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Next City

Next City

By: Straw Hut Media
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 Join Lucas Grindley, executive director at Next City, where we believe journalists have the power to amplify solutions and spread workable ideas. Each week Lucas will sit down with trailblazers to discuss urban issues that get overlooked. At the end of the day, it's all about focusing the world's attention on the good ideas that we hope will grow. Grab a seat from the bus, subway, light-rail, or whatever your transit-love may be and listen on the go as we spread solutions from one city to the Next City .2025 Straw Hut Media Economics Management Management & Leadership Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Not My Narrative – “The Bootstraps Narrative” (Pilot Episode)

    Not My Narrative – “The Bootstraps Narrative” (Pilot Episode)
    Jun 25 2025
    This week, we’re trying something new: instead of our usual Next City episode, we’re sharing the pilot for “Not My Narrative,” an experimental mini-series that not only debunks harmful myths holding back progress but also elevates the counter-narratives driving positive momentum.

    In this debut episode of Not My Narrative, Host Lucas Grindley, Executive Director of Next City, takes listeners on an examination of one of America’s most pernicious myths: the “pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps” mantra that claims anyone who works hard enough can escape poverty. We trace its origins from 19th-century satire to Reagan, Gingrich, and Clinton, and we’ll hear from practitioners who say the “bootstrap” story is quietly determining who merits public assistance, who deserves our sympathy, and who must simply fend for themselves.

    To unravel its origins and expose its consequences, Luis Ortega, founder of Storytellers for Change, draws on his background in education and community organizing to explain how the bootstraps narrative is woven into our schools, our public discourse, and even our own self-perception. He challenges us to see that when achievement is framed solely as personal grit, it erases entire ecosystems of support—families, neighbors, networks—that actually make success possible.

    Plus, we revisit two Next City interviews that show what “it takes a village” truly means, as communities care for one another. In Jackson, Mississippi, Aisha Nyandoro, co-founder of Magnolia Mother’s Trust, shares how her guaranteed-income pilot for Black mothers demonstrates that material support and dignity go hand in hand. And we revisit a conversation out of Portland, Oregon, where Lisa Larson, vice-chair of Dignity Village, recounts her journey from sleeping on the streets to helping govern a community for the unhoused.

    If you believe in the power of narrative change—and want more episodes that debunk harmful myths while elevating real-world solutions—please email us at info@nextcity.org and let’s think about ways to keep this work going.
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    39 mins
  • Happy Juneteenth!

    Happy Juneteenth!
    Jun 18 2025
    This is Lucas Grindley from Next City, a show about changemakers and their stories. We’re off this week in observance of Juneteenth, but we’ll be back next Wednesday with more inspiring and workable ideas that move our society toward justice and equity.

    If you can’t wait for the next story, head to NextCity.org for the latest coverage.

    As always, we’d love to hear any feedback from our listeners. Please feel free to email us at info@nextcity.org. And if you haven’t already, subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, Goodpods or anywhere you listen to your podcasts. We’ll see you next week.
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    1 min
  • Unlocking Housing Access: Why Tenant Screening Protections Matter

    Unlocking Housing Access: Why Tenant Screening Protections Matter
    Jun 11 2025
    In the U.S., approximately 3.6 million households are threatened by eviction each year, and for many, the consequences last long after the eviction itself. Even if individuals avoid losing their homes, eviction records can prevent them from securing future housing. This happens because landlords use tools that screen the rental, credit, employment, income and criminal histories of tenants—often without context or accuracy.

    In this sponsored episode produced in partnership with Results for America, we discuss a proven solution: tenant screening protections. We explore how these safeguards can protect renters by ensuring fair access to housing, and we learn how communities can implement these protections to help more people secure stable homes.

    Guests on this episode include Brittany Giroux Lane, Director of the Solutions Accelerator at Results for America, Marie Claire Tran-Leung, Evictions Initiative Project Director at the National Housing Law Project, and Rasheedah Phillips, Director of Housing at PolicyLink. They dive into the importance of tenant screening protections and how these initiatives can help create more equitable access to housing.
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    39 mins
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