City Dweller

Nathan Knize is a librarian who lives car-free in Chicago. He is the co-host of Silent Generation , a cultural analysis podcast that surveys the cultural consequences of car-oriented development in the mid-20th century. It explores what was lost between the Silent Generation and Generation Z. The topics that they discuss include aesthetics, fashion, history, and urbanism.

Zach Welden is the founder of Lakeview Urbanists , a group that brings together neighbors in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood to advocate for safer streets, great transit, more housing, and more greenspace.

Christian Lenhart is a civil engineer and one of the people behind The Rio Grande Plan , a citizen-driven vision for removing railroad crossings, revitalizing a neighborhood, and reusing the historic Rio Grande Depot. He previously worked for the Utah Transit Authority and is a daily commuter on TRAX, Salt Lake City's light rail system.

Dan, who also goes by Arnie, ran a coffee truck in Arnos Park , in North London, for eight and a half years. During that time, he built a strong sense of community with people who frequented the park. The truck closed at the end of 2025. Warning: This episode includes a brief description of someone dying by suicide.

Dustin Manker cycles on a daily basis as his primary way of commuting and exploring Chicago. On weekends, he enjoys participating in recreational group rides. Dustin is also part of a bicycle racing team, Indigo Cycling Chicago . He chronicles his experiences of cycling around the city on his YouTube channel, Dustin the Wind .

John Bauters served as a city council member in Emeryville, California, a dense suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area, from 2016 to 2024, including serving as mayor for part of that time. His work to transform Emeryville into a community that prioritized active transportation, housing, and environmental justice earned him the nickname "America's Bike Mayor."

Christophe Najdovski served as a Deputy Mayor of Paris from 2008 to 2026, first under Mayor Bertrand Delanoë and then under Mayor Anne Hidalgo. He played an instrumental role in helping to make Paris a greener and more pedestrian and bicycle-focused city.

Quemuel Arroyo is the Chief Accessibility Officer for New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He was previously the Chief Accessibility Specialist at the New York City Department of Transportation. Quemuel has both a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Design and History of Architecture from New York University.

Andy Gagliardi works on the Transit Performance and Technology team at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. He also has a YouTube channel about public transportation. Andy is interested in facilitating an increase in the amount of high-quality public transportation in the United States, in an effort to move away from automobile dependency.

Alex Montero is a Local Conversation lead at Strong Towns Chicago , a local chapter of Strong Towns , an organization that seeks to replace America’s postwar pattern of development, the Suburban Experiment, with a pattern of development that is financially strong and resilient. He is an urbanist nerd who loves walkable neighborhoods and public transit.

Courtney Cobbs is the Community Engagement Advisor and one of the founders of Better Streets Chicago , a grassroots transportation advocacy organization that believes better infrastructure and service is critical for Chicago to be a safer, more equitable, and more livable city. Courtney moved to Chicago for the opportunity to live car-free.

Eli Lipman is the Executive Director of Move LA , a Los Angeles-based organization that has built its success and reputation by addressing LA County’s need for a modern and efficient transit system. Their vision is to provide abundant, reliable and affordable multi-modal transportation options.

Ellen Harvey is a British-born, Brooklyn-based conceptual artist whose work ranges from guerilla street interventions to immersive institutional installations and large-scale public artworks. One of her exhibitions, The Disappointed Tourist , includes over 300 paintings of places nominated by members of the public in response to the question: “Is there some place that you would like to visit or re...

Damian Kevitt is the Executive Director of Streets Are For Everyone , a Los Angeles-based organization that advocates for safer streets in Southern California. He worked as a professional counselor for 25 years, prior to almost losing his life as a result of traffic violence in 2013.

Micheál Podgers is an urban planner with expertise in urban transportation planning, housing, and land-use. He is the Midwest Policy Lead for Climate Cabinet , a national organization that uses data science to support local leaders running in under-the-radar races with outsized climate impact.

Robin Pam co-founded KidSafe SF in 2021. The organization was founded on the belief that when we design our streets to be safe for kids, they’re safe for everyone. In 2025, KidSafe SF merged with Streets for All , a Los Angeles-based organization that advocates for people-first streets and walkable communities through better street design, protected bike lanes, and citywide standards.

Cathy Dos Santos is the Executive Director of Transit Alliance Miami , a non-profit organization advocating for walkable streets, bikeable neighborhoods, and better public transit in Miami-Dade County. She lives car-free and is a regular Miami-Dade Transit rider.

Denis Agar is an urban planner and the Executive Director of Movement , a group of transit riders, professionals, and enthusiasts fighting to make transit better in Metro Vancouver. Prior to leaving in 2023 to found Movement, he worked for a decade for TransLink, Vancouver's regional transit agency.

Baker Rogers is a Sociologist and the owner of Queer Haven Books , South Carolina's only independent, queer bookstore. The mission of Queer Haven Books is to provide a place of safety and refuge for the queer community in the Southern United States.

Michael Schneider is the founder of Streets for All , a Los Angeles-based organization that advocates for complete streets that can be used comfortably and efficiently by everyone, regardless of their age, income, race, gender, geography, or abilities. He has lived car-free for the past decade.

Guillaume Le Roux operates Le Vrai Paris , the Real Paris. He gives guided tours that are focused on helping people to discover Paris through the eyes of a local while challenging their expectations about the city. Guillaume is also a food blogger .

Jonathan Wober runs London on the Ground , and he gives guided tours of Islington and the City of London. Jonathan is a qualified City of London Guide Lecturer, Clerkenwell and Islington Guide, and Green Badge Tourist Guide of the Institute of Tourist Guiding.

Molly Cook is a registered nurse and a grassroots organizer. As a grassroots organizer, she has advocated for the health and safety of her neighbors, including a focus on supporting walking, biking, and public transportation. Molly was elected to the Texas Senate in 2024.

Brian Peterman and his wife took advantage of a pilot program in Chicago that allows for the creation of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in designated zones within the city. After nearly two years of planning, working through regulatory hurdles, and construction, they completed a coach house in their backyard. In 2023, Brian's mother-in-law moved into the coach house, allowing her to spend tim...

Popularly known as Gridlock Sam, thanks to his coining of the term, Sam founded Sam Schwartz Consulting in 1995. Previously, he was New York City's Traffic Commissioner and Chief Engineer of the Department of Transportation. Sam started his transportation career in the late 1960’s as a New York cabbie and joined the Traffic Department as a junior engineer in 1971.