A podcast about Columbus: where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re headed.
Columbus is changing—fast. From neighborhoods and schools to jobs, housing and opportunity, the city’s future is taking shape right now. So, Let’s Talk Columbus is your insider guide to understanding what’s happening and why it matters.
Hosted by Michael Wilkos, Vice President of Community Engagement at United Way of Central Ohio.
Episode 18: Your Library, Your Voice: A Conversation with Kristin Sutton
Send us Fan Mail What do libraries and voting have in common? More than you might think! Join Kristin Sutton, board president of the League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus AND the government relations manager at Columbus Metropolitan Library, on So, Let’s Talk Columbus for an energizing conversation about the power of information, community and making your voice heard. From recognizing the important role of your neighborhood library to knowing the difference we can make when we show ...
6 Oct 2026
Episode 17: New Neighbors, Shared Futures: A Conversation with Guadalupe Velasquez
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of So, Let's Talk Columbus with Michael Wilkos, Michael chats with Guadalupe Velasquez, a longtime advocate whose work has helped make Columbus a place where newcomers can put down roots, contribute their talents and build brighter futures. In this timely conversation, Guadalupe shares powerful stories of resilience, opportunity and the everyday choices that make a community truly welcoming, reminding us that our newest neighbors are an essential part of who w...
22 Sept 2026
Episode 16: Moving Columbus Forward: A Conversation with Garth Weithman
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of So, Let's Talk Columbus, Michael talks with Garth Weithman, deputy CEO of the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and a familiar face from his own days at United Way of Central Ohio, about how getting people where they need to go is really about access to opportunity. Together they explore LinkUS, the historic community investment now bringing 45% more service, bus rapid transit, and what it means for working families, from fare capping to free rides on e...
8 Sept 2026
Episode 15: The Lines That Shaped Columbus
Send us Fan Mail Michael Wilkos takes listeners on a powerful journey through the history of redlining and zoning in Franklin County, the evolution of Columbus’ neighborhoods, including the remarkable story of Hanford Village — revealing how these forces have shaped the identity of our community today. In this episode, Michael uncovers surprising facts about Columbus you’ve likely never heard before, providing a deeper understanding of the policies, decisions and people that built the city yo...
25 Aug 2026
Episode 14: Behind the Absence: A Conversation with Adero Robinson
Send us Fan Mail New episode alert. On the latest So, Let's Talk Columbus, host Michael Wilkos sits down with Adero Robinson, CEO of Communities In Schools of Ohio, a nonprofit that's been placing caring adults inside school buildings since 1993. They dig into the real story behind student absenteeism: one in four Ohio students is chronically absent, and as Adero explains, the reasons behind absenteeism are complicated. Families care about their kids but are often stretched impossibly thin. I...
11 Aug 2026
Episode 12: The First Five Years: A Conversation with Dr. Gina Ginn
Send us Fan Mail The first five years of a child’s life can shape everything that follows. Yet 72% of preschoolers living in low-income households in Franklin County begin school without the necessary kindergarten readiness skills. And for too many families, high-quality, affordable child care remains out of reach. Join Michael and his guest, Dr. Gina Ginn, CEO of Columbus Early Learning Centers, for a powerful conversation about early learning, working families and why child care is essentia...
28 Jul 2026
Episode 12: Closing the Gap Between Hard Work and Stability: A Conversation with Lisa Patt McDaniel
Send us Fan Mail Don't miss this timely conversation with Lisa Patt McDaniel, CEO of Aspyr Workforce Innovation, as Michael digs into the big question of our moment: why are so many hardworking people still struggling to get ahead? From wages and workforce pipelines to practical solutions for building more pathways to stability, this episode of So, Let's Talk Columbus is packed with insight, urgency and hope for central Ohio’s future. United is the Way. liveunitedcentralohio.org
14 Jul 2026
Episode 11: Stuff the Backpack: A conversation with Jenn Kiser
Send us Fan Mail Stuff the Backpack, a partnership between NBC4 and United Way of Central Ohio, celebrates the power of our central Ohio community that shows up for kids in a big way. In this episode, host Michael Wilkos talks with Jenn Kiser of NBC4 about the importance of volunteers, partners and neighbors coming together to provide backpacks and school supplies for more than 240,000 students over the years. Tune in to find out why this simple act makes such a meaningful difference on the f...
30 Jun 2026
Episode 10: Behind the ALICE Numbers: A conversation with Melanie Hill
Send us Fan Mail More than one in three households in Franklin County is working hard but still struggling to cover the basics. In this episode of So, Let’s Talk Columbus, Melanie Hill of United Way of Central Ohio helps unpack the ALICE data and what it reveals about the hidden financial hardship shaping our community. It’s a powerful conversation about the real cost of living, the people behind the numbers, and what it will take to make Columbus a place where more families can thrive.
