The Camp House

"Is Seeing Believing? Doubt, Glory, and Jesus in John's Gospel" with Dr. Luke Irwin

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Luke Irwin, Sam Youngs, Matt Busby) — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 16:51:31 +0000

Our journeys of faith often involve the navigation of doubt. In this lecture, Dr. Luke Irwin explores this dynamic through the Gospel of John. There, Jesus famously says to “Doubting Thomas:” “Have you believed because you have seen? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). This statement from Jesus may make us question whether the “eyes of faith” should rely on visible evidence. After all, doesn't the Apostle Paul himself say that “faith comes through hearing” (Romans 10:17)? Nevertheless, study of the Jewish scriptural tradition can inform our exploration, suggesting that God makes himself visible in the human flesh of Jesus Christ for a reason. Join us as Dr. Luke Irwin argues that seeing God in Jesus Christ represents the culmination of Johannine belief as well as the eschatological hope of all believers.

Dr. Luke Irwin is the Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Covenant College. He has received his MDiv from Covenant Seminary and his PhD from Durham University.

2021 Mayoral Candidate - Wade Hinton

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Our special election series features interviews with the many men and women seeking your vote to be Chattanooga's next Mayor. Today's episode features a conversation with candidate Wade Hinton.

Early voting begins February 10, 2021 and election day is Tuesday, March 2nd. In 2017, only 19% of Chattanooga voters turned out to select our city's leader... Our hope is that this year will be different and that through these interviews you will be more engaged and informed to make Chattanooga a better community for everyone.

Learn more about Wade's campaign: https://wadehinton.com/

Hamilton County Election Commission: https://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

Looking for more discussion about local Chattanooga elections? Check out the Chattanooga Civics podcast: http://bit.ly/3aNmH4L

2021 Mayoral Candidate - Andrew McLaren

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Our special election series features interviews with the many men and women seeking your vote to be Chattanooga's next Mayor. Today's episode features a conversation with candidate Andrew McLaren.

Learn more about Andrew's campaign: https://www.mclarenformayor.com/

Hamilton County Election Commission: https://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

Looking for more discussion about local Chattanooga elections? Check out the Chattanooga Civics podcast: http://bit.ly/3aNmH4L

2021 Mayoral Candidate - Russell Gilbert

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Our special election series features interviews with the many men and women seeking your vote to be Chattanooga's next Mayor. Today's episode features a conversation with candidate Russell Gilbert.

Learn more about Councilman Gilbert's campaign: https://www.voterussellgilbert.com/home

Hamilton County Election Commission: https://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

Looking for more discussion about local Chattanooga elections? Check out the Chattanooga Civics podcast: http://bit.ly/3aNmH4L

2021 Mayoral Candidate - Dr. Elenora Woods

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 11:48:39 +0000

Our special election series features interviews with the many men and women seeking your vote to be Chattanooga's next Mayor. Today's episode features a conversation with candidate Dr. Elenora Woods.

Learn more about Dr. Woods' campaign: https://www.docwoods.org/

Hamilton County Election Commission: https://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

In the episode, we discuss training for our local police force. At The Camp House we have hosted several events with the CPD Cadet Program that focuses on immersing cadets in the minority communities of Chattanooga. Chokeholds are also mentioned in this episode and, just to clarify, CPD officers are not trained to use nor allowed to use chokeholds or neck restraints. To learn more, please check out this episode we did with Chief Roddy: https://thecamphouse.simplecast.com/episodes/95cb41db

Looking for more discussion about local Chattanooga elections? Check out the Chattanooga Civics podcast: http://bit.ly/3aNmH4L

2021 Mayoral Candidate - Chris Dahl

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 9 Feb 2021 10:30:00 +0000

Our special election series features interviews with the many men and women seeking your vote to be Chattanooga's next Mayor. Today's episode features a conversation with candidate Chris Dahl.

Learn more about Chris Dahl's campaign: http://electchrisdahl.com

Hamilton County Election Commission: https://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

In the episode, we discuss how our oldest neighborhoods are often our strongest tax base. For more on strong neighborhoods and tax base please watch this presentation from Strong Towns founder Chuck Marohn presented by the Chattanooga Design Studio at The Camp House in 2018: https://bit.ly/3aJVFeD

Looking for more discussion about local Chattanooga elections? Check out the Chattanooga Civics podcast: http://bit.ly/3aNmH4L

2021 Mayoral Candidate - Erskine Oglesby

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Mon, 8 Feb 2021 10:30:00 +0000

Our special election series features interviews with the many men and women seeking your vote to be Chattanooga's next Mayor. Today's episode features a conversation with candidate Erskine Oglesby (currently serving as City Councilman for District 7).

Learn more about Erskine's campaign: https://erskineoglesby.com/election/

In the episode we discussed the Area Plans currently being created for different parts of our city & county. Learn more here: https://chcrpa.org/planning-projects/land-use-plans/area-plans/

Hamilton County Election Commission: https://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

2021 Mayoral Candidate - Chris Long

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Fri, 5 Feb 2021 10:30:00 +0000

Our special election series features interviews with the many men and women seeking your vote to be Chattanooga's next Mayor. Today's episode features a conversation with candidate Chris Long.

Learn more about Chris's campaign: https://www.chrislongformayor.com/

Hamilton County Election Commission: https://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

2021 Mayoral Candidate - Kim White

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 4 Feb 2021 10:30:00 +0000

Our special election series features interviews with the many men and women seeking your vote to be Chattanooga's next Mayor. Today's episode features a conversation with candidate Kim White.

Learn more about Kim's campaign: https://www.kimwhiteformayor.com/

Hamilton County Election Commission: https://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

2021 Mayoral Candidate - Tim Kelly

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Wed, 3 Feb 2021 10:30:00 +0000

Our special election series features interviews with the many men and women seeking your vote to be Chattanooga's next Mayor. Today's episode features a conversation with candidate Tim Kelly.

Learn more about Tim's campaign: https://www.kellyforcha.com/

A couple other resources we discussed in the podcast:

Hamilton County Election Commission: https://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

2021 Mayoral Candidate - Monty Bruell

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 2 Feb 2021 10:30:00 +0000

Our special election series features interviews with the many men and women seeking your vote to be Chattanooga's next Mayor. Today's episode features a conversation with candidate Monty Bruell.

Learn more about Monty's campaign: https://montybruell.com/

Hamilton County Election Commission: https://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

Living The Dream with Christian Rushing (2021 Re-release)

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Mon, 1 Feb 2021 10:30:00 +0000

Our annual re-release of one of our favorite interviews with Christian Rushing who passed away two years ago on February 1, 2017. Christian is a radiant person whose joy is infectious and whose wisdom should not be forgotten.

Original episode description:

Ask Christian Rushing how he is doing and I can promise you he will say "Living the dream!".

Seventeen months ago Christian was given a diagnosis of terminal cancer. Despite that, Christian is one of the most radiant people you will ever have the pleasure to meet. And so far Christian has defied the odds. The doctors gave him a year to live and up to this point Christian has pushed the limits and is a statistical outlier.

This conversation gets deeply personal. It is a conversation about life, death, prayer, and family.

Thank you again to Christian for sitting down for this conversation, it is one that I will be forever grateful for and will always remember.

Learn more about Christian's story and follow his journey on his blog: http://christianrushing.blogspot.com/

2021 Update & Election Series Intro

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 17:15:58 +0000

It has been a long time since we have published an episode of the Podcast. But with the turning of the calendar it is time for a new season for The Camp House and the podcast. This spring The Camp House will reopen in our new location. We can't wait to be able to share with you all that we have planned for Camp House 3.0!

Beginning next week we will release interviews with many of the men & women running for Mayor of Chattanooga, right here on the podcast. Remember that our local elections are held on March 2nd and early voting begins February 10th!

The Road to This Moment: Beginning to Understand Systemic Racism & Injustice

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 2 Jun 2020 15:42:06 +0000

The only way to understand this moment is to understand 400 years of systemic injustice. Today's podcast aspires to that goal but is simply the tip of the iceberg. This episode is based on a post Matt Busby created and is largely an audio version of that post on Facebook, cataloguing the thesis of Ibram X. Kendi's book "Stamped From The Beginning" that every moment of racial progress in the United States is met but an equal racist backlash that limits or abolishes that progress. Systemic racism is not about the hatred of one individual toward another but the ways in which our very systems reinforce racist outcomes, divisions, and ideas.

Link to the original Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/mattb25/posts/10222389687080436

An Anti-Racist Resource Guide that Camp House podcast alum Teal Thibaud shared on FB: https://bit.ly/3gJItIV

Video seminar featuring Ibram X. Kendi and centered on his book I reference in the episode, "Stamped From The Beginning": https://bit.ly/2ACpNKv

Living The Dream with Christian Rushing (2020 Re-release)

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 4 Feb 2020 20:11:31 +0000

Original episode description:

Ask Christian Rushing how he is doing and I can promise you he will say "Living the dream!".

This conversation gets deeply personal. It is a conversation about life, death, prayer, and family.

Thank you again to Christian for sitting down for this conversation, it is one that I will be forever grateful for and will always remember.

Learn more about Christian's story and follow his journey on his blog: http://christianrushing.blogspot.com/

Community Benefit Agreements

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 5 Sep 2019 20:10:37 +0000

Over the past few years hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in Chattanooga. But how do we ensure that money is actually benefitting our neighbors, employing our local construction workers, improving our community, and not simply contributing to unjust outcomes in the years to come? Community Benefit Agreements, or CBAs, are one tool that communities are utilizing to make sure development has large scale community improvement outcomes. To walk us through CBAs and how they can improve life in Chattanooga I have two guests, Austing Sauerbrei of the Chattanooga Area Labor Council and Sean Paul Kimball of the local Iron Workers Union.

Like our previous discussion on Area Plans, CBAs are another tool for our community to build a more sustainable and resilient future. But like Area Plans, CBAs require our engagement in order to improve our community, they require you to get involved. Hopefully this conversation will inspire just that.

Referenced in this episode:

Times Free Press Article from March on CBAs in East Chattanooga - http://bit.ly/2kuk9Cw
Current CBAs around the country, including Nashville's MLS Soccer Stadium - http://bit.ly/2k1Yb9P
A Guide for CBAs - http://bit.ly/2lzK2kG

What Is An Area Plan?

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby, John Bridger, Karen Hundt) — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 09:00:07 +0000

How do we begin to shape the future of our communities? Roads, zoning, growth, natural resources... There are so many issues that must be taken into account as we begin to plan for the future of our community. So many in fact it can feel overwhelming and make people feel that they don't have a voice in the future of the place they love. That is where the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency (RPA) hopes to help.

