First-term governor Josh Shapiro is rumored to be on the shortlist for VP candidate on a Kamala Harris ticket. Here’s how he could help or hurt.By CitizenCast

Alissa Quart is the executive director of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project and the author of Bootstrapped: Liberating Ourselves from the American Dream. We discuss what it really means to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps in America, “the land of the self-made.” Humans are biologically wired to be interdependent. In fact, achievement i…

Governor Shapiro joined us at the Citizen's Ideas We Should Steal Festival and spoke about personal lessons in leadership. Joining him on the stage were LaSalle University basketball coach Fran Dunphy and the Citizen's Larry Platt. Here, part one of that inspiring conversation.By CitizenCast

In this latest episode of How To Really Run A City, former Philly Mayor Michael Nutter and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed talk to education reformer and former Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza on what students really need … now. Once upon a time, Democrats were the party trusted with directing education in America. But, as Democrats for Education Reform Exe…

On this episode of Citizen of the Week, every neighborhood should be as lucky to have a “non-leader” like Steve Stroiman, who serves Cresheim Valley Neighbors in Mount Airy. He is a shining example of how to bring a neighborhood together and how to get things done.By CitizenCast

On this episode of #velshibannedbooks, MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi sits down with the authors of "And Tango Makes Three," to discuss why their children's book has been banned in 32 states.By CitizenCast

Philly is lagging behind peer cities in adjusting to work from home. Is now the time to invest in a broad economic revival plan?By CitizenCast

A.J. Jacobs is a journalist and author. His most recent book is The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning. We discuss how the Founding Fathers prized humility, experimentation, and a willingness to change their own minds. The heart of our democracy is for the community to come together…

What does the conservative Project 2025 call for when it comes to abortion and reproductive rights? MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi breaks it down.By CitizenCast

In this episode of Ideas We Should Steal, Philly has a great candidate to replace our shuttered bus station with a transportation hub. We even have a model for how to make that happen.By CitizenCast

A national retail expert and futurist visited Philadelphia's premier shopping district. This is what he learnedBy CitizenCast

The Poet X is a National Book Award-winner about a tenth-grader growing up in Harlem. It was banned for not being Christian enough, and therefore, against the Constitution. "Wow," says MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi. He interviews Poet Laureate Elizabeth Acevedo on this episode of #velshibannedbooks.…

The appointment of John Fry, preeminent change maker, to lead Temple University has the potential to disrupt Philadelphia’s status quo. Listen to find out how.By CitizenCast

As hand wringing over the state of our democracy has become a national pastime, we here at How To Really Run A City decided to air a special edition of our podcast. We highlight moments from previous episodes which demonstrate that high-minded civic virtues like tolerance and pluralism and communitarianism don’t only belong to the past. From Mayor …

Nationly is a limited election series podcast by Immigrantly Media. Join hosts Sara Sadhwani and Juan Diego Ramirez as they offer their unique perspectives on swing states pivotal in determining the 2024 election outcomes. Focusing on minority communities—specifically, immigrants and communities of color—'Nationly' uncovers the issues that truly ma…

"...about the fundamental evil of people killing other people," Tim O'Brien, author of the banned book "The Things They Carried," said to MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi on #velshibannedbookclub. O'Brien's banning came from his realistic depictions of war (including the language soldiers use) which contrasts strongly with romantic fa…

Turning the University of the Arts' Center City buildings into an arts community would make the city a destination for practicing artists. Elaine Maimon lays out how this could be done.By CitizenCast

Whether you believe President Biden should stay in the race or step aside, any Democratic candidate would be better than Donald Trump, explains MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi.By CitizenCast

Vilas Dahr (Patrick J. McGovern Foundation), Beth Simone Noveck (Northeastern University) and Dalila Wilson Scott (Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation) come together at our Ideas We Should Steal Festival for a blunt talk about A.I. in the workplace and how companies can use this powerful new technology ethically.…

Melanie D’Arrigo is the Executive Director of the Campaign for New York Health, which aims to win universal single-payer healthcare for all New Yorkers. We discuss the intersection of democracy and healthcare and what is necessary to create better health outcomes. The New York Health Act is a current bill in the New York State Legislature that woul…

Champions of workplace justice and sustainability argue it’s high time for our state to raise the minimum wage -- something that hasn't been done in 15 years.By CitizenCast

The recent collapse of several local nonprofit organizations like UArts, leaves us with questions about whether we're in a "nonprofit bubble" and whether that bubble is popping.By CitizenCast

On this episode of Guest Commentary, the co-founder of PHILLY TRUCE expresses no surprise at the recent drop in gun violence. He attributes it to the work of concerned citizens and marvels at why there isn't more support from the city.By CitizenCast

... when the public stops believing in its legitimacy, it will cease to legitimately function, argues MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi.By CitizenCast

Is there a better way to address our racially-driven wealth gap? Larry spoke to one social entrepreneur who says yes. And has a plan.By CitizenCast

In part two of our latest episode of How to Really Run a City podcast, former Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed and former Philly mayor Michael Nutter hear more rhetorical gems from bestselling author and public intellectual Michael Eric Dyson ... who has some, uh, soulful theories about how to win elections and govern cities. Let's call it the Bobby Womack…

Wajahat Ali is a Daily Beast columnist and the co-host of Democracy-ish. He's also the author of Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American. Together, Mila and Waj discuss what it means to be American and to love a country that often doesn’t love them back. Defense of democracy continues to resonate …

Elaine Maimon joins Dr. James Peterson, host of Evening WURDs, to discuss her recent Citizen article about the head-scratching closing of UArts.By CitizenCast

On this episode of Guest Commentary, the director of Drexel’s Wealth and Work Futures Lab explains why minimum wage hasn’t budged in fifteen years and what needs to happenBy CitizenCast

... it did not go well. MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi breaks down the 1924 National Origins Act and explains the long-term damage that resulted.By CitizenCast

In advance of the presidential debate, former mayor Michael Nutter shares some thoughts on the answers we really need to hear from the candidatesBy CitizenCast

Where can the country look when federal courts begin to falter? We've been here before, explains MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi. It is no surprise that state courts held Donald Trump accountable and preserved rights that SCOTUS stripped away.By CitizenCast

Robert L. Tsai is the author of Demand the Impossible: One Lawyer’s Pursuit of Equal Justice for All and Professor of Law and Harry Elwood Warren Memorial Scholar at Boston University School of Law. We discuss the death penalty, legal representation for the indigent, and equality under law. People do see the flaws in the criminal justice system. Th…

Two deep canvassers from "Changing the Conversation Together" joined Solomon Jones on "Wake Up with WURD" to discuss one of the most effective techniques for getting reluctant voters to the polls.By CitizenCast

University of the Arts’ former CFO wants answers about the suddenly-closed school’s $40 million funding gapBy CitizenCast

On this episode of #velshibannedbookclub, MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi brings Laurence Yep onto the show to talk about his banned book: Dragonwings. Critics have scoured Yep's book about Chinese immigrants for evidence of "anti-American sentiments." This is a dangerous practice.By CitizenCast

Progressive members of City Council protested them. Jay-Z supported them. Mayor Parker tried to unite everyone. You have entered the frontlines of school choice.By CitizenCast

Rachel Vindman is the co-host of the Suburban Women Problem podcast and she has her finger on the pulse on all things politics for American women. We discuss abortion, Trump's conviction, Ukraine, and relational organizing. The goal in this year’s election is maintaining American democracy. Relational organizing is about talking to people about wha…