divided. Baltimore's four explicitly Confederate statues were removed during the night in August of 2017. See omnystudio.com...
Feb 21, 2018•50 min
In this encore edition of Future City, Wes explores how Baltimore is working to keep pace with the burgeoning Maker Movement, a lifestyle and philosophy based on the idea that a do-it-yourself attitude changes lives for the better. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 18, 2018•50 min
2017 is looking to be a record setting year when it comes to natural disasters in the United States. Climate change and a growing population have all contributed to a rise in natural disasters around the world… So what’s being done about it? This month, Wes looks at where governments have fallen short when it comes to preventing natural disasters, as well as addressing concerns we have as Marylanders living in a coastal state. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Dec 20, 2017•50 min
Less is More: Tiny Homes and Affordable Housing See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 15, 2017•50 min
This month on the show – Did you know, on average, households of color are 2.2 times as likely to be asset poor compared to their white counterparts? This means that when there’s a bump in the road – a health emergency, a car accident, an unplanned pregnancy – these families become highly vulnerable. Baltimore is a minority-majority city, but the city’s communities of color still lag behind their white counterparts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Oct 18, 2017•50 min
What do you think of when you think of a Smart City? Wi-fi hubs, self-driving vehicles, maybe… but what about data analysis and research institutions? In this hour, Wes explores the idea of Smart Cities – connectivity hubs that use big data to change the way we interact in urban environments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 20, 2017•50 min
In this hour, Wes explores education technology and online learning – discussing everything from coding as a foreign language to the potential dangers of the privatization. We’ll also learn how online learning has the potential to make education more equitable and accessible. Wes speak with some of the most influential people in the field of education technology and asks tough questions about the future of learning here in Baltimore and beyond. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...
Aug 15, 2017•50 min
In this hour, Wes turns a critical eye toward public transit. He speaks with transportation expert and Harvard Business School Professor, Rosabeth Kanter. He then talks with Alex Fischer of the Columbus Partnership about how the private sector can be vital to developing Smart transit systems. Turning back to to Baltimore, he speaks with Jimmy Rouse of the Baltimore Transit Campaign and with Samuel Jordan of the Baltimore Transit Equity Coalition. Finally, he'll talk with Liz Cornish of Bikemore ...
Jul 23, 2017•50 min
Wes looks to Boston, where a clean harbor and a growing urban agriculture initiative are turning the city into a prime example of what a Green City can look like. The first half of the show focuses on urban agriculture; Wes talks with Green City Growers, the company responsible for implementing a vegetable garden on top of Fenway Park. Back in Baltimore, Wes talks with the Farm Alliance of Baltimore and The Baltimore Orchard Project. Wes addresses some of the dark sides of urban agriculture, spe...
Jul 23, 2017•50 min
In this episode, Wes explores how Baltimore is working to keep pace with the burgeoning Maker Movement, a lifestyle and philosophy based on the idea that a do-it-yourself attitude changes lives for the better. Is the movement really all its proponents say it's cracked up to be? Or is it leaving women and the disadvantaged on the sidelines? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 23, 2017•50 min
Wes explores nationwide struggles over sanctuary city status and the relationship between local police agencies and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. What can Baltimore learn from San Francisco, a city that is suing the Trump administration over the issue? Guests on this episode include: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 23, 2017•50 min
In this episode, Wes looks into the issue of pretrial justice in Baltimore and the problem of money bail. Wes looks to the examples of bail-reform models in Washington, DC, and Louisville, Kentucky, two cities that have radically changed how they deal with people awaiting trial. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 23, 2017•50 min
In this episode, Wes explores initiatives that are helping to improve how police respond to people in mental distress. Across the country, a growing number of cities are investing in ----Crisis Intervention Team---- training for law enforcement officers and other first responders. This month, Wes looks to San Antonio, Texas, which grew that idea into an innovative collaboration that's made a huge difference over the past decade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jul 23, 2017•50 min
Despite a White House initiative, and major reductions in cities across the nation, veteran homelessness is still a problem in Baltimore. Wes looks at what we might learn from Riverside, California, a city that effectively eliminated veteran homelessness two years ago ? and is well on its way to reaching ----net zero---- homelessness overall. Guests on this episode include: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 23, 2017•50 min
America's relationship with pot today is a lot like it was with alcohol at the end of Prohibition: Awkward, and enshrined in a patchwork of changing laws that contradict each other. At the federal level, pot is illegal and a major focus of the War on Drugs. At the same time, states and cities across the U.S. are making it legal for medical use, and increasingly, for recreational use as well. Denver did that two years ago, and much has changed in that city as a result. Wes looks at what Baltimore...
Jul 23, 2017•50 min
In the 1990's , Cincinnati's schools were so bad that Ohio's Supreme Court deemed them unconstitutional and demanded a radical overhaul. The city answered the call with a remarkable innovation: They converted the schools into community learning centers, where healthcare, dental care and daycare could all happen in the building, right alongside academics. Wes looks at how community schools changed life in Cincinnati, and how Baltimore has begun to embrace the trend, as well. See omnystudio.com/li...
Jul 23, 2017•50 min