The RPA is currently creating Area Plans for every section of our county. Area Plans guide how, when, and where new growth, redevelopment and preservation should occur in a particular area. By leveraging community engagement and asset assessments, each Area Plan is tailored to the values and needs of the different parts of our county.

In the episode we discuss the need and importance of these Area Plans and the process by which the RPA engages the community to give residents voice in the future of their beloved neighborhoods.

Referenced in this episode:

C-HCRPA Website - https://chcrpa.org/
C-HCRPA Comprehensive Plan - https://chcrpa.org/index.php/planning-projects/comprehensive-plan/
Area Plans - https://chcrpa.org/index.php/planning-projects/land-use-plans/area-plans/
Area 3 Plan - https://chcrpa.org/index.php/project/area-3-plan/
Area 12 Plan - https://chcrpa.org/index.php/project/area-12-plan/

Housing At A Glance

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 16:49:02 +0000

What is "affordable" housing? How do we calculate what is affordable for the average family or household in Chattanooga? Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise is an organization committed to creating economically diverse neighborhoods filled with financially empowered neighbors and house for all. This past spring CNE released their Housing At A Glance report to give a snapshot of the state of housing in Chattanooga. The report digs into numbers and definitions to help us understand many of the questions and terms associated with the housing challenges that our community is facing.

Referenced in this episode:

What Is Responsible Development?

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 09:00:03 +0000

To begin our series exploring housing & development in Chattanooga we wanted to lay a foundation defining what good development looks like. Anytime we are discussing development we are really talking about growth. So is all growth a good thing for our city? How can we steward the growth of our city to be a place that is sustainable and resilient over time? Join us as we begin this conversation exploring such an a critical topic impacting our community.

Featuring Eric Myers of the Chattanooga Design Studio, Jim Johnson of Chattanoogans for Responsible Development, and Justin Tirsun, a city planner who has worked in both the public and private sector.

Referenced in this episode:

Chattanooga Design Studio - https://www.chattanoogastudio.com/
Chattanoogans for Responsible Development - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1885179471492466/
Strong Towns - https://www.strongtowns.org/
Strong Towns Podcast - "Thoughts on Incremental Development" - http://bit.ly/32gZsez

Season 4 Preview - Housing & Development in Chattanooga

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 09:00:24 +0000

The Camp House Podcast is back with a new sound and new focus! This summer we are switching to a season based format with a focused theme.

Our theme for Season 4 is Housing & Development in Chattanooga. Drive down any street and you are sure to see it: new apartment buildings, renovated warehouses (working on ours now!), and new homes. Our city is changing, fast. Season 4 will focus on the development of Chattanooga and introduce you to many of the organizations who are working on these issues. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the pace of change. Our hope is that each of these episodes will help inform you on how our city is growing and even be able to equip you to take part in this important conversation.

2020 HCDE Budget Conversation with Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 4 Jun 2019 09:00:00 +0000

In today's special episode, Dr. Bryan Johnson joins us to discuss the requested budget increase for the 2019-2020 Hamilton County Department of Education budget. This is not a conversation on whether or not we should increase the budget or how we should raise that money, but walking item by item through the request to understand how these additional funds will benefit our students, teachers, and schools. This is a critical conversation for our community and one we must understand in order to better prepare our children and community for the future.

The budget request falls in to five broad categories: Accelerating Student Achievement, Engaged Community, Efficient & Effective Operations, Great Teachers & Leaders, Future Ready Students. Each category has specific areas that will direct the new funding to help with everything from increasing the number of counselors and social workers to providing elementary art teachers in every school and reading specialists to help our children read at grade level by 3rd grade.

Referenced in this episode:

HCDE 2019/2020 Budget Proposal - http://bit.ly/2KqwGl9
Budget Highlights (slides 51-55) - http://bit.ly/2Kojltt

Community Bail Fund with Michael Gilliland

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 09:00:00 +0000

My guest, Michael Gilliland, is the chair of Chattanooga Organized for Action (COA), one of the founding members of CALEB - Chattanooga in Action for Love, Equality, and Benevolence. CALEB seeks to bring various organizations in Chattanooga, including the faith community, together to address issues affecting our community. Their first initiative is creating a Community Bail Fund, an alternative to the tradition cash bail system. In the episode Michael discusses the inadequacies and inequality inherent in a money bail system and the long term debt cycle that keeps our community members trapped in poverty, whether they are guilty of their crimes or not. The Community Bail Fund helps give an opportunity to those in our communities who would otherwise have very few options.

This is an unjust system affecting many of our neighbors and a system that contributes to generational poverty in our community in much the same way that predatory lending keeps people trapped in cycles of debt and poverty.

Referenced in this episode:

CALEB Website - https://www.calebcha.org/bailfund.html
CALEB Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/CALEBChatt/
NY Times Magazine - https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/magazine/the-bail-trap.html

State of the System 2019 - Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 09:00:00 +0000

A special episode re-broadcasting HCDE Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson's State of the System address originally delivered on February 7, 2019. Dr. Johnson's speech lays out a vision of our public school system growing into the future, highlighting a five year plan approved and adopted by the Hamilton County School Board. The goals of the five year plan are attainable, measurable, and, most importantly, address the needs and challenges of our children and our educational system.

The episode is only Dr. Johnson's speech. To see the entire event, including student performances, an address from Mayor Coppinger, and slides associated with the speech, please watch the full YouTube video: https://youtu.be/84qVYJMbdmg

Leading Our Schools with HCDE Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson (Re-Release)

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 14:05:00 +0000

A re-release of our most listened to episode, a conversation introducing you to Hamilton County Department of Education Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson.

Original Episode Description:

Dr. Bryan Johnson is the new Superintendent of Hamilton County Schools. In this episode we discuss the challenges and opportunities of one of our most critical public institutions and by the end of the conversation it is clear that Dr. Johnson is a leader ready to go to work for the teachers, families, and children of Hamilton County.

Urban Design with Christian Rushing (Re-Release)

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 7 Feb 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Our third re-release episode features another conversation with Christian Rushing, this one on urban design. The episode is a good introduction the history of urban design in contemporary Chattanooga. But more importantly Christian discusses how the shape of our city is a reflection of our own values as a community.

Original Episode Description:

What do our public spaces say about us? How does the design of the places we inhabit shape our imaginations and lived experiences?

Christian Rushing has a background in architecture but ultimately fell in love with urban planning, the process of designing cities and public spaces for the common good. At one time Christian was part of the Downtown Planning & Design Studio and is now the Executive Director of the Chattanooga Design Studio.

Referenced in the podcast:

http://www.chattanoogastudio.com/
http://www.christianrushing.com/
http://christianrushing.blogspot.com/
Chattanooga Downtown Plan - http://bit.ly/2b1YV8B
City Center Plan - http://bit.ly/2aHzCWS
Madison St. Development - http://bit.ly/2b9w2cd

Living The Dream with Christian Rushing (2019 Re-release)

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Fri, 1 Feb 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Original episode description:

Ask Christian Rushing how he is doing and I can promise you he will say "Living the dream!".

This conversation gets deeply personal. It is a conversation about life, death, prayer, and family.

Thank you again to Christian for sitting down for this conversation, it is one that I will be forever grateful for and will always remember.

Learn more about Christian's story and follow his journey on his blog: http://christianrushing.blogspot.com/

Every Building Builds A City: Form Based Code with Karen Hundt (Re-Release)

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 13:00:00 +0000

We are taking some time to re-release some older episodes that are still relevant today and we begin with our discussion with Karen Hundt on downtown Chattanooga's Form Based Code.

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In the summer of 2016 Chattanooga City Council passed a document that will literally shape our city's future, the new Form Based Code. Breaking away from a coding system that was created in the 1950s to support the development of suburbs, the new Form Based Code is the result of community vision for more than a decade. In the Downtown Plan of 2005 and the City Center Plan of 2013 we dreamed about the future of our city. Now we have the code in place to make it a reality. Karen Hundt of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency joins us to talk about the process, vision, and details of this new coding system.

Referenced in this episode:

Downtown Chattanooga Form Based Code (the actual, massive document) - http://bit.ly/2d3CKNd

CHA-FBC Website - http://bit.ly/2dcf0qC

Placemakers - this link is the one Karen mentions where you can find other cities who have adopted similar Form Based Codes - http://bit.ly/2cz86L6

Regional Planning Agency - http://bit.ly/2cEaTYW

2013 City Center Plan - http://bit.ly/2bSvVj3

2005 Downtown Plan - http://bit.ly/2ckZNGQ

2019 Special Announcement

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 10:00:00 +0000

A brief message to update you on the podcast and coming changes!

Conservation in Chattanooga with Mark McKnight (Part 2)

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 8 Nov 2018 21:00:00 +0000

Mark McKnight is the Executive Director of Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center. In this second half of our conversation we discuss the fight to save the endangered Red Wolf and the future of Reflection Riding's innovative efforts to promote conservation and ecology in Chattanooga.

Referenced In This Episode:

Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center website - https://reflectionriding.org/www
Yellowstone Documentary on the Re-introduction of the Grey Wolf - https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/wolves-yellowstone/
iNaturalist App - https://www.inaturalist.org/
Roots Rated - https://rootsrated.com/
Mark's Opinion Piece in the Times Free Press - http://bit.ly/2P0pRKG

Conservation in Chattanooga with Mark McKnight (Part 1)

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 09:00:00 +0000

Mark McKnight is the Executive Director of Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center. In this first half of our conversation we discuss Mark's transition from leading one of Chattanooga's most exciting startups to leading one of our community's oldest nature conservatories as well as the creation and history of Reflection Riding.

Referenced in this episode:

Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center website - https://reflectionriding.org/www
Roots Rated - https://rootsrated.com/
Mark's Opinion Piece in the Times Free Press - http://bit.ly/2P0pRKG

Hidden Tears with Troy Rogers

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 9 Oct 2018 09:15:00 +0000

Troy Rogers is the Public Safety Coordinator for the city of Chattanooga. Troy strives everyday to help those in our city struggling to get out of a cycle of violence and poverty, all of whom are victims in one way or another. In our conversation we discuss the challenges facing many of the young people growing up in Chattanooga and their "hidden tears", the years of bottled up emotional pain, anger, and disappointment. Ultimately Troy gives these men hope by walking alongside them and opening up doors to new opportunities.

