Move the City FWD Podcast

80 Twenty Podcast Network by My City My Health
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Social Sciences
  • Updated Weekly

Move the City FWD Podcast is where community meets action. Hosted by Corey Dion Lewis, the podcast explores the ideas, people, and systems shaping healthier, stronger communities. Each episode features conversations with leaders, entrepreneurs, advocates, public health professionals, elected officials, artists, and everyday changemakers who are building solutions where they live. This isn’t a podcast about problems. It’s about progress. You’ll hear stories about health, economic mobility, housing, education, mental health, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and the connections that make communities thrive. Whether we’re breaking down policy, highlighting grassroots organizations, or sharing lessons from people doing the work, every conversation is rooted in one question: How do we move the city forward? If you believe healthier communities are built together, you’re in the right place.

  1. 2d ago

    Small Movements Win: Ben Spellman on Building Real Community

    What separates real community work from something that only looks good online? Ben Spellman, founder of Good Vibes Movement, joins Corey Dion Lewis for a conversation about service, consistency, trust, forgiveness, and the relationships that hold communities together. Ben explains why community work does not need to be complicated, how small movements can create lasting change, and why the work must continue even when nobody is watching. Ben Spellman believes community work begins with a simple choice: show up for people consistently. In this episode of Move the City FWD, Ben joins Corey Dion Lewis to discuss the experiences that shaped his approach to service and the work of Good Vibes Movement in Des Moines. Their conversation examines the difference between operating a business in a community and actively serving that community. Ben shares why accessibility matters, how donation-based programming brings people from different backgrounds into the same space, and why small, sustainable movements can outlast organizations built around rapid growth. Corey and Ben also discuss social media, the public representation of Black men, rebuilding trust across neighborhoods, and the role forgiveness plays in community collaboration. In this episode: Why community outreach is really about people helping peopleHow consistency creates trustThe difference between community service and community marketingWhy accessible spaces help people cross social and economic boundariesHow small movements create lasting changeWhether you would continue serving without social mediaWhy forgiveness affects a community’s ability to work togetherChanging the stories people see about Black menTurning difficult experiences into something that helps othersEpisode highlights: 00:00 — Meeting Ben Spellman01:29 — How Ben’s upbringing shaped his service05:22 — Why consistency changes communities08:15 — Rebuilding connection after communities become dispersed12:24 — Identifying what you can offer others13:02 — Community versus business16:36 — Why Ben believes in small movements18:48 — Freedom, time, and the lessons Ben learned in prison20:33 — Creating community without financial barriers24:04 — Would you still serve without social media?27:16 — Using positive stories to challenge stereotypes30:19 — Why forgiveness matters34:25 — Protecting your energy and removing distractions37:41 — How difficult experiences shape service42:26 — Closing reflections Learn more about Good Vibes Movement:https://goodvibesmovement.org Learn more about My City My Health:https://mycity.health Move the City FWD is powered by My City My Health.

    Small Movements Win: Ben Spellman on Building Real Community

  2. Sep 8

    Economic Mobility Starts Early: Emily Westergaard on Education, Opportunity & Health

    What if economic mobility starts in kindergarten? Corey sits down with Emily Westergaard, Executive Director of By Degrees Foundation, to explore how early exposure to education, careers, financial literacy, and trusted mentors can shape a child’s future. Emily shares how By Degrees works alongside Des Moines students and their families from kindergarten through graduation, helping young people see possibilities they may not have known existed. The conversation also explores the connection between education, financial stability, mental and physical health, and why creating healthier communities requires more than healthcare alone. Emily will join the Economic Mobility & Access panel at the 5th Annual My City My Health Conference on November 13, 2026. SHOW NOTES In this episode of the Move the City FWD Podcast, Corey talks with Emily Westergaard, Executive Director of By Degrees Foundation, about what it takes to create real pathways toward economic mobility. Emily explains why By Degrees starts working with students and families in kindergarten rather than waiting until high school to begin conversations about college, careers, trades, apprenticeships, and other opportunities. They discuss: Why conversations about careers and education should start in elementary schoolHow early exposure helps young people imagine new possibilities for themselvesWhy families must be included in conversations about a child’s futureHow By Degrees brings college and career experiences directly to studentsThe role of mentors and representation in helping young people see what is possibleHow 529 education savings accounts can help build both financial resources and hopeWhy financial aid, FAFSA, scholarships, and college costs need to be explained much earlierHow By Degrees has helped parents pursue their own education and high school equivalency credentialsWhy meeting people where they are can remove barriers to educationThe connection between education, financial stability, mental health, and physical healthHow healthcare organizations can expose students to careers beyond doctors and nursesEmily’s idea of connecting preventive health behaviors with incentives that contribute to students’ education savingsWhy critical thinking, communication, creativity, and problem solving can keep opportunities open throughout someone’s careerEmily’s personal journey from North High School to Grinnell College and how educators helped change her trajectoryWhy every student deserves someone who can help them navigate their optionsWhat Emily hopes comes from the Economic Mobility & Access panel at this year’s My City My Health ConferenceABOUT EMILY WESTERGAARD Emily Westergaard is the Executive Director of By Degrees Foundation, a Des Moines-based organization working to help more students graduate from high school prepared to pursue education, training, apprenticeships, military service, careers, and other opportunities after graduation. By Degrees works with students, families, schools, businesses, colleges, universities, nonprofits, and community organizations to build long-term systems of support around students. Learn more about By Degrees Foundation:www.bydegreesfoundation.org MY CITY MY HEALTH CONFERENCE Emily will be part of the Economic Mobility & Access panel at the 5th Annual My City My Health Conference. November 13, 2026Des Moines, Iowa Learn more and register:www.mycity.health