16 Jun 2026
Episode 9: Beyond the Shelter Door: A Conversation with Shannon Isom (Part 2)
Send us Fan Mail This is the second half of this important conversation. If you missed part one, be sure to go back and listen first. In this episode of So, Let’s Talk Columbus, Michael talks with Shannon Isom, President and CEO of Community Shelter Board. Shannon Isom brings a powerful mix of candor, compassion and deep expertise to a conversation that cuts to the heart of what Columbus is facing. Shannon helps Michael unpack the real drivers behind homelessness, the strain on our shel...
2 Jun 2026
Episode 8: Beyond the Shelter Door: A Conversation with Shannon Isom (Part 1)
In this episode of So, Let’s Talk Columbus, Michael talks with Shannon Isom, President and CEO of Community Shelter Board. Shannon Isom brings a powerful mix of candor, compassion and deep expertise to a conversation that cuts to the heart of what Columbus is facing. Shannon helps Michael unpack the real drivers behind homelessness, the strain on our shelter system, and why this issue is about more than individual circumstances. It’s about housing, systems and the kind of community we choose ...
19 May 2026
Episode 7: Beyond the Books: A Conversation with Dr. Cheryl Wyatt
In this episode of So, Let’s Talk Columbus, Michael talks with Dr. Cheryl Wyatt of Success by Third Grade about how early literacy is about more than reading. It’s about the community coming together to strengthen the systems, supports and partnerships that help children thrive. Whether you’re new to Success by Third Grade or a longtime champion of the movement, this conversation offers fresh insight into the exciting work happening across Franklin County to create stronger futures for our st...
5 May 2026
Episode 6: Stable Homes, Brighter Futures: A Conversation with Samantha Stewart
On this episode of So, Let’s Talk Columbus with Michael Wilkos, Michael explores how housing stability shapes a child’s ability to learn, grow and thrive, through a powerful conversation with Samantha Stewart of the YMCA of Central Ohio. It’s a human-centered look at the families doing everything they can to stay afloat, and the community partnership that is helping stabilize families, and keeping kids in school and hope within reach.
21 Apr 2026
Episode 5: A Place to Call Home: A Conversation with Erin Prosser
Don't miss this episode of So, Let's Talk Columbus with Michael Wilkos! Michael sits down with Erin Prosser, Deputy Director of Housing Strategies for the City of Columbus, to move beyond the problem and into the solutions. Together, they explore the strategies the city is using right now to expand housing access, preserve affordability and ensure Columbus remains a place where opportunity is within reach for everyone. Tune in to hear from someone working on the front lines of one of our regi...
7 Apr 2026
Episode 4: Housing - The Foundation of Columbus’s Future
In this episode of So, Let’s Talk Columbus with Michael Wilkos, Michael takes you inside one of the most important issues shaping our region’s future: housing. He explores why Columbus is growing faster than its housing supply, what that means for affordability and stability, and why housing is about much more than buildings. It’s about whether the people who make our community work can afford to stay here. Tune in to better understand the forces behind Columbus’s housing challenges and what ...
24 Mar 2026
Episode 3: What Welcome Looks Like: A Conversation with Emelia Sheeley
Don’t miss this episode of So, Let’s Talk Columbus with Michael Wilkos! Michael sits down with Emelia Sheeley, executive director of Riverview International Center, a nonprofit partner of United Way of Central Ohio. Together, they move from data to lived experience, exploring what it looks like on the ground to welcome and support New American neighbors in our community. Tune in to hear how one small but mighty organization is helping translate demographic change into opportunity, connection ...
10 Mar 2026
Episode 2: The New Americans Shaping Columbus
In this episode of So, Let’s Talk Columbus with Michael Wilkos, Michael explores how New Americans are driving the population and economic growth that is reshaping Columbus and Franklin County. He unpacks the data behind recent trends, showing that nearly all net growth in the city is coming from diverse communities, with international migration now the primary engine of change. Tune in to better understand how global stories are becoming Columbus stories. Whether you’re a civic leader, a per...
23 Feb 2026
Columbus' Biggest Fan
In this debut episode of So, Let’s Talk Columbus with Michael Wilkos, United Way of Central Ohio President & CEO Lisa S. Courtice, Ph.D., sits down with Michael to find out what makes him one of Columbus’ most trusted voices on where our community has been and where it’s headed. As United Way’s vice president of community engagement, Michael is a sought-after speaker across central Ohio, known for blending data, storytelling and deep local insight in ways that resonate with leaders across...
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
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