Chattanooga 2.0 Two Years Later with Jared Bigham

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 6 Sep 2018 09:00:00 +0000

Two years ago we launched the podcast with an episode introducing you to Chattanooga 2.0. Now we circle back with Chatt 2.0's Jared Bigham to learn how we have progressed in making Chattanooga the smartest community in the south! In the course of our conversation we explore 2.0's work focused on early childhood, K-12, and post-secondary education.

Referenced in this episode:

"Closing the opportunity gap is top priority for Chattanooga 2.0" Times Free Press Opinion Article by Jared Bigham - http://bit.ly/2wNKL4F
The Chattanooga Basics -https://www.chattanoogabasics.org/
Chattanooga 2.0 Website - https://chatt2.org/

2018 Election Series - District 8 School Board Candidate Tucker McClendon

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 09:01:00 +0000

2018 Local Election Series featuring District 8 Hamilton County School Board candidate Tucker McClendon.

Our local election series introduces you to candidates running for local offices of Hamilton County Mayor, County Commission, and Hamilton County School Board.

Links:

Times Free Press 2018 Election Guide: https://www.timesfreepress.com/voterguide/2018/
Hamilton County Election Commission website: http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/
Map of Hamilton County Commission Districts: http://www.hamiltontn.gov/commission/images/Commission%20districts.jpg
Candidate Tucker McClendon's Website: http://tuckermcclendon.com/

2018 Election Series - District 9 School Board Candidate D'Andre Anderson

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 09:00:00 +0000

2018 Local Election Series featuring District 9 Hamilton County School Board candidate D'Andre Anderson.

Our local election series introduces you to candidates running for local offices of Hamilton County Mayor, County Commission, and Hamilton County School Board.

Links:

Times Free Press Election Guide - https://www.timesfreepress.com/voterguide/2018/
Hamilton County Election Commission website: http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/
Map of Hamilton County Commission Districts: http://www.hamiltontn.gov/commission/images/Commission%20districts.jpg
Candidate D'Andre Anderson's Website: https://www.facebook.com/votedandre/

2018 Election Series - District 6 School Board Candidate Jenny Hill

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 09:01:00 +0000

2018 Local Election Series featuring District 6 Hamilton County School Board candidate Jenny Hill.

Our local election series introduces you to candidates running for local offices of Hamilton County Mayor, County Commission, and Hamilton County School Board.

Links:

Hamilton County Election Commission website: http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/
Map of Hamilton County Commission Districts: http://www.hamiltontn.gov/commission/images/Commission%20districts.jpg
Candidate Jenny Hill's Website: https://www.votejennyhill.org/

2018 Election Series - District 6 School Board Candidate Michael Henry

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 09:00:00 +0000

2018 Local Election Series featuring District 6 Hamilton County School Board candidate Michael Henry.

Our local election series introduces you to candidates running for local offices of Hamilton County Mayor, County Commission, and Hamilton County School Board.

Links:

Hamilton County Election Commission website: http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/
Map of Hamilton County Commission Districts: http://www.hamiltontn.gov/commission/images/Commission%20districts.jpg
Candidate Michael Henry's Website: http://michaelhenryfortheschools.com/

2018 Election Series - District 6 Candidate David Sharpe

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 09:00:00 +0000

2018 Local Election Series featuring County Commission District 6 candidate David Sharpe.

Our local election series introduces you to candidates running for local offices of Hamilton County Mayor, County Commission, and Hamilton County School Board.

Links:

Hamilton County Election Commission website: http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

Map of Hamilton County Commission Districts: http://www.hamiltontn.gov/commission/images/Commission%20districts.jpg

Candidate David Sharpe's Website: https://www.votesharpe.com/

2018 Election Series - District 4 Candidate Christopher Dahl

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 08:45:00 +0000

2018 Local Election Series featuring County Commission District 4 candidate Christopher Dahl.

Our local election series introduces you to candidates running for local offices of Hamilton County Mayor, County Commission, and Hamilton County School Board.

Links:

Hamilton County Election Commission website: http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

Map of Hamilton County Commission Districts: http://www.hamiltontn.gov/commission/images/Commission%20districts.jpg

Candidate Christopher Dahl's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ElectChrisDahl/

Chattanooga Has History Page - http://www.chattanoogahashistory.com/

2018 Election Series - Hamilton County Mayor Candidate Aloyse Brown

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 09:00:00 +0000

Our local election series introduces you to candidates running for local offices of Hamilton County Mayor, County Commission, and Hamilton County School Board.

Links:

Hamilton County Election Commission website: http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/
Candidate Aloyse Brown's Website: https://www.aloyseformayor.com/

Referenced in this episode:

Constructing the Dynamo of Dixie: Race, Urban Planning, and Cosmopolitanism in Chattanooga, Tennessee by Courtney Elizabeth Knapp: https://amzn.to/2uiBIaD
The Poverty Puzzle: http://bit.ly/2mPSb42

2018 Election Series - District 3 Commission Candidate Rosabelle Gorman

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 09:00:00 +0000

2018 Local Election Series featuring County Commission District 3 candidate Rosabelle Gorman.

Our local election series introduces you to candidates running for local offices of Hamilton County Mayor, County Commission, and Hamilton County School Board.

Links:

Hamilton County Election Commission website: http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/
Map of Hamilton County Commission Districts: http://www.hamiltontn.gov/commission/images/Commission%20districts.jpg
Candidate Rosabelle Gorman's Website: https://www.votegorman.com/

2018 Election Series - District 3 Commission Candidate Greg Martin

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 09:00:00 +0000

2018 Local Election Series featuring County Commission District 3 candidate Greg Martin.

Our local election series introduces you to candidates running for local offices of Hamilton County Mayor, County Commission, and Hamilton County School Board.

Links:

Hamilton County Election Commission website: http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/
Map of Hamilton County Commission Districts: http://www.hamiltontn.gov/commission/images/Commission%20districts.jpg
Candidate Greg Martin's Website: http://www.electgregmartin.com/

2018 Election Series - District 2 Candidate Chip Baker

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 09:00:00 +0000

2018 Local Election Series featuring County Commission District 2 candidate Chip Baker.

Our local election series introduces you to candidates running for local offices of Hamilton County Mayor, County Commission, and Hamilton County School Board.

Links:

Hamilton County Election Commission website: http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/
Map of Hamilton County Commission Districts: http://www.hamiltontn.gov/commission/images/Commission%20districts.jpg
Candidate Chip Baker's website: https://chipbakercommission.com/

2018 Election Series - District 2 Candidate Elizabeth Baker

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 09:00:00 +0000

2018 Local Election Series featuring County Commission District 2 candidate Elizabeth Baker.

Our local election series introduces you to candidates running for local offices of Hamilton County Mayor, County Commission, and Hamilton County School Board.

Links:

Hamilton County Election Commission website: http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/
Map of Hamilton County Commission Districts: http://www.hamiltontn.gov/commission/images/Commission%20districts.jpg
Candidate Elizabeth Baker's Website: https://www.elizabethbakerdistrict2.com/

2018 Local Election Series

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 09:00:00 +0000

This summer we have an ambitious series to interview all local candidates for the office of County Mayor, County Commission, & Hamilton County School Board before the August 2nd election!

Hamilton County Election Website: http://elect.hamiltontn.gov/

Bike To Work Day 2018

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Wed, 6 Jun 2018 09:00:00 +0000

Bike To Work Day 2018 was on May 18th and GreenTrips Chattanooga hosted a panel discussion that our host, Matt Busby, had the pleasure to moderate. Our panelists include Mayor Andy Berke, Councilman Erskine Oglesby, Director of Community Development Donna Williams, and MLK Neighborhood Association Board Member Chris Lykins. Our discussion explores the impact of multi-modal transportation, and specifically bike lanes, on the growth and equity within our community.

Check out the GreenTrips Chattanooga website to learn more: http://www.greentripscha.org/

Innovation District Framework Plan with Mary Stargel & Toyin Lanade

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 22 May 2018 09:00:00 +0000

Back in March, the Enterprise Center unveiled the next phase of Chattanooga's Innovation District with a Framework Plan. The plan is more than just a framework for development, it also reveals the values of the district and the strategies to take the ID to the next level. We are joined by the Enterprise Center's Mary Stargel, Director of Programs, and Toyin Lanade, Marketing & Communications Director.

Referenced in this epsiode:

Innovation District Website: https://www.chainnovate.com/
The Framework Plan: https://framework.chainnovate.com/

Chattanooga Design Studio - Part 2: South Broad District Study

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 3 May 2018 09:00:00 +0000

We continue our conversation with Eric Myers, Sally Morrow, & Lindsey Willke of the Chattanooga Design Study. In this episode we explore the recently released South Broad District Study.

Referenced in this episode:

Chattanooga Design Studio website - http://bit.ly/2HuEZcc
South Broad District plan - http://bit.ly/2qpnDWW
City Council "OKs" South Broad Street Plan - http://bit.ly/2KwVw09

State of the City 2018 - Mayor Andy Berke

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 09:00:00 +0000

Special episode re-broadcasting Mayor Andy Berke's 2018 State of the City address delivered on April 19, 2018

Video of Mayor Andy Berke's 2018 State of the City - https://youtu.be/Zd66lKAnsM8

Chattanooga Design Studio - Part 1

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 09:00:00 +0000

The Chattanooga Design Studio believes that we can make Chattanooga a great place to live for everyone through excellent urban design. In this conversation I am joined by the Studio's Eric Myers, Lindsey Willke, and Sally Morrow. In the first half of our conversation we discuss what urban design is and its importance for creating thriving communities. We also discuss a range of their work, both past and present. The second episode, to be released next week, focuses on their recently released framework plan for the South Broad District.

Referenced in this episode:

Chattanooga Design Studio website - http://bit.ly/2HuEZcc
South Broad District plan - http://bit.ly/2qpnDWW
Cityscapes I - http://bit.ly/2qnPLJU
Chattanooga Design Studio programs - http://bit.ly/2HfIKEM
Connect with CURB on Facebook - http://bit.ly/2IMQ4Vg

Homelessness in Chattanooga with Sam Wolfe

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 09:00:00 +0000

Sam Wolfe is the Homeless Program Coordinator for the city of Chattanooga. In this episode Sam discuss the state of homelessness in Chattanooga by recounting the recent Point-In-Time Count as well as broadening our imagination of the type of neighbors in our city who may be dealing with homelessness. We also talk about the recent successes of the recent initiative to house homeless veterans and how that could provide a model for bringing together a coalition of partners to create a new initiative that can serve most vulnerable in our community.