  3. Aug 31

    Housing Is Medicine: Dr. Megan Srinivas on Health, Policy & Community Power

    What happens when the problems affecting your patients cannot be solved with a prescription? Corey Dion Lewis sits down with Dr. Megan Srinivas, physician, Chief Medical Officer at Primary Health Care, and Iowa legislator, to talk about the connection between medicine, policy, housing, and community health. Dr. Srinivas shares how her experiences caring for patients pushed her toward policymaking. She explains why housing can shape nearly every part of a person’s health, from safety and medication access to transportation, insurance coverage, and the ability to focus on anything beyond immediate survival.   They also discuss the role of nurses, community health workers, case managers, and social workers in extending care beyond a short clinical visit, the challenges created by Medicaid redetermination, and why you do not have to hold elected office to influence policy.   The conversation closes with a reminder that advocacy can start anywhere, including with young people willing to ask one simple question: “What can I do?” Show Notes In this episode:  02:40 — Dr. Srinivas’ path through internal medicine, infectious disease, global health, and health equity  04:01 — Why she realized there was only so much she could accomplish with a prescription pad  07:25 — What medicine taught her about listening, disagreement, and meeting people where they are  08:59 — Why “housing is medicine”  10:54 — What clinicians can do when a patient is experiencing housing instability  13:46 — How nurse-led visits and team-based care can strengthen patient trust and understanding  16:08 — Medicaid work requirements, redetermination, and the problem of not having a stable address  18:33 — How Primary Health Care is preparing patients who may be at risk of losing coverage  21:23 — Managing the emotional weight of caring for patients while working to change the system  22:24 — Turning patient experiences into advocacy and policy  23:49 — Why health professionals across disciplines have a role in advocacy  26:19 — The influence young people can have on policy and community change  27:57 — Using social media to push accurate information into the public conversation  29:36 — What Dr. Srinivas is looking forward to at the My City My Health Conference  33:50 — Why difficult moments require more than acknowledging the problem. They require people willing to work together to change it. Dr. Srinivas describes health as something shaped by far more than what happens inside a clinic. Housing, transportation, food, insurance, safety, and public policy all influence whether someone has the opportunity to be healthy.  She also makes the case that advocacy does not require a title. Testifying, contacting elected officials, sharing your expertise, and raising an issue that others may not see can all influence what happens at the decision-making table.  Connect with Dr. Megan Srinivas Dr. Srinivas shares that people can connect with her through her legislative email and across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and TikTok.  My City My Health Conference Dr. Srinivas will join the Housing Is Medicine conversation at the 5th annual My City My Health Conference on November 13, 2026. Learn more and register at mycity.health. Move the City FWD is powered by My City My Health.

