Urban Roots

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.  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 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 FletcherThanks 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.orgCreditsUrban 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 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 Callaway. 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 Callaway. Theme music by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and additional music from Artlist. 

In the 1950s and 1960s, Ms. Jean Spears was a young mother and burgeoning preservationist. She saved antiques from houses about to be demolished; she bought a home in a white slum and renovated it; later on, she did the same with a historic home in the black neighborhood near Indiana Avenue. In the eighties, she and some neighbors started digging into this black neighborhood’s history, uncovering the names of Black doctors, civic leaders, and other professionals who had lived there, many of whom had worked for Madam C.J. Walker. She helped rename the neighborhood to Ransom Place, in honor of Freeman Ransom, Madam Walker's prodigious lawyer. And in 1991, they succeeded in getting the Ransom Place Historic District included in the National Register of Historic Places. Thanks in no small part to the connection to Madam C.J. Walker, Jean Spears was able to save this pocket of Black history, in an area that — as we explained last episode — the city of Indianapolis had almost erased from memory. But black Indy history is about more than Madam Walker, and other stories and places in the city need protection, too. In this episode, we’ll introduce you to three Black women who are carrying on what Ms. Jean Spears started — safeguarding these little-known stories of the past and guiding Indianapolis toward a brighter future. Our Guests: We talk with Claudia Polley of the Urban Legacy Lands Initiative; Kaila Austin, an artist and historian (who also shared her oral history with Flinora Frazier with us); Judith Thomas, the Deputy Mayor of Neighborhood Engagement for the City of Indianapolis; and Paula Brooks, the Environmental Justice Program Manager at the Hoosier Environment Council. Our Sponsors: This episode, the first of a two-part series on Black Indy, was made possible by a grant from Indiana Humanities. We need help for future projects so please consider donating to Urbanist Media on PayPal, Venmo, or Patreon! Credits: Hosts and Executive Producers: Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Maria Quirk / Editor and Executive Producer:  Connor Lynch / Mixer: Andrew Callaway. Music/Composer: Adaam James Levin-Areddy. About Us: Urban Roots unearths little-known stories from urban history, especially histories of women and people of color that are in danger of being forgotten. Our mission is to elevate underrepresented voices and help preserve the places significant to them. Find Us Online: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

Madam C.J. Walker was a brilliant entrepreneur who built a haircare empire and became the first African American woman millionaire. You might have heard about her, but not many people know that her headquarters used to be located in Indianapolis, along a once vibrant Black corridor called Indiana Avenue, a place that today is known for parking lots, high-speed traffic, and uninspiring university buildings. Why do so few people know this story? Because, over decades, government planners and private developers slowly and systematically erased Indiana Avenue's history. Luckily, however, some Black Hoosiers are working to uncover — and reclaim — what almost disappeared without a trace. In this episode we tell their — and the Avenue’s — story. Our Guests: We talk with some incredibly distinguished Black Indianapolis experts: journalist and Madam C.J. Walker biographer (and descendent) A’Lelia Bundles; Susan Hall Dotson of the Indiana Historical Society; Claudia Polley of the Urban Legacy Lands Initiative; Wildstyle Paschall, an artist and community advocate; Devon Ginn of the Walker Legacy Center; and centenarian/Indiana Avenue author, Mr. Thomas Hart Ridley. We also reference the research of Dr. Olon Dotson of Ball State University. You can find the aerial photographs we mention in the episode here: https://maps.indy.gov/MapIndy/ Our Sponsors: This episode, the first of a two-part series on Black Indianapolis, was made possible by a grant from Indiana Humanities. To help us fund future projects please donate to Urbanist Media on PayPal, Venmo, or Patreon! Credits: Hosts and Executive Producers: Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Maria Quirk / Editor and Executive Producer:  Connor Lynch / Mixer: Andrew Callaway. Music/Composer: Adaam James Levin-Areddy. About Us: Urban Roots dives deep into little known stories from urban history, unearthing histories of women and people of color that are in danger of being forgotten. Find us at Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