Mentioned in this episode:

Times Free Press Article on the Point-In-Time Count: http://bit.ly/2GkxXp8
Chattanooga Interagency Council on Homelessness announcement: http://bit.ly/2E3JGWR
Facebook Video of Mayor Andy Berke signing the CICH: http://bit.ly/2uuIDjf
Sign up here for more information on the CICH: http://bit.ly/2pNfPxF

April is for (Public) Art with Katelyn Kirnie

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 09:00:00 +0000

Public Art Chattanooga has been responsible for some of the largest and most beautiful projects in our city over the past few years. Katelyn Kirnie is the Director of Public Art Chattanooga and in this episode shares some of the exciting projects coming up in the next few weeks including the Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit, the Wilcox Tunnel Mural, and the new sculpture being installed at the Blue Goose Hollow entrance to the Riverwalk. With so much going on in the coming weeks, Katelyn also announces Artburst, a month long event celebrating Chattanooga's city wide explosion of color in April.

Mentioned in this episode:

Artbusrt Chattanooga website (including an amazing lineup of events) - https://www.artburstchatt.com/

APEX Project with Unifi-Ed

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 6 Mar 2018 10:00:00 +0000

The APEX (Action Plan for Educational Excellence) Project is the latest initiative of Unifi-Ed that seeks to engage the community and pull everyone into the conversation on public education. Over the past six months they have been engaging and listening to the community and the result is the APEX Policy Platform, a synthesis of the ten most popular solutions to improve our community and our public education system. Joining us to discuss the results of the APEX Project are Unifi-Ed’s Alexa LeBeouf and Ashley Conrad as well as APEX steering committee members Samantha Boucher and Cary Garrett.

Referenced in this episode:

Unifi-Ed Website -http://www.unifi-ed.org/
APEX Project - http://unifi-ed.org/apex/
"Dismantling Segregation" Event with Nikole Hannah-Jones - http://bit.ly/2FUMyIh

Curbing Predatory Lending with Metro Ideas Project

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 11:45:00 +0000

Metro Ideas Project is a local policy think tank that is focused on the challenges of mid-sized cities. Their Executive Director, Joda Thongnopnua, joins us to discuss their latest research project exploring the challenges that communities face when dealing with predatory lenders.

As an industry, predatory lending was virtually non-existent thirty years ago, yet today brick-and-mortar payday lenders are more common than McDonalds. So in this episode we explore how this industry became so ubiquitous, who are they targeting with their high-interest financial loans, and, finally, what best practices or policy recommendations empower communities to curb these predatory institutions that take advantage of our neighbors?

Referenced in this episode:

Metro Ideas Project website: https://metroideas.org/
Metro Ideas Project report on predatory lending in Tennessee: https://metroideas.org/projects/fighting-predatory-lending-in-tennessee/
Joda's opinion piece on predatory lending for the Chattanoogan: http://bit.ly/2EKCLGu

Living The Dream with Christian Rushing (Rerelease)

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 1 Feb 2018 10:00:00 +0000

Today's episode is a rerelease of one of our first episodes with Christian Rushing, one of the most radiant individuals I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Christian passed away a year ago today, February 1, 2017, and today's rerelease is to honor a man whose life, joy, and wisdom we should never forget.

Original episode description:

Ask Christian Rushing how he is doing and I can promise you he will say "Living the dream!".

This conversation gets deeply personal. It is a conversation about life, death, prayer, and family.

Thank you again to Christian for sitting down for this conversation, it is one that I will be forever grateful for and will always remember.

Learn more about Christian's story and follow his journey on his blog: http://christianrushing.blogspot.com/

A Library for the 21st Century with Mary Barnett

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 10:00:00 +0000

A public library is a great resource for a community. But how do libraries respond when the world around them changes? In today's episode we talk with the Chattanooga Public Library's Mary Barnett and explore how our public library is a progressive, responsive institution ready to serve our community in the 21st century.

Referenced in this episode:

Chattanooga Public Library website - http://chattlibrary.org/
Creative Entreprenuer's Conference - http://chattlibrary.org/events/conference

A Life & Culture of Entrepreneurship with Kevin Cherrick

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Entrepreneurship is certainly a term associated with Chattanooga and even a common theme on this podcast. In our interview today guest Kevin Cherrick helps de-mystify entrepreneurship and, being a newcomer to Chattanooga, gives an outsider's perspective on the unique attributes of Chattanooga that make it such a great place for entrepreneurship.

Referenced in this episode:

Infinite Closet - http://bit.ly/2AU9zsj
Chattanooga Innovation District - https://www.chainnovate.com
List of Entrepreneur Resources that Kevin shares in the podcast - http://bit.ly/2jYAlZz

Whiteboard: Chattanooga's B-Corp Business with Taylor Jones, Eric Brown, & Lauri Moyle - PART 2

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 10:05:00 +0000

Whiteboard is a digital agency focused on working with purposeful companies and is Chattanooga's only B-Corporation certified company. In this episode we are joined by Whiteboard founders Taylor Jones & Eric Brown to discuss the significance of the certification, the purpose of business, and the ethics of operating a company in our digital 21st century.

~ PART 2 OF 2 ~

Lauri Moyle, creator of Thankful Gleaner, focuses on helping businesses connect with their ethical core and joins this episode as a co-host.

Referenced in this episode:

Whiteboard's website - http://whiteboard.is
B-Corp website - http://bit.ly/2Al9mk5
B-Corp Declaration (quoted by Eric in the episode) - http://bit.ly/2BoUxtH
Thankful Gleaner - https://www.thankfulgleaner.com
Reformation of Internet Manners written by Eric Brown - http://bit.ly/2jzhlPY

Whiteboard: Chattanooga's B-Corp Business with Taylor Jones, Eric Brown, & Lauri Moyle - PART 1

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 10:00:00 +0000

~ PART 1 OF 2 ~

Lauri Moyle, creator of Thankful Gleaner, focuses on helping businesses connect with their ethical core and joins this episode as a co-host.

Referenced in this episode:

Whiteboard's website - http://whiteboard.is
B-Corp website - http://bit.ly/2Al9mk5
B-Corp Declaration (quoted by Eric in the episode) - http://bit.ly/2BoUxtH
Thankful Gleaner - https://www.thankfulgleaner.com
Reformation of Internet Manners written by Eric Brown - http://bit.ly/2jzhlPY

The End of Innovation with Dr. Greg Thompson

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 10:00:00 +0000

This special episode is from our new Theology on Tap Podcast. Dr. Greg Thompson was our guest for Theology on Tap during Chattanooga's 2017 Startup Week. As our city continues to grow an innovation and entrepreneurship economy, what will be the markers of our success? How will we evaluate our success in creating a community in which all of our neighbors are thriving and enjoying this new economy? Dr. Thompson's lecture is timely for our city and our community as we wrestle with these questions.

As I said in the intro, this being a "Theology On Tap" lecture it will obviously have a theological bend to it. However, I think it is a lecture that everyone will benefit from and, if you are not a person of faith, then will be at the very least encouraged by the fact that there are Christians and people of faith engaging innovation and their communities in the way that Dr. Thompson shares here.

Recorded live at The Camp House in Chattanooga, TN on October 17.

What is the end of innovation? Why do we even innovate to begin with and how will we know if we are successful in such an endeavor? Dr. Greg Thompson seeks to pull our imaginations to the deeper questions of why innovation will matter for our communities in the 21st century.

Greg Thompson is the Director of Research and Strategy at Clayborn Reborn, a historic Civil Rights site in Memphis Tennessee. He is also a Senior Advisor for the Tom Tom Founders Festival in Charlottesville, Virginia. Before joining Clayborn and Tom Tom Greg served as the CEO of the Thriving Cities Group, a Civic Design firm based in Charlottesville, Virginia and as the Executive Director of New City Commons, a consulting team that supports faith-based communities in the work of serving their cities. Greg is also active in national conversations surrounding race and equity in America and holds a PhD from the University of Virginia where he wrote his dissertation on Martin Luther King, Jr.

Theology on Tap Chattanooga Podcast - http://apple.co/2wLEVOW
Clayborn Reborn - https://www.claybornreborn.org
Thriving Cities - http://thrivingcities.com
New City Commons - http://newcitycommons.com

Other talks by Dr. Greg Thompson on Qideas.org - http://qideas.org/contributors/greg-thompson/

Meet Your New Police Chief David Roddy

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 09:00:00 +0000

In this episode we have the privilege of introducing you to new Chattanooga Police Chief David Roddy. In many ways this conversation is a continuation of my conversation with his predecessor, former Chief Fred Fletcher. We discuss the process of looking for a new Chief, the department's work to recruit a more diverse force, and continue the conversation on community policing in Chattanooga.

Referenced in this episode:

Article - Chattanooga City Council confirms David Roddy as Police Chief - http://bit.ly/2yhPQTD

The Company Lab with Marcus Shaw

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 5 Oct 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Marcus Shaw is the new Executive Director of The Company Lab, or as it is more commonly known, the Co Lab. The Co Lab has been at the center of Chattanooga entrepreneurial ecosystem for years now and in this episode we learn more about the role they play within our community. Along the way we get to know new leader Marcus Shaw, discuss the importance of diversity for innovation, and the vision of Co Lab moving forward as it continues to grow alongside Chattanooga's innovation economy.

Referenced in this episode:

The Company Lab website - http://colab.co
Startup Week Chattanooga - http://startupweekcha.com
New HCDE Teacher Recruitment Website - https://teachchattanooga.org
Glass Street LIVE event this Sunday - https://www.facebook.com/events/473154383044571/

Ed Johnson Memorial with Eleanor McCallie Cooper & LaFrederick Thirkill

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Ed Johnson was the last African American man to be lynched on Walnut Street bridge in 1906. His story is a tragedy and one of the darkest moments in Chattanooga's history. Today, a group of citizens are working to honor his legacy and remember his story by creating a memorial at the south end of the bridge with the hope that it will bring conversation and reconciliation in our community. My guests, Eleanor McCallie Cooper and LaFrederick Thirkill, are two of the committee members working to bring this memorial to life.