    Housing Is Medicine: Dr. Megan Srinivas on Health, Policy & Community Power

  4. Aug 17

    Housing Is Health: Rethinking Where Well-Being Begins with Amal Barre

    Special thanks to UnityPoint Health, the presenting sponsor of the 2026 My City My Health Conference, for supporting this work and helping us move the city forward.  Urban planner, housing researcher, and filmmaker Amal Barre joins Corey Dion Lewis for a conversation about why housing should be treated as a core part of health. Amal brings more than a decade of experience in affordable housing, homelessness services, urban planning, and community development to the conversation. She explains why stable, accessible, quality housing cannot be separated from healthcare, economic mobility, education, transportation, neighborhood design, and the other systems that shape our daily lives. Corey and Amal discuss what happens when healthcare and housing operate in silos, why professionals need to build relationships outside their traditional spaces, and how showing up in “unexpected places” can create new opportunities for collaboration and change. They also explore Amal’s path into housing work, what she learned working alongside families navigating homelessness and social service systems, and why planners, healthcare professionals, nonprofits, developers, and community members need to better understand what each other is doing. Amal will join the Housing Is Medicine panel at the 2026 My City My Health Conference in Des Moines on November 13. In this episode: Why housing and health are inseparableHow the built environment shapes health outcomesThe cost of navigating fragmented systemsWhy relationships matter in solving housing challengesWhat healthcare organizations can do beyond making referralsHow planning, housing, healthcare, and community organizations can work togetherWhy breaking down silos can lead to better community solutionsLearn more about My City My Health and register for the 2026 conference at mycity.health.

    Housing Is Health: Rethinking Where Well-Being Begins with Amal Barre

  5. Aug 3

    Housing Is Medicine: What Young People Need After They Get the Keys with Austin Neal

    Getting someone into an apartment is not the end of the work. It is often where the real work begins. Corey talks with Austin Neal about youth homelessness, housing instability, and what it takes to help young people build a life beyond survival mode. Austin shares lessons from nearly a decade of serving people experiencing homelessness through Joppa, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa, and Iowa Homeless Youth Centers. They discuss hidden homelessness, the lack of affordable housing in Des Moines, and why housing must include safety, stability, mental health support, employment, food, and long-term relationships. They also explore a central question: What becomes possible when a young person finally has a safe place to sleep? Austin will continue this conversation as part of the Housing Is Medicine panel at the 2026 My City My Health Conference. Learn more and register at mycity.health. SHOW NOTES In this episode: How volunteering helped Austin discover his purposeWhat Austin learned serving people through JoppaThe realities facing students and families experiencing homelessnessWhy youth homelessness cannot be reduced to drugs, alcohol, or personal choicesThe difference between placing someone in housing and helping them remain housedWhy safety matters when evaluating housing outcomesHow young people experience hidden homelessness through couch surfing, cars, and temporary living arrangementsWhy traditional homelessness counts miss many young peopleThe connection between housing, mental health, trauma, and preventive careWhat it means to meet someone’s immediate needs before asking about long-term goalsHow stable housing gives young people room to dream againWhy communities must work with people instead of making decisions for themThe relationship between housing conditions, cancer, and community healthKEY QUOTES “At the root of it, it’s a housing issue.” “My judgment came first rather than my help.” “If they don’t have shelter, they can’t begin to dream. They can’t begin to think about what’s next.” “We can say we housed this many young people, but how many feel safe and equipped to keep those apartments?” ABOUT THE GUEST Austin Neal has nearly a decade of experience serving people experiencing homelessness and housing instability. His work has included volunteering with Joppa, supporting students through Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa, and working with young adults at Iowa Homeless Youth Centers. Austin is also joining Above + Beyond Cancer as an outreach manager and will serve as a panelist during the Housing Is Medicine discussion at the 2026 My City My Health Conference. CONNECT WITH MY CITY MY HEALTH Learn more about the conference, community education, and upcoming events at mycity.health. The Move the City FWD Podcast is powered by My City My Health.

  6. Jul 27

    Asking Better Questions in Hard Times with Vanessa McNeal

    When the world feels heavy, how do you acknowledge what you are feeling without losing your ability to move forward? Keynote speaker and life coach Vanessa McNeal joins Corey Dion Lewis to discuss burnout, hopelessness, anger, personal responsibility, and the pressure many helpers and community leaders feel to do more. Vanessa explains why the questions you ask yourself shape how you see your work and your impact. She also shares practical ways to understand anger, reconnect with what gives you life, manage expectations, and remember that meaningful change does not happen through one person alone. Vanessa will also serve as a panelist on the Mental Health Panel at the 2026 My City My Health Conference Des Moines. REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE Join us November 13, 2026, at Curate in Des Moines for conversations focused on mental health, housing, economic mobility, community resources, and the issues shaping the health of our communities. Presented in partnership with UnityPoint Health. Register here:https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/my-city-my-health-des-moines--2026 The conference is open to community members, advocates, professionals, organizations, and anyone who wants to help move the city forward.

