Molly Alexander

Molly Alexander was featured on Episode 17 in a conversation about what she calls R.O.E., or Return on Emotion.

I first heard Molly speak on this topic at the California Downtown Association Conference in Long Beach in March 2026 and immediately knew I wanted to continue the conversation on Sidewalk Ballet.

Our experience of the world is deeply emotional, yet many of the metrics we use to evaluate places have little to do with how those places make us feel. Does a block bring you joy? Does a bookstore or café create a sense of belonging? Does a neighborhood inspire trust? Molly argues that if we want to understand the true value of a place, we need to pay more attention to the emotional outcomes it creates.

The conversation expands beyond placemaking and into civic life through a companion interview with Chris Murphy of the Santa Cruz Warriors, exploring the role local sports play in creating shared identity, collective memory, and civic emotion.

The episode concludes with a retelling of "The Catch" from the 1982 NFC Championship Game, inspired by David Talbot's writing and brought to life by original music from Peter Koht. Together, these stories ask a simple question: How does our experience of places make us feel—and why does that matter?

https://www.sidewalkballet.com/episodes/molly
https://molly-alexander.com/about-molly/