Referenced in this episode:

Ed Johnson Project Website - https://www.edjohnsonproject.com/
"Contempt of Court" Book written on Ed Johnson and court battle - http://amzn.to/2ybfN8P
Journal article about Ed Johnson's death and trial - http://bit.ly/2hCkilx
"Should We Tear Down The Statues of the Confederate Generals?" Opinion piece written by Eleanor McCallie Cooper - http://bit.ly/2fCDAqx

Leading Our Schools with Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 31 Aug 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Levitt Amp Concert Series Preview with Shane Morrow

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 09:00:00 +0000

The Levitt Amp Concert Series is coming to Chattanooga this fall! The series will begin on August 24th and take place every Thursday through October on the Bessie Smith Lawn. My guest, Shane Morrow, shares the vision behind bringing this series to Chattanooga as well as preview the diverse line up.

Referenced in this episode:

Levitt Amp Chattanooga website - http://concerts.levittamp.org/chattanooga
YouTube playlist feat. the artists coming this fall - http://bit.ly/2wRriOR

NEW STUDIO SPONSOR - Chattanooga Public Library & Dynamo Studios

http://chattlibrary.org/thestudio
https://www.dynamostudios.org/

Glass House Collective with Teal Thibaud

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 1 Aug 2017 09:00:00 +0000

While we have talked about Glass House Collective events on the podcast before, we have never really heard their story. In this episode we sit down with Executive Director Teal Thibaud about how it all began and the important lessons on community development that they have learned along the way.

http://www.glasshousecollective.org/

Causeway Challenge VI with Abby Garrison

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 09:00:00 +0000

"How can we use creativity to increase civic engagement?" That is the latest Causeway Challenge question! In this episode we sit down with Causeway's Abby Garrison to discuss this challenge as well as their previous challenges and the impact they have had on our community. At the end of the conversation we also discuss a new corner market store that is being planned for the bottom floor of Patten Towers along Georgia Avenue that will serve the tower residents as well as the rest of downtown.

Referenced in this episode:

Causeway Challenge website - http://bit.ly/2tIPDDv
Causeway's Blog - http://bit.ly/2uB7HUx
Challenge VI Pinterest Board - http://bit.ly/2uF4eEl
Patten Towers Market Survey - http://bit.ly/2tsuVwr

Meet Your New City Council: District 7's Erskine Oglesby

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Our final episode in this special series introducing you to Chattanooga's newly elected City Council members features District 7's Erskine Oglesby. Councilman Oglesby has an extensive professional background across multiple sectors but, in the end, service is the virtuous thread that ties it all together and led him to run for Chattanooga’s City Council.

If you have missed any of the previous episodes featuring our new City Council members - District 4's Darrin Ledford, District 9's Demetrus Coonrod, & District 8's Anthony Byrd - then please get to know them in our previous episodes!

Fund Hamilton County's Future! with UnifiEd's Jonas Barriere & Natalie Cook

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 09:00:00 +0000

In this special episode we take a break from our series on the new Chattanooga City Council members to keep you updated on the Hamilton County budget that will affect the funding of our schools. We began this conversation a few episodes back with HCDE School Board Member Tiffanie Robinson. As of last week, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger has proposed a budget with no changes or increases for school funding. In this episode we introduce you to local education organization UnifiEd and I am joined by their Executive Director, Jonas Barriere, and Communications Director, Natalie Cook, to discuss the impact of that proposed budget both for student achievement and the long standing back log of facilities needs that now tops an estimated total of $200-$360 million.

Referenced in this episode:

Unifi-Ed's website - http://unifi-ed.org/
"Hamilton County Budget Again Has No Property Tax Hike for School Funding" TFP Article from which I quote from in the episode -http://bit.ly/2s3hD7h
Updated TFP article on Mayor Coppinger's willingness to increase funding with public support and his open letter to Hamilton County School Board Chairman Steve Highlander - http://bit.ly/2rjn8vO
Report from the School Budget Working Group composed of eleven Chattanooga business and civic leaders - http://bit.ly/2seXgSA
HCDE Facility Plan in Priority Order dated February 16, 2017 - http://bit.ly/2ssiUp7

Meet Your New City Council: District 8's Anthony Byrd

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 6 Jun 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Part three of our series introducing you to Chattanooga's newly elected city council members features District 8's Anthony Byrd. In this episode Anthony shares his experience growing up in east Chattanooga, singing in a boy band with Usher, the influence of his parents in shaping the person he has become, and the incredible diversity of The Amazing 8!

Referenced in this episode:

Councilman Byrd's boy band Nu Beginnings feat. Usher: https://youtu.be/4h2hgBR7yZY

Meet Your New City Council: District 9's Demetrus Coonrod

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 25 May 2017 09:00:00 +0000

In this interview, City Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod shares her story of growing up in Chattanooga, the path that led her to prison, and the redemption of turning her life around over the past ten years. Now she is a member of our City Council and a story of hope that our city can be proud of.

Referenced in this episode:

John Kern's Times Free Press article supporting Councilwoman Coonrod - http://bit.ly/2qifO3h

Meet Your New City Council: District 4's Darrin Ledford

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 11 May 2017 09:00:00 +0000

In this new series we sit down with our newly elected officials to hear their story and their calling to public service. Our series kicks off with District 4's Councilman Darrin Ledford.

Councilman Ledford shares his hope to work with everyone on the council to tackle the challenges throughout our city, citing public safety and infrastructure as chief concerns. What may be most impressive about Councilman Ledford is his willingness, even eagerness, to listen and collaborate with constituents throughout the city to make this a thriving community for everyone.

A Budget For Our Children with HCDE School Board's Tiffanie Robinson

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 2 May 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Last week Hamilton County Department of Education School Board passed a budget to send on to the Hamilton County Commission, but they did so along with a significant request. In this interview with the School Board's Finance Chairwoman Tiffanie Robinson we break down that request as well as discuss a couple other initiatives that will hopefully help move public education forward in Hamilton County.

Referenced in this episode:

Unifi-Ed's Breakdown of the Budget Request - http://bit.ly/2oRHY8n
Unifi-Ed's Tool to find your local representatives - http://bit.ly/2p2zffD
Unifi-Ed's Guide to Hamilton County Schools - http://bit.ly/2p2zffD

East Chattanooga Highlight Festival Preview

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 09:00:00 +0000

April is unofficially Chattanooga's Arts & Culture month! In this episode Glass House Collective's Whitni McDonald joins us to preview the Highlight Festival in East Chattanooga. The Festival is a three day event centered around Jen Lewin's The Pool, an interactive art piece that lights up the night, and Gospel on Glass. The event will be Friday through Sunday, April 21-23, in East Chattanooga.

Event Page with full details including volunteer & vendor information: http://www.glasshousecollective.org/eastchatthighlight/
Jen Lewin's The Pool: http://jenlewinstudio.com/the-pool

Protecting Our Children with Kristen Pavlik McCallie

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Kristen Pavlik McCallie is the interim Director of the Children's Advocacy Center of Hamilton County, a non-profit organization housed in the new Family Justice Center that serves and protects some of our community's most vulnerable - children who have suffered abuse.

April is Child Abuse Awareness and in this episode we discuss the work of the "CAC" and the progressive model by which they serve victims of child abuse and assist in investigating cases of injustice in our community.

Referenced in this episode:

CACHC Website - http://www.cachc.org/
Family Justice Center Website - http://connect.chattanooga.gov/fjc/
CACHC Events - http://www.cachc.org/news-events/
CACHC Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/CACofHamiltonCounty/

Building a Music Economy with Mary Howard Ade, Candace Davis, & Stratton Tingle - Part 2

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 6 Apr 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Part two of our discussion on Chattanooga's music economy with Mary Howard Ade, Candace Davis, and Stratton Tingle. In this episode we focus on the work of SoundCorps, a non-profit organization focused on equipping and educating artists and others involved in the music industry to make Chattanooga a great place to create, play, and love music.

Referenced in this episode:

CVB Website - http://www.chattanoogafun.com/
CVB Video - Great American Music - https://youtu.be/eX-ARTnTJdg
SoundCorps Website - https://soundcorps.org/

Building a Music Economy with Mary Howard Ade, Candace Davis, & Stratton Tingle - Part 1

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 4 Apr 2017 09:00:00 +0000

From the legacy of the Big Nine to the creation of one of the earliest music festivals, Chattanooga has always had a rich music heritage. But recently there has been increasing focus to expand on that heritage for the 21st century. Today's conversation involves three people involved in just such an endeavor: Chattanooga Visitors Bureau's Mary Howard Ade & Candace Davis and SoundCorp's Stratton Tingle.

The first half of our conversation revolves around the impetus to focus on building our music economy and the efforts of the CVB to highlight Chattanooga as a city of music, both for locals and tourists.

CVB Website - http://www.chattanoogafun.com/
CVB Video - Great American Music - https://youtu.be/eX-ARTnTJdg
SoundCorps Website - https://soundcorps.org/

Jazzanooga with Shane Morrow

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Jazzanooga is dedicated to promoting jazz in Chattanooga through education and performance. In this episode we talk with Shane Morrow, the director and co-founder of Jazzanooga, to talk about Chattanooga's music legacy and preview their April festival.

Referenced in the episode:

Jazzanooga's website: https://www.jazzanooga.org/

Songbirds Guitar Museum with Johnny Smith

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 09:00:00 +0000

The electric guitar isn't just any ordinary musical instrument. It was the catalyst for an entire shift in music and culture. Since Leo Fender's invention hit the stage in the 1950s music has never been the same. Johnny Smith is the President & CEO of the new Songbirds Guitar Museum, the most exclusive collection of rare guitars in the world. The museum's mission is to tell the story of the guitar by taking guests through a chronological exploration of how the instrument evolved and developed over time and the impact it has had on our culture ever since.

Referenced in this episode:

Songbirds Guitar Museum website - https://songbirdsguitars.com/

Tech Goes Home with Kelly McCarthy

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Over that past few years Chattanooga has been recognized worldwide as the city with the fastest internet. Indeed, we have reinvented ourselves as the Gig City. But we all know that not everyone is able to take advantage of this new reality. Tech Goes Home Chattanooga is one organization seeking to address this digital divide in our community. Kelly McCarthy is the program director and in today’s episode she shares the way this digital literacy initiative is transforming the lives, and opportunities, of people in Chattanooga and throughout Hamilton County.