  7. 11/03/2025

    Civic Engagement, Local Power, and Public Health in Des Moines

    Civic engagement shapes health. In this episode, host Corey Dion Lewis sits down with Heather Jones-Brown and Victoria Weber to connect everyday actions like voting, emailing a school board member, riding the bus, and showing up at a neighborhood cleanup to measurable health outcomes. The conversation stays local. They dig into transportation, school boards, city councils, water quality, and how libraries, community fridges, and grassroots networks move the needle.  You will hear: Why local elections often shape your daily health more than national racesHow transportation access influences employment, insurance coverage, food security, and mental healthPractical ways to engage when your time or confidence is limitedThe hidden health power of libraries, community fridges, and neighborhood cleanupsLinks: My City My Health Conference info and merch: mycity.healthNAACP Des Moines: naacpdesmoines.orgDes Moines Public Library: dmpl.orgLocal news and policy explainers mentioned: Iowa Starting Line, Iowa Capital Dispatch, Des Moines RegisterDes Moines metro school board and city council meeting streams are typically available on each body’s YouTube channel or websiteCall to action: Register for My City My Health Des Moines, Nov 14: use code MCMH100 at checkout on Zeffy to claim the limited promo.Show Notes 00:01 Welcome and why civic engagement belongs in a health conversation02:00 “Local civics matter the most” and how engagement looks different for everyone04:45 Transportation as a foundation of public health06:30 Commuting, job access, insurance, wages, and downstream health outcomes08:15 Voting mindset for local elections and why school bonds matter for long-term community health10:40 City councils, budgets, sidewalks, housing, pollution, and potholes as health policy12:40 School boards should be nonpartisan, and why parents must track positions and votes13:40 Beyond the ballot: attend meetings, email representatives, set coffee or Zoom16:55 Where to watch meetings and how to find contact lists18:30 Toolkits, newsletters, and right-sized information habits20:20 Join organizations for curated updates, like NAACP Des Moines and interfaith groups21:55 Water quality alerts and why trusted sources matter23:30 Everyday engagement: cleanups, cost savings, and reinvesting in community needs26:00 Libraries as civic health hubs: makerspaces, classes, and small business sparks28:35 Small mindset shifts, big public health impacts30:40 What guests are excited to experience at My City My Health33:05 How to connect with Heather and VictoriaResources talked about:2025 DMPS Bond ConversationInfo on the bondFind your polling location

  8. 09/22/2025

    Food Insecurity, Community, and Change in Des Moines with Sarah Donovan

    On this episode of My City Talks, host Corey Dion Lewis sits down with Sarah Donovan of Broadlawns Medical Center to explore the complex layers of food insecurity in Des Moines. From the role of culture and community in food access to how employment, transportation, and awareness shape outcomes, Sarah shares both professional insights and personal reflections. This conversation highlights the connections between health equity, social determinants, and community partnerships—reminding us that solving hunger isn’t just about food pantries, it’s about systemic change. Tune in as we lead up to the My City My Health Conference on November 14 in Des Moines, where Sarah will join the Food Insecurity panel. Show Notes: 00:00 – Welcome to My City Talks 01:18 – Introducing Sarah Donovan 02:43 – Why she returned to Des Moines 04:14 – Understanding food insecurity in our community 06:40 – Supporting employees facing insecurity 09:20 – Food as culture and community 10:00 – Launching food pantries at Drake University 11:25 – Why partnerships matter in food access 13:13 – Beyond band-aid solutions 14:19 – Education, awareness & community health workers 15:24 – Broadlawns interpreter services & community health work 16:45 – Looking forward to the My City My Health Conference 17:06 – Final thoughts & invitation to connect Connect with Sarah Donovan on LinkedInLearn more about the My City My Health Conference: mycity.health

    Food Insecurity, Community, and Change in Des Moines with Sarah Donovan
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Move the City FWD Podcast is where community meets action. Hosted by Corey Dion Lewis, the podcast explores the ideas, people, and systems shaping healthier, stronger communities. Each episode features conversations with leaders, entrepreneurs, advocates, public health professionals, elected officials, artists, and everyday changemakers who are building solutions where they live. This isn’t a podcast about problems. It’s about progress. You’ll hear stories about health, economic mobility, housing, education, mental health, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and the connections that make communities thrive. Whether we’re breaking down policy, highlighting grassroots organizations, or sharing lessons from people doing the work, every conversation is rooted in one question: How do we move the city forward? If you believe healthier communities are built together, you’re in the right place.

Information

  • Creator
    80 Twenty Podcast Network by My City My Health
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © My City My Health INC
  • Show Website
    Move the City FWD Podcast