Recorded at the International Downtown Association Annual Conference in Toronto, this bonus episode brings together voices from downtowns across North America and beyond. Chip asks a group of downtown leaders what’s exciting them about the future of the field, what’s happening in their own communities, and one question chosen at random. From San Diego and Chicago to Tampa, the Quad Cities, Cleveland, Washington DC, Colorado Springs, Canberra and Toronto, it’s a lively snapshot of the people, ideas, and optimism shaping downtowns today.

The Constitution begins with "We the People." The rest of the American story is, in many ways, the unfolding of who becomes "We."

The Democracy of Public Space – Part One: Do We Mean It? traces the evolution of the National Mall from an unfinished vision into one of the world's great civic stages, culminating in Marian Anderson's historic 1939 concert at the Lincoln Memorial.

This is the story of an unfinished vision, a civic stage, and the generations of people who continue the work of becoming "We."

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.