In our previous episode, we told you the first half of Biddy Mason’s remarkable story: how she was born into slavery in Mississippi, earned her freedom in one of the largest freedom suits in American history, and went on to become one of Los Angeles’ most well-respected healers. Today, in the second of our two-part series, we're telling the final half of Biddy’s story: how she went from owning nothing at all to becoming one of the wealthiest women and philanthropists in the American West by the time she died in 1891. You’d think this remarkable woman would be taught in every California classroom; her memory etched throughout the built landscapes of Southern California. But no. Apart from one (absurdly difficult to locate) memorial pocket park downtown, Biddy’s memory has almost been erased. The courthouse where her freedom trial was held is gone. Her first home, too. Her former real estate properties, if still standing, have no markers. Even the UCSF mural, one of only two historical depictions of Biddy, was very nearly demolished in 2020. But a group of organizers and historians fought back to keep the mural — and Biddy’s story — safe from destruction. Now, the Biddy Mason Collaborative is uncovering more and more about this woman who built Black L.A. — and working hard to keep her memory alive. Our Guests: This episode we speak with folks from the Biddy Mason Collaborative. We talk with co-directors Sarah “Sally” Barringer Gordon, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Kevin Waite, an American history professor at Durham University (in the UK) and author of West of Slavery, and Jackie Broxton, executive director of the Biddy Mason Charitable Foundation. We also speak to Laura Voisin George, an architectural historian (and PhD candidate at the UCSB) and Sky Lea Ross, a phD candidate at UCLA and a therapist with Peace Over Violence. About Us: Urban Roots is a podcast that dives deep into little known stories from urban history. It is an offshoot of Urbanist Media, a not-for-profit anti-racist community preservation collaborative. Credits: Hosts and Executive Producers: Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Maria Quirk / Editor and Executive Producer:  Connor Lynch / Mixer: Andrew Callaway. Music/Composer: Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Find Us Online: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

In the spring of 2013, Laura Voisin George was in the reading room at the Huntington library when she came across a historical detail that struck her as … unusual. At the time, Laura was a PhD candidate studying one of California's first surgeons. While perusing a series of articles, she discovered the existence of 10 massive murals — built into a lecture hall at U.C. San Francisco's medical school — that told the history of California medicine in a colorful, elaborate, and explicit social realism style. Laura scanned a photo of one of those murals, the one depicting the mid 1800s, and was surprised to see a Black nurse, a woman working side by side with one of the leading doctors of Los Angeles (and a former slave owner to boot). In the 1800s. Laura wanted to know more, so she started digging. Soon, she found this nurse's name: Biddy Mason. Then, she found so much more.  This season, we are dedicating two full episodes to telling the remarkable story of Biddy Mason. In Part 1, we talk about Biddy’s beginnings: how she went from an enslaved woman in Mississippi to one of the most renowned healers in Los Angeles. We also talk to a group of organizers and historians from the Biddy Mason Collaborative (or ‘the Biddy Mason Justice League’ as we like to call them) who are collaborating and uncovering more about this woman than we ever knew before — and working hard to keep her memory alive. If you like this episode, make sure to stay tuned for Part 2, when we tell the second half of Biddy’s life: her journey to becoming one the wealthiest women in the West — and a founder of Black Los Angeles. Our Guests: This episode we speak with folks from the Biddy Mason Collaborative: project co-directors Sarah “Sally” Barringer Gordon, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Kevin Waite, an American history professor at Durham University (and author of West of Slavery); as well as Jackie Broxton, Executive Director of the Biddy Mason Charitable Foundation and Laura Voisin George, an architectural historian (and PhD candidate at UCSB). About Us: Urban Roots is a podcast that takes a deep dive into little known stories from urban history. It is an offshoot of Urbanist Media, a not-for-profit anti-racist community preservation collaborative. Credits: Hosts and Executive Producers: Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Maria Quirk / Editor and Executive Producer:  Connor Lynch / Mixer: Andrew Callaway. Music/Composer: Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Support us: Venmo | PayPal

Founded in 1838, Green-Wood Cemetery is one of the earliest (and most famous) rural cemeteries in America. Its grandiose, park-like setting is scattered with notable burial sites and architectural masterpieces. But, in our interviews with Green-Wood staff members (Neela Wickremesinghe, Jeff Richman, and Darryl Jones), we learn about a lesser-known area: the Freedom Lots, where African Americans were buried. In 2017, these seven lots were in very rough shape — some of the graves were destroyed past recovery. This episode tells the story of the people of color who took action to not only preserve what was left of these physical graves, but to commemorate the memories of the people buried there. Our Guests: Green-Wood’s Director of Restoration and Preservation, Neela Wickremesinghe; staff Historian, Jeff Richman; and Darryl Jones (Neela’s former intern who now works for the cemetery full time)!  About Us: Urban Roots is a podcast that takes a deep dive into little known stories from urban history. The pod is an offshoot of Urbanist Media, a not-for-profit anti-racist community preservation collaborative. Credits: Hosts and Executive Producers: Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Maria Quirk / Editor and Executive Producer:  Connor Lynch / Mixer: Andrew Callaway. Music/Composer: Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Support us by Donating: PayPal | Venmo Find Us: Website | PayPal | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

