First hour: Is America great?
Second hour: Discussing the city vs. suburb horse race
Governor Andrew Cuomo found himself in political hot water two weeks ago when he said America “was never that great.” Cuomo made the comment during a speech about gender equality. His remarks drew an audible response from the crowd, and pushback from President Trump. Cuomo was referring to discrimination against women, saying "We have not reached greatness. We will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged.” His office later tried to clarify the remarks. So what do people in the activist community think about America’s “greatness” – or perceived “greatness?” We’ll discuss our country’s history and activists’ fight for equal rights. Our guests:
- Adrian Hale, activist, veteran, and member of the editorial board for the Democrat and Chronicle
- Stephanie Vargas, local activist
- Kristen Walker, co-founder of the Flower City Noire Collective
- Tonya Noel, co-founder of the Flower City Noire Collective
Then in our second hour, in a recent post for the Urban Phoenix, blogger Arian Horbovetz wrote about how the impermanence and flexibility of urban centers are drawing more residents, especially millennials. He says young Americans are seeking out apartments, shared public spaces, food trucks, and mobile tech over homes in the suburbs, traditional restaurants, and office jobs. What does the data say about the so-called city vs. suburb horse race? A Brookings Institute report shows a trend toward a renewed suburban advantage. But that data is nuanced and there are questions and issues to consider, such as total population growth vs. urban growth booms within cities, zoning laws, and more. So, do Americans want to live in cities? Our guests weigh in:
- Arian Horbovetz, creator of the Urban Phoenix blog
- Heidi Zimmer-Meyer, president of the Rochester Downtown Development Corporation
- Bill Smith, Pittsford Town Supervisor
