World Singing Day with Scott Johnson
From a small stage in Santa Cruz to a global celebration of voices, we explore the joy of singing together. Sven Davis invites friends into the spotlight, while World Singing Day founder Scott Johnson invites everyone to join in, regardless of talent or experience. Two different approaches to making music, united by a simple idea: there's room for everyone.
Local Government and the FOG of Accountability
Political scientist Justin de Benedictis-Kessner and Glitter founder Morgan Berman join Chip for two conversations about local government, civic life, and the complicated question of accountability. When responsibility for making a city work is spread across elected officials, public agencies, private contractors, nonprofits, and others, how do we know who deserves the credit when things go right—and who to hold accountable when they don’t?
Cara Courage - Trauma-Based Placemaking
Cara Courage is a researcher, author, educator, and internationally recognized placemaking practitioner whose work explores the intersection of people, place, culture, and community. In this conversation, she joins Chip to discuss the evolution of placemaking, the growing field of trauma-informed placemaking, and how places can foster, healing, and connection.
The Emotion of Place - Molly Alexander
What makes people feel connected to a place?
In this episode of Sidewalk Ballet, Chip explores the idea of “Return on Emotion” with downtown strategist Molly Alexander — examining how joy, belonging, trust, shape the emotional life of communities.
Featuring a conversation with Santa Cruz Warriors President Chris Murphy and a reflection on an iconic Bay Area moment this episode explores the power of emotional connections to place and community.
PICO - The District Dog
In downtown Los Angeles, the Social District may have found the perfect face for a neighborhood: Pico, their beloved canine mascot and “Chief Experience Officer.”
In this Small Block, Chip talks with Nolan Marshall about mascots, place identity, community connection, and how a little joy can help make a big city feel human-scale.
Breonna McCree
San Francisco’s Tenderloin has long been a place of containment — and of community. From the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot to today’s fight over who controls the building where it happened, this episode explores how belonging moves from survival to assertion. In conversation with Breonna McCree, Co-Director of the Transgender District, we examine what it means to name a neighborhood, reclaim a site, and build cities that remember.