Future City on WYPR

With so many people priced out of higher education – what’s the future of colleges – and where do community colleges fit into this changing landscape? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the holidays – and maybe you still have some last-minute shopping to do. But how are you doing that shopping? Is it the same way you were doing your holiday shopping five years ago – fifteen years ago? Are you driving to a mall – are you hitting up your local shops – or are you ordering packages on Amazon? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Music has long been used as protest. Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, John Lennon, and CCR, and so many others, used their music as a way to protest the Vietnam War. They wrote songs that addressed systemic injustices and sought to unite people through the power of their music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police departments in our country are struggling. In 2015, Gallup reported that public confidence in police was at a historic 22-year low. This was the same year Baltimore was rocked by Freddie Grey’s case and subsequent city-wide riots. While support has grown since then, the disconnect between the public and the police is palpable. What are the messages out there for future cops? Is this a profe...

On today’s show, we’re tackling the topic of women’s financial equity. In the past fifty years, women have been entering the workforce in droves, and are increasingly financially independent from their spouses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions about the status of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers has reached a crisis point – with children being separated from their parents at the border under a zero-tolerance federal policy – many are asking what is the future of immigration? On today’s show we’ll be breaking down complex legal terms… We’ll be exploring our country’s historical immigration policies… and what’s at stake...

Art puts the Charm in Charm City. But with federal budget cuts that threaten the Arts, what does the future look like for arts education and cultural initiatives? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the future of higher education? Some say it’s vocational and trade schools – programs that offer more technical training in specialized fields – many which traditionally haven’t required a bachelor’s degree. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With robots taking so many jobs, what will the future of work look like here in the United States? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All trends point to the number of independent voters only increasing as the divide between the two major parties grows wider and wider… So what will our future cities look like in terms of party politics? Is this the end of the party system altogether or is the time ripe for a new party to gain national traction? On this episode, Wes explores the history of the two-party system and asks if it's po...

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 fou...

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.

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 Maryland...

Less is More: Tiny Homes and Affordable Housing See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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...

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.

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...

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...

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 Baltimo...

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.

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.

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.

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...

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/list...

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. Denve...