Reference in this episode:

Tech Goes Home Chattanooga website: https://techgoeshomecha.org/
The Enterprise Center: http://bit.ly/2ftZB6s
The Edney: http://bit.ly/2egRpZC
"Internet For All" Slate Placemakers Podcast - a more story-driven look at Tech Goes Home CHA that we highly recommend you listen to: http://slate.me/2nnp6dg

Dialogues Chattanooga with Robert Winslow

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 7 Mar 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Robert Winslow's dive into documentary filmmaking began with the polarization he saw sweeping the country a few years ago. In 2014 he returned to his native southern roots to explore the stories in southern communities and he began here in Chattanooga with "The Chattanooga Story" as part of his Southern Dialogues series. The success and interest in that film has spurred the creation of a new series, Dialogues Chattanooga, looking at the big questions facing our city. Robert is interested in how we are answering these questions, both as individuals and as a community. In this episode we discuss these big questions facing Chattanooga and the films he has created to shed light on the conversations and initiatives in our city that are seeking to engage these challenges.

Referenced in this episode:

Southern Dialogues website: http://bit.ly/2mPF9TY
The Chattanooga Story - Robert's first film in the Southern Dialogues series: https://youtu.be/a4DCoZJv9YI
Dialogues Chattanooga: http://bit.ly/2mPF9TY
The Poverty Puzzle from the Chattanooga Times Free Press: http://bit.ly/2mPSb42
Chattanooga 2.0: http://chatt2.org/

The Legacy of the Big Nine - Part 2

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 2 Mar 2017 10:00:00 +0000

The second half of our live event, The Legacy of the Big Nine, picks up right where the first half left off. In this episode we focus on the impact of the urban renewal projects of the 1950s on the African American community. We also spend a good amount of time digging into the rich musical heritage of the Big Nine. Finally, the conversation finishes up with an audience Q & A.

My guests for this event that you will hear from included City Councilman Moses Freeman, Bessie Smith Cultural Center’s Dionne Jennings, Jazzanooga’s Shane Morrow, and writer Charlie Moss. Thank you so much to everyone who came out and made this first live event such a success!

Referenced in this episode:

1960s Chattanooga Sit-ins - http://on.mash.to/2lZrMiT
Jazzanooga - http://bit.ly/jazzanooga
Bessie Smith Cultural Center -http://www.bessiesmithcc.org/
"The Lost Music Town of Tennessee" by Charlie Moss - http://bit.ly/2mEafd7
"Nice Chops If You Can Get It" by Charlie Moss - http://bit.ly/2lPzE4s

The Legacy of the Big Nine - Part 1

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 10:00:00 +0000

The Legacy of the Big 9 is one of the historical treasures of Chattanooga. Beginning in the late 19th century, 9th Street, known today as Martin Luther King Blvd., was the heart of our city’s African American culture. On February 20th we recorded our first live podcast event to discuss this legacy and here in this first half of our conversation we focus on the establishment and growth of the area up to the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. My guests for this event that you will hear from included City Councilman Moses Freeman, Bessie Smith Cultural Center’s Dionne Jennings, Jazzanooga’s Shane Morrow, and writer Charlie Moss.

Referenced in this episode:

1960s Chattanooga Sit-ins - http://on.mash.to/2lZrMiT
Jazzanooga - http://bit.ly/jazzanooga
Bessie Smith Cultural Center -http://www.bessiesmithcc.org/
"The Lost Music Town of Tennessee" by Charlie Moss - http://bit.ly/2mEafd7
"Nice Chops If You Can Get It" by Charlie Moss - http://bit.ly/2lPzE4s

Purposity with Blake Canterbury & Eric Brown

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Blake Canterbury is the founder of Purposity, a new organization that seeks to connect people as directly as possible to real needs in their community. The name itself is a reflection of their mission, a combination of the words "purposeful generosity". In this interview we are joined by Whiteboard co-founder Eric Brown, whose local Chattanooga company was instrumental in developing Purposity and bringing the platform to our city.

To sign up for Purposity, check out their website: http://www.purposity.com/

Referenced in this episode:

Whiteboard - http://whiteboard.is/
"The Way We Think About Charity Is Dead Wrong" by Dan Pallotta - http://bit.ly/2lNhBhL

The Camp House Podcast LIVE is Tonight!

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Our premier LIVE EVENT is tonight, February 20th, at 6:30pm at The Camp House! We are going to be talking about the Legacy of the Big Nine, the historic African American business and cultural district that we know today as Martin Luther King Blvd. The event will be in a panel discussion format and joining me will be City Councilman Moses Freeman, Dionne Jennings of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, Shane Morrow of Jazzanooga, and local writer Charlie Moss who has published several pieces on the history of the Big Nine. After the formal questions there will be a time of audience Q&A so I am really looking forward to having you guys there and hopefully participating and contributing to tonight’s conversation.

Music in this episode: "Do Your Duty" by Bessie Smith, 1933

Investing In A Local Economy with Andrew Kean

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Andrew Kean has spent time in both the private and public sectors of Chattanooga. As a result, he has a unique and timely perspective on what it means to invest in a local community, to steward our city and our local economy well in order to make Chattanooga a great place for everyone and for those who come after us. In this episode Andrew shares his story of coming to Chattanooga and eventually starting Alderman Holdings, a company created with three of his friends focused on maintaining and growing local small businesses.

Referenced in this episode:

Alderman Holdings - http://www.alderman-holdings.com/
Woody Tasch & Slow Money Movement - https://slowmoney.org/
Rock City Gardens - http://www.seerockcity.com/
Chattanooga Whiskey - http://chattanoogawhiskey.com/
"A More Valuable Citizenship" by Andrew Kean -http://bit.ly/2led7Qf

Lamp Post Group with Ted Alling

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 7 Feb 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Ted Alling has become an important figure in the startup economy of Chattanooga. In this episode we discuss his story from entrepreneur starting a business with his friends to those same partners creating startup incubator Lamp Post Group. In the midst of the story our conversation moves on to leadership, education, and what makes Chattanooga such a great place to live, work, and give back.

Referenced in this episode:

Lamp Post Group website: http://lamppostgroup.com/
Dynamo: http://dynamo.vc/
Article on Chattanooga Prep Charter School: http://bit.ly/2lhVaNE
Techstars: http://bit.ly/2kfU6tH

Chattanooga FC with Sean McDaniel

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 10:00:00 +0000

What a great week to talk about soccer in the Scenic City! In this episode we sit down with Chattanooga FC General Manager Sean McDaniel to discuss the history of the club, this Friday's match featuring the US Men's National Team taking on Jamaica at Finely Stadium, plus a whole slew of other announcements that promise to make this a great year for soccer in Chattanooga.

Links for this episode:

Chattanooga FC website: http://bit.ly/2jOGJQR
Tickets for USMNT vs. Jamaica: http://bit.ly/2kkni62

2016 Spirit of Innovation Keynote Address by Stephen Culp

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Innovation isn't just for "brainiacs, dot comers, & techy hipsters", it is for all of us and it holds the power to transform our city and our community. That is the message in this special episode of the podcast featuring Stephen Culp's keynote address from the 2016 Spirit of Innovation Awards hosted by the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce.

Special thank you to Stephen Culp, Bill Kilbride, and everyone at the Chamber of Commerce for their permission to re-air this speech here on the podcast!

Reference in this episode:

Entire 2016 Spirit of Innovation Awards: https://youtu.be/Lrj59stWgnM
2016 Spirit of Innovation Awards Keynote Address: https://youtu.be/d0ZJjSOrPN8

End Modern Slavery Initiative with U.S. Senator Bob Corker

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 10:00:00 +0000

In December Congress passed the End Modern Slavery Initiative, an enormous step in the fight to end modern slavery around the world. The initiative's author and primary champion was our very own U.S. Senator Bob Corker. In this brief interview we discuss a bit about his time in Chattanooga serving as mayor, time in the Senate, and then spend the rest of the conversation talking about his passion for this new initiative that he has been passionate about.

Referenced in this episode & other links:

Senator Corker's EMSI page - http://bit.ly/2iVaizD
End Modern Slavery Initiative Act - http://bit.ly/2jk3FdQ
International Justice Mission - https://ijm.org/
Human Trafficking in TN - http://bit.ly/2jwvI6Z

Chattanooga Organizations:

Second Life - http://bit.ly/2itbc5u
7th Well - http://bit.ly/2ixWDAU

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 10:00:00 +0000

A short message of Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and what to look forward to in 2017!

We would love to hear from you! Please take a moment for this short 10 question survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LGGWCB5

What is The Camp House? with Matt Busby - Part 2

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Abby Garrison) — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 10:01:00 +0000

PART 2 OF 2

Coffee shop... Cafe... Venue... Third Space... Gathering Space... Now, apparently, a media platform... Exactly what is The Camp House?

That is our driving question as we turn the tables on regular host Matt Busby and put him in the seat of the interviewee. Abby Garrison of Causeway is our guest host for this episode as we explore the vision of The Camp House, its relationship with the Mission Chattanooga, and the move from the Southside to the heart of the city on ML King Blvd.

Referenced in this episode:

Year One Report - A report published for the Mission Chattanooga detailing the cultural & community impact of The Camp House's first year on ML King Blvd. (2016 Report will be forthcoming) - http://bit.ly/2hNi69j
Mission Chattanooga website - http://missionchattanooga.org/

What is The Camp House? with Matt Busby - Part 1

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Abby Garrison) — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 10:00:00 +0000

PART 1 OF 2

Coffee shop... Cafe... Venue... Third Space... Gathering Space... Now, apparently, a media platform... Exactly what is The Camp House?

Referenced in this episode:

Year One Report - A report published for the Mission Chattanooga detailing the cultural & community impact of The Camp House's first year on ML King Blvd. (2016 Report will be forthcoming) - http://bit.ly/2hNi69j
Mission Chattanooga website - http://missionchattanooga.org/

Coming to America: The Story of Us with Sasa Hasanbegovic, Daniela Peterson, & Felipe Lara

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 10:00:00 +0000

A new collective is giving voice to a growing population in Chattanooga: immigrants and refugees. Coming To America has been around for a few months now, bringing people together around storytelling. In this episode three of the founders - Sasa Hasanbegovic, Daniela Peterson, & Felipe Lara - share the story of finding each other and coming together to share their experiences. Beginning around living rooms and kitchen tables, Coming To America has grown to invite more people to share their journeys and cultures.

Check out their Facebook page to learn more: https://www.facebook.com/ctacollective/

J.A. Henry YMCA with Bill Rush

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 6 Dec 2016 10:00:00 +0000

If I were to ask you to describe the YMCA, my guess is you would either sing a pop song or imagine a really nice gym. Odds are you would describe a place with a physical building that had something to do with workout machines or a pool. But in Chattanooga we have a very unique branch of our local YMCA, the J.A. Henry Community YMCA. It doesn't have a brick-and-mortar location. It doesn't have elite workout equipment or an incredible kids play area. Rather this decentralized branch is located throughout the community, operating in nearly every neighborhood throughout Chattanooga. As a result, this branch has an unusual approach to help our community solve some of its greatest challenges when it comes to youth development, social responsibility, and healthy living.

