City and regional planning is about more than getting people from Point A to Point B. These community plans become the neighborhoods and physical spaces that communities inhabit to live, work, play, learn, and thrive. Hear about the importance of collaboration in city planning from Dr. Charlie Santo (University of Memphis) and Rory Thomas (Memphis Medical District Collaborative). Resources mentioned in this episode include: Memphis Medical District Collaborative Department of City and Regional Planning at University of Memphis Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan Previous episodes that cover topics mentioned in this episode include this and this Neighborhoods represented in the Memphis Medical District Collaborative (MMDC) The Heights CDC Memphis Slim House South Memphis Farmers Market Hard Times Deli Memphis Medical District Park The Tennessee Chapter of the American Planning Association. ULI Memphis Tommy Pacello Award This episode is made possible in partnership with Independent Bank.

It’s often said that the “magic” of Memphis comes from its people. In this conversation, learn how an innovative organization (UMRF Ventures) is implementing a unique business model with unique solutions for building a talent pipeline: helping students build professional skills to kick-start careers by employing them before they graduate. UMRF Ventures CEO, Pierre Landaiche, and student employee, Marcus Jordan, share how this dynamic model is engaging students and companies to build — and keep — experienced professionals in Memphis. Resources mentioned in this episode include: UMRF Ventures St. Jude Children's Research Hospital University of Memphis Renasant Convention Center Memphis Sports Hall of Fame The University of Memphis Research Foundation (UMRF) This episode is made possible in partnership with Independent Bank.

"You can complain about what you don't have or you can build what you want. If we want a prosperous Memphis, we can't expect anyone to give it to us. It is something that we have to work, spend our own blood, sweat, and tears to build. Whether it's a business, your career, or anything -- you can complain about it or you can build it." -- Alan Gumbel, COO of The Black Chamber of Memphis Each Spring, Memphis spotlights some of the most celebrated restaurants in the city during Memphis Black Restaurant Week. This signature, week-long event shines a light on some of the most significant contributors to Memphis culture and to the local economy. This showcase was spearheaded by Cynthia Daniels, a local leader in the entertainment scene. Today, we’re revisiting a conversation about the impact of the work with Cynthia Daniels, and Chief Operating Officer of the Black Chamber of Memphis Alan Gumbel. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Black Chamber of Memphis (formerly known as the Black Business Association) Cynthia Daniels and Co. Delta Regional Authority Memphis Black Restaurant Week (celebrating 10 years in 2025) Cynthia Daniels and Co. signature events Soulful Food Truck Festival Memphis Vegan Festival Epicenter Memphis India Festival Greek Festival Italian Fest The Office of Business Diversity and Compliance  TN Small Business Development Center Black Chamber of Memphis programming Black Business Association Switches to Chamber of Commerce Model via The Memphis Flyer Black Chamber of Memphis Instagram Cynthia Daniels and Co. Instagram Mahogany River Terrace on Mud Island Oteka Technologies The Frosted Oven Alcenia's Brother Juniper's Interstate Barbecue Neely's Interstate Bar-B-Que This episode is made possible in partnership with Independent Bank.

"Year over year, we’ve established a goal where we want to reduce crime by overall by at least 10 percent each year and overall we want to have about a 40 percent reduction from where we were in 2023, and so fare we’re trending in the right direction." — Mayor Paul Young The City of Memphis recently announced specific goals for reducing crime and a plan for increasing safety in the city. In this conversation with Mayor Paul Young shares some of the plan specifics, including... the city’s goals and how they were formed how Memphis is creating data transparency through Community Safety Dashboards how Memphis is collaborating with community partners to both address root causes and respond to trends Resources mentioned in this episode include: The City of Memphis Weekly Crime Trend Report Crime Analytics Dashboard Mayor Paul Young's newsletter Shelby County Government Heal 901 Youth Villages BLOC Squad 901 Joint Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement Memphis Police Department's Code Zero S3E42 S.W.I.T.C.H. Things Up a conversation with Memphis Allies and University of Memphis School of Law This episode is made possible in partnership with Independent Bank.

Memphis may not have any national parks, but our parks are getting national recognition. Whether you visit your neighborhood park or one of the city's signature green spaces, you can celebrate the role that collaboration, innovation, and community-centered planning play in making Memphis a vibrant place to live, work, and play. Two of the newest leaders in this work, Kaci Murley (Overton Park Conservancy) and Marcha Allen (Memphis Parks)share a peak behind the scenes to some of the city's most public spaces. Overton Park Conservancy Old Forest Trails Memphis Parks Previous conversations about parks include S5E4 "Connecting our City through Celebrate What's Right: Public Space for Common Good" and S3E52 "Power of Public Parks" and S5E5 "Preserving and Protecting Land for Generations to Come" City of Memphis Accelerate Memphis Play Your Park (PYP) Spring Break Mane Event Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association Overton Park Shell Metal Museum Tom Lee Park Memphis River Parks Partnership Tennis Memphis Citizens to Protect Overton Park v The State of Tennessee Save the Greensward Bloom 901 Shelby Farms Park Overton Park Conservancy Master Plan Memphis Parks Master Plan Memphis Parks nationally accredited Memphis Zoo Brooks Museum of Art Overton Park research Lester Community Center Get involved with Memphis Parks Get involved with Overton Parks Conservancy This episode is made possible in partnership with Independent Bank.

