To Celebrate Jane Jacob's Birthday, Sidewalk Ballet is launching a new series of bonus episodes that we are calling Small Blocks. Short stories about people and places that you can listen to when you just have a few minutes. 

Our first Small Block comes from Susan Hughes, a Children's book writer from Toronto and her story about, well, Jane.  

What does “urbanism” mean today?

In this episode, Chip talks with Anastasia Sukhoroslova about how ideas about cities move—across neighborhoods, across countries, and across a growing global network of urbanists.

Timed with Jane's Walk, the conversation connects the hyper-local observations of Jane Jacobs to the way urbanism is practiced today—exploring the tension between shared ideas and the unique context of every place.

tamika l. butler reflects on what it takes to build transportation systems that serve people—not just efficiently, but equitably. Paired with immersive field report from the Philippines about Jeepneys and for-hire vehicles, the episode explores how movement systems evolve: through need, policy, technology, and the people who shape them every day.

Retail is constantly being redefined—but it still plays a central role in how cities function.

In this episode, guest host Josh Yeager joins Michael Berne and Jaime Izurieta to explore how retail is evolving on the ground—from dwell time and hospitality to what actually makes a storefront succeed—and why it still matters for the health of our streets and downtown districts.