Referenced in this episode:

J.A. Henry Community YMCA - http://ymcachattanooga.org/jahenry/
Togetherhood - http://www.ymca.net/togetherhood/
Pray For Me - http://prayformecampaign.com/

THRIVE 2055 Part 2 with Bridgett Massengill

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 10:00:00 +0000

The second half of our conversation with Bridgett Massengill on THRIVE 2055 focuses on the four initiatives that came out of their community surveys: Economic Development, Education, Transportation, & Natural Treasures. Learn more how these four initiatives can help make this region known as a place where people are educated, with good jobs, living in a great place.

http://thrive2055.com/
http://www.greentripscha.org/

THRIVE 2055 Part 1 with Bridgett Massengill

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 10:00:00 +0000

Our city doesn't stand alone, we are connected. The success of one nearby community benefits the entire region. Luckily there is an organization thinking about this, meet THRIVE 2055! THRIVE 2055 is a citizen-led, public-private endeavor to engage people from across the 16-county, tri-state Chattanooga region of Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama to make the most of our economic opportunities while preserving what we love about our home communities.
In this first half of our interview with Executive Director Bridgett Massengill we define THRIVE 2055's purpose and discuss bringing together such a diverse number of stakeholders to distill a common community vision.

http://thrive2055.com/

River City Company with Kim White

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 10:00:00 +0000

The River City Company is an advocate for a healthy and vibrant downtown Chattanooga. In many ways, the River City Company is the embodiment of what is known as "the Chattanooga way" - the coming together of various public and private sectors of our city to push forward a common vision for our city. And that is just what the River City Company was created to do, bring together the public, private, and philanthropic sectors of Chattanooga to create a community driven plan to move our city into the future. In this episode we talk about the unique role of the River City Company and the impact it has had on our city.

Referenced in this episode:

River City Company website - http://bit.ly/2fQ4QMI
City Center Plan - http://bit.ly/2bSvVj3

What Is The Innovation District? with Ken Hays & Ann Coulter - Part 2

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 10:00:00 +0000

Our Innovation District is attracting national attention. This episode is the second half of our conversation with ID leaders Ken Hays & Ann Coulter. This half of the conversation focuses on the unique assets of Chattanooga, the importance of diversity for innovation, and digital equity.

Referenced in this episode:

"The City That Was Saved by the Internet" by Motherboard - http://bit.ly/2fnb1bJ
Tech Goes Home Chattanooga - https://techgoeshomecha.org/
Slate Placemakers Podcast on Tech Goes Home Chattanooga - http://slate.me/2eE4Qyo
"Convergence Drives New Ideas" from Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders - http://stanford.io/2fgdlDB
Innovation District website - http://bit.ly/2egMyrL
The Edney - http://bit.ly/2egRpZC
The Enterprise Center - http://bit.ly/2ftZB6s

What Is The Innovation District? with Ken Hays & Ann Coulter - Part 1

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 8 Nov 2016 10:00:00 +0000

Our city has a new district that is attracting national attention, the Innovation District. Today's episode is the first half of our conversation with two leaders in our city, Ken Hays and Ann Coulter. Ken and Ann share the story of how the district was created in the wake of the gigabit infrastructure developed by Chattanooga's EPB as well as the vision for the way this district can shape our city into the future!

Referenced in this episode:

Innovation District website - http://bit.ly/2egMyrL
The Edney - http://bit.ly/2egRpZC
The Enterprise Center - http://bit.ly/2ftZB6s
"How Much Does Place-making Matter for Innovation?" EDGE Magazine - http://bit.ly/2fiCb3j

Not referenced but stuff you should check out anyway!

NY Times Article on Chattanooga's Innovation District - http://nyti.ms/2c0m4VF
National League of Cities report on Chattanooga's Innovation District - http://bit.ly/2fxczT9
Brookings Institute article on Chattanooga's Innovation District - http://brook.gs/2eHfzeF
Brookings Institute Case Study on Chattanooga - http://brook.gs/2fxYovo

The Blue Trees with Konstantin Dimopoulos & Katelyn Kirnie

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 3 Nov 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Drive or walk around Chattanooga and you are bound to do a double take as you see something that is both odd and capitivating... Blue Trees. For the past two weeks our downtown trees have been colored blue in a new art installation created by artist Konstantin Dimopoulos. Kon is a world renown artist, known for his ability to highlight social and environmental issues through art. In this episode we discuss the vision and meaning behind the Blue Trees and we are joined by Public Art Chattanooga's Katelyn Kirnie for a conversation on the importance of public art for our community.

Referenced in this episode:

Learn more about the Blue Trees in Chattanooga: http://bit.ly/2fgbfBW
Kon's website: http://bit.ly/2fjgW0C
Family Fun Day Event at the Bessie on 11/5: http://bit.ly/2fwYEOv
Sir Ken Robinson "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" TED Talk: http://bit.ly/2fjjsEa

Office of Multicultural Affairs with James McKissic

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 1 Nov 2016 09:00:00 +0000

One of the little known branches of our city government is the Office of Multicultural Affairs. James McKissic has been the Director of the office for nearly four years and in that time the department has become more active in the community. In this episode, James shares the vision of the department and how they work to make Chattanooga a more equitable place for all of our city's diverse cultural populations.

Referenced in this episode:

Office of Multicultural Affairs website - http://bit.ly/2eOkxGX
Join their mailing list to learn of upcoming classes and seminars, please email: oma@chattanooga.gov

LAUNCH with Hal Bowling

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Hal Bowling is a co-founder of LAUNCH, an organization created to help bridge the gap between the entrepreneurial eco-system of our city and those who have been traditional left out of the story. Starting in Alton Park six years ago, the mission of LAUNCH is to empower underserved communities and individuals through entrepreneurship. In this episode we discuss the history of LAUNCH and how it helped create and incubate over 100 local businesses right here in our community.

Referenced in this episode:

LAUNCH website - http://www.launchchattanooga.org/
LAUNCH Business Directory - http://bit.ly/2dE9MYp
Harvard Business Review: "We Need To Expand Our Definition of Entrepreneurship" - http://bit.ly/2epvVey

Community Policing with Police Chief Fred Fletcher

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Fred Fletcher was given a task when he was sworn in as the Chief of Police of the Chattanooga Police Department in 2004: create a culture of community policing and incorporate best practices in order to make Chattanooga a safer community, for everyone. In today's interview we discuss what community policing is and how it is not just a buzz word for our police department, but a guiding philosophy. Through laying out a clear mission and vision, engaging the community, and incorporating new technology and departments, Police Chief Fred Fletcher is creating a police force that is well equipped to serve our city.

Referenced in this episode:

Chattanooga Police Department's Mission, Vision, & Values - http://bit.ly/2dX6GfT
The Trace - http://bit.ly/2eep8Ab
Victim Services Unit - http://bit.ly/2ezzcr9
Each One, Reach One - http://bit.ly/2djlqru

...There's a Way - Causeway with Abby Garrison Part 2

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 09:00:00 +0000

This is the second half of our conversation about Causeway with Executive Director Abby Garrison. In the first half we discussed the vision and history of Causeway and in this episode we get into the programming of the organization and the innovative ways that they empower community members to help solve the various challenges in our city. In this episode we really try to highlight to key events that Causeway has coming up:

Submissions for the current Causeway Challenge are due on October 29th
ONE TABLE, a community wide Thanksgiving potluck event that brings together all Chattanoogans, is coming up on Nov. 21st and we would love for you to be involved!

Referenced in this episode:

Current Causeway Challenge - http://www.causeway.org/challenge/
ONE TABLE - http://www.causeway.org/onetable/

Where There's A Cause... Causeway with Abby Garrison Part 1

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Causeway is one of the most progressive and interesting non-profits in Chattanooga. Started by a group of entrepreneurs, Causeway has always valued supporting people willing to solve the problems and challenges they see in their own communities. In this first episode, Executive Director Abby Garrison explains a little of the history and evolution of Causeway from a non-profit, tech focused startup to a brick and mortar hub & front door to our Chattanooga community. Part 2 will be release Thursday, Oct. 13th, and will focus on the actual programming of Causeway, including the most current Causeway Challenge.

http://www.causeway.org/

"Chattanooga Is Our Business" by Causeway Founder Stephen Culp - http://bit.ly/2dZqmOG

Moccasin Bend National Park with Michael Wurzel

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 4 Oct 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Did you know we have a National Park right here in our city? Right here in the middle of Chattanooga? If you live or work downtown my guess is that you will see it or pass by it today. And yet, when you hear mention of Moccasin Bend your first thought is probably not "National Park". But the truth is that just across the river is one of the most historically rich pieces of land in the entire southern United States and finally that land is being protected to recognize that rich and historical importance. Our guest today is Michael Wurzel, Executive Director of Friends of Moccasin Bend National Park, and he is going to unpack that rich history for us as well as share the vision for this unique treasure of our city.

Referenced in this episode:

Friends of Moccasin Bend Website - http://bit.ly/2dmP4xh
Friends of Moccasin Bend Facebook Page - http://bit.ly/2dFjyu7
The Curious Case of Moccasin Bend by RootsRated - http://bit.ly/2dNGOSN
Chattanooga & Chickamauga National Military Park - http://bit.ly/2da6UhL

Co.Starters & Summit Preview with Enoch Elwell & Will Joseph

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 09:00:00 +0000

This episode is part two of our StartUp Week Chattanooga preview focusing on the Co.Starter's Summit. Co.Starters is an organization that exists to help you get your idea off the ground and guide people through the landscape of entrepreneurship and business. It is also much more than that. But it is also so much more than that. Listen in as two of Co.Starters founders, Enoch Elwell and Will Joseph, share how their organization has blossomed from simply providing a curriculum into an international network of community & business leaders looking to solve problems through leveraging relationships, innovation, and business. The Summit itself is an event that runs in conjunction to StartUp Week, so in the process we run through a preview of their programming and events.

https://costarters.co/

StartUp Week Preview with Stephanie Hays

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Fall is one of the busiest seasons in Chattanooga with incredible events like Ironman, 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival, RiverRox, & a week long celebration of entrepreneurship, innovation, and ideas: StartUp Week! In this episode I sat down with Lamp Post Group's Stephanie Hayes to preview SOME of the events happening from Oct. 3rd - 7th. This year is bigger and better than ever with approximately 175 events going on throughout our downtown. With such a diversity of events this year, StartUp Week has something for everyone!

