Happy Nonbinary People’s Day folx (7.19.21)! This week, Josh dives into conversation with Thu Nguyen about nonbinary identity, running for local office, and the power of community.

What do pancakes have in common with pushing for food equity? Doughboyz and Justin Amevor, that’s what! This week, Josh talks with Justin about an idea inspired by a dorm room joke that set him on a path to support folx in Worcester achieve food security.

Happy Pride! This month, we’re centering queer voices in our community and the challenges, joys, opportunities, and hopes we face in our cities and our world. This week, Josh dives into Worcester LGBTQ+ history with Bill Wallace, the Executive Director of the Worcester Historical Museum. From gay bars to Worcester’s first Pride Parade, Josh & Bill explore the importance of sharing stories from our past to inform our future.

Josh talks with Deb Hall, recently appointed Executive Director of the YWCA of Central Mass, about pride, race, being queer, and intersectionality. We explore the concept of urgency, what is needed in this moment, and how we might look to the future.

Happy Pride! This month, we’re centering queer voices in our community and the challenges, joys, opportunities, and hopes we face in our cities and our world. This week, Al Green, the Ministry Director for the LGBT Asylum Task Force, talks with Josh about the hurdles in seeking asylum, accessing community-based and social services, and the intersectional challenges that being queer add to finding resources and support in Worcester and the United States.

This week on Public Hearing, Josh dives into topics surrounding youth justice, comprehensive sex ed, and achieving equitable outcomes for youth with Dr. Laurie Ross from Clark University.

How might we design sustainable innovation ecosystems centered around inclusion & equity? This week’s episode of Public Hearing dives into the complexity of economics and empathy. Josh and our guest, Randal Meraki, talk about innovation and possible pathways for realizing a more equitable and inclusive future. Randal is the CEO and Co-Owner of The WorcShop, a 54,000 square foot makerspace & business incubator focused on manufacturing and industrial arts.

This week’s guest on Public Hearing, Ellie Gilmore, and Josh ask the question, “How might we make zoning sexy and easy to understand?”, and talk about the negative impact that development projects can have on cities when the local community is not involved in important conversations about the decision making process. The local community is a crucial resource that must be utilized in every step of the process to create equitable and valuable change for all residents.

Today, we are talking with Nicole Coleman; an artist, stylist, activist, community organizer and born and raised Worcesterite and asking the question: “Is public art a mechanism for equitable community building or a tool for gentrification?”

Today, we’re talking with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services for the City of Worcester, Dr. Mattie Castiel and asking the question: “ Are people going to keep doing the work that needs to be done after everyone is vaccinated?”

Jane Week in Worcester is right around the corner; an awareness and recognition week for the urban theorist Jane Jacobs and her concepts for building vibrant, livable communities. On this Public Hearing episode, Josh talks with Joyce Mandell, author of Jane Jacobs in the Woo; a blog discussing Worcester development projects and asking “What would Jane say?” We talk about the ballpark, Harding Green, and Hillside Beach and what Jane might think of these projects in the city.

Grace Sliwoski was born and raised in Worcester, went away for college, and is now raising her family back here in the city. Grace is the Director of Programs for the Regional Environment Council (REC) and sits on the board of Central Mass Grown. The REC is a grassroots environmental and food justice organization. Central Mass Grown is a nonprofit comprised of farmers, buy-local advocates, and community leaders dedicated to raising consumer awareness and increasing the profitability of regional farms. Grace and Josh talk about food access and food justice (obviously) and how communities can connect through gardens and urban agriculture.

In this episode, Josh and Oomiya share personal stories of identity and explore ways to support community building, LGBTQ+ youth, and being our authentic selves.

On this episode of the Public Hearing Podcast and Radio Show; our host, Joshua Croke, connects with Echo Louissaint - one of the cofounders of the Worcester Community Fridge Project - and talks about the power of community coming together, food access and the right to be fed, and getting involved in your local politics — yep, that’s right; vote folx!

Public Hearing host, Joshua Croke, talks to co-founder and CEO of Redemption Rock Brewing Co. in Worcester, MA about their commitment to community, establishing a benefit corporation (B Corp) joining the likes of Patagonia and Ben & Jerry's, all the way to discussing fare free public transportation and why residents should refuse bad and inaccessible street infrastructure like Dani's puggle.

Josh chats with Jennessa Burks about her experience as a Worcester Public School Student who, fast forward, became a Worcester Public School teacher and then left the district. We explore identity, shared and differing experiences, and the importance of having educational experiences that are windows and mirrors. The ability to see yourself and reflect on your own identity and experience and the ability to see through into other people’s lives and experiences—histories and stories that are shared by the people who lived them.

In this episode of Public Hearing, Josh talks with Jennifer Gaskin; founder of the Worcester Caribbean American Carnival Association (WCACA) and a moderator for Mutual Aid Worcester on Facebook. Jen also serves on the Worcester Redevelopment Authority. Jen and Josh talk about building community wealth, residents supporting residents, and more.

In our first episode of 2021, Josh speaks with Etel Haxhiaj; a Worcester resident, former refugee and Albanian immigrant, single mother, and candidate for District 5 on the Worcester City Council. Etel and Josh discuss opportunities for putting residents at the center of decision-making and how a public budget is a moral document.