Two People

Libby Germer is a teacher at George Wythe High School. She talks about how she got interested in education, what it’s like to work in a city school and we discuss budget needs in Richmond Public schools. Libby also talks about the curriculum she developed, helping students engage with the the history of public housing in their community. You'll hear from a special guest and a story about a squirrel, too.

Blaine plays a high stakes game with Josh Yates, asking him to make split second decisions about which unusual coalition he likes better.

Josh Yates is the Director at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at UVA. They've got project called Thriving Cities, which provides a framework for thinking about building healthy cities. Josh talks about how a city is more like a complex ecosystem, than a factory with levers (11:00). He shares the six elements, or "endowments", that contribute to a city's thriving (16:20). And they discuss the importance of unexpected, unusual coalitions to the life of a city (30:45). If you like cities, this one is for you.

Ross Catrow is the publisher of RVANews. Ross talks about how RVANews rose out of the ether to become a thing that exists. He reflects on his love for pop culture and movies. He explains why trying to build a great Richmond is like trying to make Evil Dead 2, which he says is “a perfect film”. Ross offers up a dose witty banter, hopeful optimism and thoughtful reflections on the future of Richmond.

Katherine Wintsch is the Richmond Christmas Mother, bringing Christmas cheer to those in need. She is the founder of The Mom Complex, a firm that helps some of the biggest companies in the world understand mothers to meet their needs more effectively. Katherine shares about her own insecurities, how those things impacted her as a mother, and how the Mom Complex came to be.

Tom Silvestri is a newsman. He is the president and publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Tom talks about how he landed in Richmond and what downtown was like in the early 80s. He also reflects on the state of the news industry, what it's like to lead a longstanding institution and what he thinks his legacy may be. At the end, Blaine challenges him with a rousing game of "Name That Tom."

A special episode! We revisit the sounds of the bike race. Blaine takes a walk down Broad St during the race, talking to people as he makes his way to Libby Hill for the dramatic climax of the race. We hear from European cycling fans, entrepreneurial kids and a handful of other folks from the Richmond cycling scene. We consider what the race means for Richmond and what it means to see things in new ways.

Craig Dodson is a bike guy. He runs Richmond Cycling Corps, an organization that works with youth from public housing-- training them in the art of competitive cycling and helping them navigate life. Craig shares about the ways his father shaped him, the first time he visited Creighton Court and how he's seen Richmond grow.

A quick look at all things bike race, featuring highlights from our interview with Lee Kallman from Richmond 2015. We look at how the course was designed, the best places to watch and why you should be excited...all in ten minutes. Check out our full interview with Lee for more about him and the bike race itself.

Moses Foster is a communication guy. He is the founder of the West Cary Group, a full-service marketing and advertising firm. Moses reflects on his professional journey, the things that shaped him, and why he decided to start his own agency. He also talks about the value of diversity in problem-solving and the role of the creative class in the Richmond region.

Carrie Rose Pace is in public relations at GRTC. Among other things, she’s also a meteorologist. Carrie talks about how she landed at CBS6 in Richmond and why she's made the jump to work in transportation. We talk Bus Rapid Transit and what that means for the region. Other things discussed: Disney characters, transportation movies, meteorology theme park design.

Glen Sturtevant is running for public office. He's a Republican candidate for the Virginia State Senate and currently serves on School Board for Richmond Public Schools. We talk through Glen's journey, including how growing up in Virginia public schools, playing high school sports and working at Food Lion all shaped his passion for education. We wrap our interview with a round of Lightning Q&A. There are multiple references to Glen's hair which we stand by 100%. Check out our blog for a map of the district where Glen is running: http://www.twopeoplepodcast.comstate-senate-district-10-map/ (works best on a desktop)

Valley Haggard is a writer. She was the book editor at Style Weekly and currently runs Richmond Young Writers. She shares some crazy stories-- jaunts through Europe, falling in love with a wrangler, working on a cruise ship. She also reads a short piece on how she learned to stop hating herself.

Lee Kallman is the Marketing & Communications Director for Richmond 2015, the group responsible for coordinating and hosting the big bike race that's coming to Richmond. We learn about Lee and talk about all the cycling things: How did Richmond win the bid? How are the races structured? Do Norwegians travel well? It's a cycling extravaganza.

Anousheh is a vocalist and musician. She talks about how she got into music, how she became the voice for many-a dance club anthem and ultimately how she developed her own voice as an artist. She treats us to a live version of a track off her new album.

Brian McDaniel is a blogger and photographer. Brian ran Dirty Richmond, a blog that captures moments of people and style in our city. Things discussed: his passion for blogging, his time at Ledbury, why his mixtape game is so strong, twinkie makers. Brian also plays a rousing game of Twitter: Explained.

Noah Kim is a senior at Maggie Walker. Weeks from graduation, he reflects on his high school experience: his first day of school, a teacher who changed his life, a time he failed, the importance of resiliency. Noah also plays "What's That 90s Thing?" which is exactly what it sounds like.

Shawn Boyer is the founder of Snagajob, a Richmond-based company that helps people find hourly work. He talks about growing up in Oklahoma and observing his parents start small business selling jewelry. Shawn tells the story of Snagajob-- how it came to be and the moments when he wasn't sure they were going to make it. Shawn also plays "Snagajob Pavilion Trivia," where Blaine asks Shawn ridiculous questions about music.

Michael Phillips is a sportswriter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He joins us to talk about Shaka Smart's departure-- why he left VCU and what it means. We also talk biscuit burgers, the airport stakeout, and the hip-hop hype man.

Don Coleman is the Chairman of the Richmond City School Board. He talks about growing up in the projects, coming through the foster care system and how that informs his work. We also get Don to flex his muscles as a master vocalist.