As Medical District Park unveils its newest asset, Lakeisha Edwards (UrbanArt Comission) and renowned artist Molly Gochman reveal the connection between this high-profile public space in the heart of Memphis and the community it serves. They share what led to the creation of an interactive sculpture that invites the community to rethink its relationship with monuments. See “Monuments to Motherhood” in Medical District Park, located in the heart of the Memphis Medical District. Did you know this project is only one example of the collaborative way UrbanArt Commssion intertwines creativity and community? Listen for ways you can play a role in public art selection — no artistic experience required! Resources mentioned in this episode include: Molly Gochman Monuments to Motherhood podcast UrbanArt Commission Previous conversation with Lakeshia Edwards can be found here The Ukrainian Museum exhibit from Molly Gochman The Red Sand Project by Molly Gochman Monuments to Motherhood opening in Memphis Memphis Medical District Collaborative Health Sciences Park renamed Medical District Park Medical District Park Public art process A Confederate General's Remains Are Being Moved Out Of Memphis (NPR) Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike Art in Memphis International Airport This episode is made possible in partnership with Independent Bank.

TEDx amplifies ideas worth sharing, and TEDxMemphis brings the big ideas coming out of Memphis to life on the stage! Today, we're sharing a few talks from the 2024 TEDxMemphis conference. We want to reiterate that each and every one of YOU has a unique idea that can spur innovation, create a dialogue, change the narrative, and champion causes.... but first.. you have to share that idea. Bill Seely's 2024 TEDxMemphis talk The power of school spirit Jil Jordan Greene's 2024 TEDxMemphis talk The Great Breakup: The real reason women are leaving their jobs McKinsey & Company's Women at Work Study Dwayne Jones' 2024 TEDxMemphis talk The tiny home revolution for affordable living Elliot Noss' 2024 TEDxMemphis talk How the internet can shape a city This episode is made possible in partnership with Independent Bank.

Why should organizations place collaboration above competition? Today we’re having a conversation about what can happen when organizations put the community first. Tonya Bradley-Parker (MIFA) and Megan Williams (Regional One Health) share how they collaborate and innovate to create sustainable solutions for the Mid-South. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Meals on Wheels MIFA MIFA’s Plus One program MLGW Regional One Health Complex Care Program at Regional One Health Elvis Presley Trauma Center at Regional One Health Firefighters Burn Center Sheldon B. Korones Newborn Center High-Risk Obstetrics Program at Regional One Health Aging Commission of the Mid-South Assisi Foundation International Council of Nurses with BBC — Caring with Courage 2024 Innovation Award Winner: One Health MIPhone Buddy and Clara's Companion Tablets with MIFA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Regional One Health Foundation Involvement with Regional One Health Foundation Spring for a Meal with MIFA This episode is made possible in partnership with Independent Bank.

How does conservation impact both today and the future? The state of Tennessee has a wealth of natural assets, and in today’s conversation, we’re learning about a recent investment that organizations at the state level made in West Tennessee to designate a new state forest just outside of Memphis. This exciting new project shines a light on the need for breadth and depth of collaboration to power progress at all levels, and we’re excited to share what this new level of investment means for Memphians! Today we’re learning more about Wolf River State Forest, Tennessee’s 16th state forest that will open later this year. Our guests today will share the need for conservation on a local and state level, as well as highlight the natural resources and biodiversity of the great state of Tennessee. Resources mentioned in this episode include: The Conservation Fund Wolf River State Forest Wolf River Conservancy The Wolf River Ghost River NAWCA Grants Wolf River Greenway TN Department of Environment and Conservation Conservation Easement S4E44 with Agricenter International and University of Memphis' ACRE program S3E49 with Ducks Unlimited TN Wildlife Resource Agency Dept of Agriculture Ames AgResearch and Education Center Protect Our Aquifer Memphis Sands Aquifer "Recharge Zone" This episode is made possible in partnership with Independent Bank.

How do parks (and other shared spaces) make a city more connected and magnetic? In today's conversation, we're hear a conversation-from-the-stage about the nuances of SMART cities and how Memphis' enviable ecosystem of public spaces edges out the competition. In this episode, you'll hear from: Jamal Bodie of Bloom Memphis, Nick Walker of Memphis Parks, Chandell Ryan of Downtown Memphis Commission, Billy Orgle of Tower Ventures, moderator, Barbara Hyde of The Hyde Family Foundation. Resources mentioned in this episode include: New Memphis events Hyde Family Foundation Tower Ventures Downtown Memphis Commission Memphis Parks Bloom Memphis Tom Lee Park Memphis Parks CAPRA Accreditation This episode is made possible in partnership with Independent Bank.