Welcome back, folks! We hope you’re ready for another season of Urban Roots because Season 2 is coming soon – Juneteenth (June 19th) to be exact. Please join us on an urban journey as we explore hidden African American history in cities across the country. Join us in Brooklyn, New York where we visit Greenwood Cemetery’s Freedom Lots — in  Los Angeles, California where we find all the places Biddy Mason’s memory has been preserved — and in Indianapolis, Indiana, where we uncover the hidden gem of Indiana Avenue and learn why Madam C.J. Walker relocated her headquarters there in 1910 . Our Indianapolis episodes are made possible thanks to funding from Indiana Humanities! Credits Host and Executive Producer: Deqah Hussein-Wetzel. Host and Executive Producer: Vanessa Maria Quirk. Editor: Connor Lynch. About Us Urban Roots is a podcast that takes a deep dive into little known stories from urban history and is brought to you by Urbanist Media, an anti-racist community preservation organization. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook — @urbanrootsculture Follow us on Twitter — @urbanrootspod and @urbanistmedia Subscribe to our Urban Roots Podcast YouTube channel!

In this episode, the final of our Lost Voices of Cincinnati series*, we’re exploring the history of South Cumminsville, a neighborhood that, like many Black neighborhoods in Cincinnati, has been divided and diminished by top-down urban planning decisions and years of disinvestment. But it’s also a place with a long history of Black entrepreneurship, ownership, and activism — going back to the late 1800s, when unsung Cincinnati hero Sarah Fossett helped make South Cumminsville a vibrant community for African Americans. Today, it remains a place where residents support each other and fight every day to improve their community. *If you missed our prelude episode, then take a pause and listen to that show first! Also, check out our previous episodes on the Evanston and Avondale neighborhoods! Our Guests: South Cumminsville community council president, Tim Canady, vice president Derek Fagin, Annie Williams, Alberta Warton, Queens of Queens City’s Sean Andres, Wilbur Canady, and Working in Neighborhoods’ Rigel Behrens. Our Sponsors: The Lost Voices of Cincinnati series was made possible by a Truth & Reconciliation grant from ArtsWave. We need help for future projects so please consider donating to our Fundly fundraising campaign! Credits: Hosts and Executive Producers: Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Maria Quirk / Editor and Executive Producer:  Connor Lynch / Mixer: Andrew Callaway. Music/Composer: Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Support us by Donating: Venmo | PayPal Find Us Online: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

In this episode, the third of our Lost Voices of Cincinnati series*, we’re exploring the history of Avondale, a neighborhood that experienced a different kind of white flight and is still recovering from transformative events that occurred during the mid-century such as race riots and housing discrimination. We will discuss how these trends triggered decades of disinvestment and explain important historical terms like blockbusting and redlining. And we talk to the people who are fighting hard to preserve the neighborhood’s housing stock, promote local businesses — and bring the community back together.*If you missed our prelude episode, then take a pause and listen to that show first! Also, check out our previous episode on the Evanston neighborhood! Our Guests:  Avondale neighborhood community council president, Ms. Sandra Jones-Mitchel, Councilwoman Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, and Invest in Neighborhoods board president, Andria Carter. We also got a deep dive into the history of housing in Avondale by retired University of Cincinnati history professor, Dr. Fritz Casey Leininger. Our Sponsors: The Lost Voices of Cincinnati series was made possible by a Truth & Reconciliation grant from ArtsWave and our Fundly patrons.  Credits: Hosts and Executive Producers: Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Maria Quirk / Editor and Executive Producer:  Connor Lynch / Mixer: Andrew Callaway. Music/Composer: Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Find Us Online: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube Support us by Donating: Venmo | PayPal