On Thursday we will release a second preview episode with our friends at Co.Starters to talk specifically about the Co.Starter Summit that happens as a part of StartUp Week.

To create your own schedule of events for StartUp Week you can sign up here: http://bit.ly/2dfj74m

Glass Street LIVE Event Preview

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 15:45:00 +0000

Glass Street LIVE is a community wide block party on Glass Street on Saturday, September 24th presented by the residents of East Chattanooga and organized by our good friends at Glass House Collective. Listen in to hear a preview of the event and come out an enjoy a day of parade, art, music, and history on Glass Street!

Event link: http://bit.ly/2dclEgq

Referenced in this episode:

Glass House Collective - http://bit.ly/2cFUqxK
Wayne White's Incredible Puppets - http://bit.ly/2cUulMU
Sherman's Reservation - http://bit.ly/2ddNqxq

Every Building Builds a City: Form Based Code with Karen Hundt

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 09:00:00 +0000

This past summer the Chattanooga City Council passed a document that will literally shape our city's future, the new Form Based Code. Breaking away from a coding system that was created in the 1950s to support the development of suburbs, the new Form Based Code is the result of community vision for more than a decade. In the Downtown Plan of 2005 and the City Center Plan of 2013 we dreamed about the future of our city. Now we have the code in place to make it a reality. Karen Hundt of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency joins us to talk about the process, vision, and details of this new coding system.

Referenced in this episode:

Downtown Chattanooga Form Based Code (the actual, massive document) - http://bit.ly/2d3CKNd
CHA-FBC Website - http://bit.ly/2dcf0qC
Placemakers - this link is the one Karen mentions where you can find other cities who have adopted similar Form Based Codes - http://bit.ly/2cz86L6
Regional Planning Agency - http://bit.ly/2cEaTYW
2013 City Center Plan - http://bit.ly/2bSvVj3
2005 Downtown Plan - http://bit.ly/2ckZNGQ

TechTown with Cordell Carter

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 09:00:00 +0000

TechTown is a new non-profit technology center located right here in Chattanooga. Cordell Carter is the CEO & Executive Director of TechTown. In this episode Cordell shares the vision behind this new organization to be a place that equips and inspires the youth of our city to be the next generation innovators and entrepreneurs that will carry our city forward into the future. One of the biggest gaps in our technology infrastructure is the need for a talent pipeline. TechTown not only wants to solve that problem by providing qualified professionals but to do so by empowering the children and youth from the communities within our city that would not normally have such opportunity. This episode is not just about vision, it is also a testimony to the ways in which we can bridge the gap between the economic opportunities in our city and those who need those opportunities the most.

Referenced in this episode:

TechTown's Website - http://gotechtown.org/
Chattanooga 2.0 - http://chatt2.org/

The Future of Our Miller Park District with Mayor Andy Berke, Wes Michaels, & Jenny Park - Part 2

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 8 Sep 2016 09:00:00 +0000

This is the second half of our conversation about the future of Miller Park, Miller Plaza, & Patten Parkway. In our first episode we talked about the vision for these downtown spaces and the process that went into the new design. In today's episode landscape architect Wes Michaels details the design elements in each space and gives us an audio tour of our future urban core. So open the Miller Park website below to see the designs for yourself and follow along for this journey through the new Miller Park District!

Referenced in this episode:

Miller Park City Website - http://bit.ly/2ceEE09
City Center Plan 2013 - http://bit.ly/2bSvVj3
Spackman, Mossop, Michaels - http://bit.ly/2bOM8aM
NY Times Article on the Innovation District - http://nyti.ms/2c0m4VF

The Future of Our Miller Park District with Mayor Andy Berke, Wes Michaels, & Jenny Park - Part 1

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 6 Sep 2016 09:00:00 +0000

The future of Chattanooga's city center will look very different. By 2018 the number of people residing in our downtown will have doubled and the public spaces that we take for granted will be completely transformed. In today's episode we sit down with Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, Landscape Architect Wes Michaels, & City of Chattanooga's Jenny Park to discuss the vision for the future of our downtown and the redesign of Miller Park, Miller Plaza, & Patten Parkway. Our second episode on Thursday will feature Wes giving us an audio tour of the new designs, an exciting mixture of passive and active spaces that will be a new landmark for our city for generations to come.

Referenced in this episode:

Miller Park City Website - http://bit.ly/2ceEE09
City Center Plan 2013 - http://bit.ly/2bSvVj3
Spackman, Mossop, Michaels - http://bit.ly/2bOM8aM
NY Times Article on the Innovation District - http://nyti.ms/2c0m4VF

Teacherpreneur with Geoff Millener & Kelsey Huynh

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Teacherpreneur is a program to empower teachers to solve the biggest challenges they face in their classrooms and schools. Modeled after Co.Lab's 48 Hour Launch event, Teacherpreneur helps teachers take a big idea and mold it into a basic model that they can then "pitch" to the community. Oh, and its all within 48 hours...

In today's podcast we learn more about the program from Public Education Foundation's Geoff Millener & this year's Teacherpreneur pitch night winner, Kelsey Huynh from East Side Elementary.

Referenced in the podcast and updated resources:

Public Education Foundation: http://bit.ly/2bvIR13
Teacherpreneur Website: http://bit.ly/2bvJmrJ
Kelsey Huynh's pitch for Helping Hands, Ending Hunger: http://bit.ly/2bwEVKy
Teacherpreneur 2016 Pitch Night: http://bit.ly/2c3Lmmv
Further Teacherpreneur Funding Grants Announced: http://bit.ly/2bNa1zV

Passageways with River City Company's Amy Donahue

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 09:00:00 +0000

How do we bring life back into the forgotten spaces of our urban landscape?
In this episode we sit down with River City Company's Amy Donahue to learn more about River City Company and preview their latest project, Passageways, a design competition in partnership with the Tennessee chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The purpose of Passageways is to "re-imagine Chattanooga’s alleyways; to breathe life into these auxiliary spaces, to create a place, a destination in itself, and to demonstrate the value, the importance, and the potential of these between spaces and the significance they have to our built urban fabric."

Party In The Passageways will be the unveiling event for the design competition taking place on Wednesday, August 24th from 5:30-8:30pm at Miller Plaza. Please join us for an evening of exploration, design, music, and more. Plus you will have the chance to meet the architects and designers from around the country and the world who created these beautiful spaces for our community to enjoy!

Referenced in this episode:

Passageways Website: http://passagewayschattanooga.com/
Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/231124933949393/
River City Company: http://www.rivercitycompany.com/
AIA Tennessee: http://aiatn.org/

Metro Ideas Project with Joda Thongnopnua - Part 2

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 09:00:00 +0000

In this episode Joda and I dive into the heart of their policy recommendations for education finance in Hamilton County. The conversation primarily revolves around Student-Based Budgeting, an approach to education finance that shifts the focus away from programs and onto students. We also explore the need to empower principals and the importance of communication in building trust between institutions and the people they serve.
Connect with Metro Ideas Project at http://metroideas.org/

References in the Podcast:

Op-Ed for the Chattanooga Times Free Press on Principals written by Joda Thongnopnua: http://bit.ly/2bdnZZG
Joda and I talk about the growing influence of Mayors. If you are unfamiliar with that discussion check out this TED Talk from Benjamin Barber: http://bit.ly/2beP91N
Citizen's Guide to the Budget (HCDE): http://bit.ly/2aZP6Ui

Metro Ideas Project with Joda Thongnopnua - Part 1

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Metro Ideas Project is a new public policy think tank focused on mid-sized cities created here in Chattanooga. In this episode we talk about the new think tank and the vision to explore the contextual challenges faced by growing urban areas as well as open the discussion on their first project, education finance in Hamilton County. Understandably, our education budget is complex but it is also the largest publicly funded budget in our county. The exciting thing is how interesting and palatable the team at Metro Ideas have made that information. Please check out their interactive website to see what I mean and learn more about the funding for each one of our schools:

http://metroideas.org/

Living The Dream with Christian Rushing

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Ask Christian Rushing how he is doing and I can promise you he will say "Living the dream!".

This conversation gets deeply personal. It is a conversation about life, death, prayer, and family.

Thank you again to Christian for sitting down for this conversation, it is one that I will be forever grateful for and will always remember.

Learn more about Christian's story and follow his journey on his blog: http://christianrushing.blogspot.com/

Urban Design with Christian Rushing

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 9 Aug 2016 09:00:00 +0000

What do our public spaces say about us? How does the design of the places we inhabit shape our imaginations and lived experiences?

Referenced in the podcast:

http://www.chattanoogastudio.com/
http://www.christianrushing.com/
http://christianrushing.blogspot.com/
Chattanooga Downtown Plan - http://bit.ly/2b1YV8B
City Center Plan - http://bit.ly/2aHzCWS
Madison St. Development - http://bit.ly/2b9w2cd

Chattanooga 2.0 with Jared Bigham Part 2

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Thu, 4 Aug 2016 10:00:00 +0000

Jared Bigham is the coordinator of Chattanooga 2.0, a new county wide effort to examine our education and career readiness pipeline. As Jared describes, Chattanooga 2.0 is a cradle-to-career initiative. This is the second part of our interview with Jared Bigham.

Resources and organizations referenced in the interview:

Chattanooga 2.0 - http://chatt2.org/
Chattanooga 2.0 Report - http://www.pefchattanooga.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Chattanooga-2.0-report.pdf
Hamilton County Department of Education (HCDE) - http://www.hcde.org/
Public Education Foundation (PEF) - http://www.pefchattanooga.org/

In addition to the above, we specifically reference this particular podcast from This American Life:

Part 1 - http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/562/the-problem-we-all-live-with

Part 2 - http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/563/the-problem-we-all-live-with-part-two

Chattanooga 2.0 with Jared Bigham Part 1

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Tue, 2 Aug 2016 10:00:00 +0000

Resources and organizations referenced in the interview:

Chattanooga 2.0 - http://chatt2.org/
Chattanooga 2.0 Report - http://www.pefchattanooga.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Chattanooga-2.0-report.pdf
Hamilton County Department of Education (HCDE) - http://www.hcde.org/
Public Education Foundation (PEF) - http://www.pefchattanooga.org/

Episode Zero - Welcome

matt@missionchattanooga.org (Matt Busby) — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 16:41:00 +0000

A brief introduction of the new Camp House Podcast and a preview of our first episode.