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Live with Living Cities
"Live with Living Cities" is a podcast that explores the work, impact, and partnerships driving inclusive economic growth in cities across the United States. Hosted by Living Cities, this series highlights innovative strategies, transformative policies, and community-driven solutions that expand access to capital and create a more inclusive economy.
Episodes introduce who we are, what we do, and feature insightful conversations with changemakers—from government leaders and nonprofit innovators to entrepreneurs and residents—working to remove barriers to financial opportunity. Through storytelling, expert analysis, and real-world case studies, Live with Living Cities uncovers the challenges and successes of building economic systems that work for everyone.
Listeners gain a behind-the-scenes look at initiatives that drive investment in undercapitalized communities, foster entrepreneurship, and help more people build long-term financial security. Whether discussing new models of capital deployment, public-private partnerships, or community-led investment strategies, this podcast provides actionable insights for those committed to driving meaningful economic change.
Join us as we amplify the voices of leaders, share lessons from the field, and explore what it takes to build cities where everyone has the resources and opportunities to thrive.
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Live with Living Cities
Building Stronger Communities for Economic Success with Roderick Wheeler
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In this episode of Live with Living Cities, host Justin Charles sits down with Roderick Wheeler, President and Chief Strategy Officer of Wheeler Social Impact, for a timely conversation about why communities are not peripheral to economic growth, but foundational to it. We unpack how neighborhoods, businesses, philanthropy, and civic institutions are deeply interconnected, and what happens when that ecosystem is either strengthened or neglected.
Roderick shares a clear-eyed perspective on why long-term economic success depends on intentional investment in the places where people live and work, and why collaboration across sectors isn’t optional if we’re serious about sustainable growth. We talk about how to think beyond traditional financial metrics to better understand real economic health, and what current systems often overlook about the lived realities of historically marginalized communities.
The conversation also explores the role philanthropy can play in rebuilding trust, shifting power, and supporting community-led decision-making. At its core, this episode is about rethinking how we define success and recognizing that durable economic outcomes are inseparable from community well-being.