We are so excited to kick off our Lost Voices of Cincinnati series which explores the rich African American history of Cincinnati. You can think of this episode as a kind of prelude of sorts. We go back, way back, to Cincinnati’s beginnings, and tell stories you’ve probably never heard — like how a Cincinnati barber helped execute the biggest North American escape of enslaved people, ever; how and why a mob attacked Cincinnati’s African American community (with cannons, no less) in 1841; and how the West End became one of the most happening Black communities of the 1920s. We show how, throughout the city’s history, African American communities have always faced adversity — but have also always banded together to not only persevere, but thrive. Our Lost Voices of Cincinnati series was made possible by a Truth & Reconciliation grant from ArtsWave and our Fundly patrons. We’d also like to thank Invest in Neighborhoods for their support. Urban Roots is a podcast that takes a deep dive into little known stories from Urban history.  Credits: Hosts and Executive Producers: Deqah Hussein-Wetzel and Vanessa Maria Quirk / Editor and Executive Producer:  Connor Lynch / Mixer: Andrew Callaway. Music/Composer: Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Find Us Online: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube Support us by Donating: Venmo | PayPal

The Lost Voices of Cincinnati series will holistically explore the physical and social transformations three neighborhoods have experienced and endured in Cincinnati, Ohio — Avondale, Evanston, and South Cumminsville. There is so much that has been lost—some things were gained—and stuff that remains. Despite the odds, these resilient communities have worked hard to preserve their histories and build strong, vibrant neighborhoods today. This project offers these folks an auditory outlet to express their truth and help them reconcile with the permanent social and physical landscape changes rendered by past and present planning efforts. We hope that, though this project, within these communities of color, those lost voices of Cincinnati will finally be heard.

In this episode of the Urban Roots podcast, host Deqah Hussein-Wetzel sits down with two accomplished Cincinnati-based Black architects—David Kirk, President and CEO of DNK Architects, and Michael Burson, a longtime (now retired) architect who has worked extensively with Cincinnati Public Schools, and now serves as an owners representative for local architectural projects ---including the Robert O’Neal Multicultural Arts Center’s (ROMAC) rehabilitation of the Regal Theatre in Cincinnati’s West End neighborhood. Guests David and Michael expand on how and why they fell in love with the profession and what the road to licensing looked like for both of them. In a field where only 2.8% of licensed architects are African American, Michael and David are the definition of architects who opened doors. Being that Deqah worked closely with David and Michael to preserve the Regal Theatre and help Toilynn O’Neal Turner’s vision of the ROMAC take shape, this episode also celebrates our shared success in securing BOTH Federal & State Historic Tax Credits, which supports monetary funding for the project! If you don’t remember what the Regal Theatre is all about, you can go back to Juneteenth Cincinnati Short to learn more about the building's rich African American history.PS: On Saturday, March 29th, Deqah is moderating a 9 AM panel discussion with panelists Michael, David, and Toilynn at the 2025 Invest in Neighborhoods Summit titled, Rehabbing the Regal: Community-Driven Approaches to Black Cultural Preservation and Neighborhood RedevelopmentAnd a huge thanks to our episode sponsor, Hub+Weber, for helping us continue to promote equity in the built environment. Hub+Weber is a Cincinnati-based architecture firm founded in 1973 that does more than renderings and construction documents — they are creative problem solvers who understand that each project is more than just a building to their clients. Founded in 1973, this architecture firm has has a long legacy in Cincinnati’s built environment. Urbanist Media thanks Hub+Weber for their continued support and for sharing our values in promoting equity within the built environment.Thank you to guests David Kirk and Michael Burson, and sponsors, Hub+Weber, who helped make this episode possible. This podcast is brought to you by Urbanist Media and is hosted by Deqah Hussein-Wetzel. Editing by Deqah, Connor Lynch, and Skyler Ficklin. Mixing by Connor Lynch. Our music is by Adaam James Levin-Areddy. Urban Roots is brought to you by Urbanist Media, a non-profit that preserves place through story. 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

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

HAPPY PRESERVATION MONTH! To celebrate, we wanted to share with you a new podcast that we think you’ll love: Preservation for the People brought to you by The Black Art Conservators (BAC) and produced by Urbanist Media! In their first episode, Kayla Henry-Griffin and Nylah Byrd talk to Dr. Kwesi Daniels (Head of the Architecture Department at Tuskegee University) about conservation and preservation, the difference between the two, and what the future of the field might look like. When BAC reached out to us at Urbanist Media, asking if we could help produce their new podcast concept called Preservation for the People, we said yes, of course, because the project is SO mission-aligned. Huge thanks to our friend Rita Cofield of the Los Angeles African American Historic Places initiative with the Getty for introducing us to BAC! Preservation for the People is a new podcast from BAC, a collective of Black preservation professionals supporting each other, building community, and seeking change in the predominately white field of cultural heritage preservation. In Preservation for the People, hosts Kayla and Nylah, talk to other Black people in the preservation field about successes, struggles, and hopes for the future.

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