My City Talks

About My City Talks

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.

Publisher

80 Twenty Podcast Network by My City My Health

Category

science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 Apr 2023

Latest episode

21 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

34 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Sept 2026

   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 people How consistency creates trust The difference between community service and community marketing Why accessible spaces help people cross social and economic boundaries How small movements create lasting change Whether you would continue serving without social media Why forgiveness affects a community’s ability to work together Changing the stories people see about Black men Turning difficult experiences into something that helps others Episode highlights: 00:00 — Meeting Ben Spellman 01:29 — How Ben’s upbringing shaped his service 05:22 — Why consistency changes communities 08:15 — Rebuilding connection after communities become dispersed 12:24 — Identifying what you can offer others 13:02 — Community versus business 16:36 — Why Ben believes in small movements 18:48 — Freedom, time, and the lessons Ben learned in prison 20:33 — Creating community without financial barriers 24:04 — Would you still serve without social media? 27:16 — Using positive stories to challenge stereotypes 30:19 — Why forgiveness matters 34:25 — Protecting your energy and removing distractions 37:41 — How difficult experiences shape service 42:26 — Closing reflections Learn more about Good Vibes Movement: https://goodvibesmovement.org (https://goodvibesmovement.org/) Learn more about My City My Health: https://mycity.health (https://mycity.health/) Move the City FWD is powered by My City My Health.

2. 

   8 Sept 2026

   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 school How early exposure helps young people imagine new possibilities for themselves Why families must be included in conversations about a child’s future How By Degrees brings college and career experiences directly to students The role of mentors and representation in helping young people see what is possible How 529 education savings accounts can help build both financial resources and hope Why financial aid, FAFSA, scholarships, and college costs need to be explained much earlier How By Degrees has helped parents pursue their own education and high school equivalency credentials Why meeting people where they are can remove barriers to education The connection between education, financial stability, mental health, and physical health How healthcare organizations can expose students to careers beyond doctors and nurses Emily’s idea of connecting preventive health behaviors with incentives that contribute to students’ education savings Why critical thinking, communication, creativity, and problem solving can keep opportunities open throughout someone’s career Emily’s personal journey from North High School to Grinnell College and how educators helped change her trajectory Why every student deserves someone who can help them navigate their options What Emily hopes comes from the Economic Mobility & Access panel at this year’s My City My Health Conference ABOUT 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 (http://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, 2026 Des Moines, Iowa Learn more and register: www.mycity.health (http://www.mycity.health/)

3. 

   31 Aug 2026

   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.

Who has been a guest on My City Talks

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Heather Jones-Brown
• Victoria Weber
• Sarah Donovan
• Jasmine Brooks
• Dr Gregory Johnson

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 15 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

17

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact My City Talks

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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