Community Wise: A Look-Back At Our Podcast

Six months ago, we launched our podcast, Community Wise, to examine topics ranging from community development to social justice. The podcast is a conversation between LISC Greater Kansas City Development Officer Holly Long and practitioners and thought leaders from the Kansas City Metro region, and it seeks to gain insight into our community, the challenges it faces, and the opportunities we have to make change.

In hitting this milestone, we’re taking a look back at our episodes and what we’ve covered so far.

Ways we can develop our communities
As the name suggests, our podcast has put community development at the heart of each conversation. Some of those discussions have included the importance of supporting local businesses, financial literacy, and more. Listen to the below episodes covering these topics:

• Preparing For Your Best Financial Future (April 2021): In this episode, we discussed Financial Literacy Month. Joined by special guests Sandra Olivas and Gladys Esmeralda Jaggers, we went over the importance of financial literacy and how to maintain healthy financial habits that could result in homeownership and create generational wealth.
• The Intersecting of Community Development and the Shop Local Movement (July 2021): In a conversation with Brian Roberts, owner of the Black Pantry located in the heart of Kansas City, we talked about the Shop Local Movement and how shopping locally relates to community development.

Lifting underrepresented voices
Social justice and equity are paramount in ensuring that everyone in our community has the opportunity to grow and succeed, as well as feel heard when it comes to their unique challenges. In these episodes, we discussed the barriers that certain members of our community face and how we can empower them with the resources and support they need to grow.

• Black History Month Concluding Thoughts, Welcoming of Women’s History Month, and a whole lot of educational dialogue in the mix! (March 2021): In our very first podcast, we conversed with Dr. Melissa Patterson-Hazley to discuss Black History Month, Women’s History, and why she gives credit to enslaved African women for the creation of our modern-day educational system.
• Barriers Facing The LGBT Small Business Community (June 2021): During Pride Month, we sat down with the leadership from the Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce; Suzanne Wheeler, Executive Director and Jeff Harris, Board President. During this episode, we discussed barriers facing the LGBTQ small business community and how corporate partners can create systems, policies, and cultures that are inclusive, equitable, and accepting. 

For 40 years, LISC Greater Kansas City has partnered with community organizations to attract the resources that allow them to do their best work and move toward sustainable revitalization. Listen here to more episodes of Community Wise Podcast and learn about how we support community development.