The future of New York has been thrown into question by COVID-19, as the pandemic has taken a massive physical and economic toll on the city. However, it is not the first time the city has been brought to a near standstill. The ninth episode of Exiles on 12th Street examines the systems that have kept the city running resiliently for decades, including architecture, subways and most importantly, essential workers. Join the Exiles as we explore the past and present of New York’s infrastructure, and envision a sustainable future with our guests: historian Kim Phillips-Fein, architecture critic Paul Goldberger, urban ecologist Timon McPhearson, and photographer William Wegman. The episode is presented by your host, Claire Potter, co-executive editor of Public Seminar and professor of history at The New School for Social Research.