Move the City FWD Podcast

What separates real community work from something that only looks good online?

Ben Spellman, founder of Good Vibes Movement, joins Corey Dion Lewis for a conversation about service, consistency, trust, forgiveness, and the relationships that hold communities together. Ben explains why community work does not need to be complicated, how small movements can create lasting change, and why the work must continue even when nobody is watching.

Ben Spellman believes community work begins with a simple choice: show up for people consistently.

In this episode of Move the City FWD, Ben joins Corey Dion Lewis to discuss the experiences that shaped his approach to service and the work of Good Vibes Movement in Des Moines.

Their conversation examines the difference between operating a business in a community and actively serving that community. Ben shares why accessibility matters, how donation-based programming brings people from different backgrounds into the same space, and why small, sustainable movements can outlast organizations built around rapid growth.

Corey and Ben also discuss social media, the public representation of Black men, rebuilding trust across neighborhoods, and the role forgiveness plays in community collaboration.

In this episode:

• Why community outreach is really about people helping people
• How consistency creates trust
• The difference between community service and community marketing
• Why accessible spaces help people cross social and economic boundaries
• How small movements create lasting change
• Whether you would continue serving without social media
• Why forgiveness affects a community’s ability to work together
• Changing the stories people see about Black men
• Turning difficult experiences into something that helps others

Episode highlights:

00:00 — Meeting Ben Spellman
01:29 — How Ben’s upbringing shaped his service
05:22 — Why consistency changes communities
08:15 — Rebuilding connection after communities become dispersed
12:24 — Identifying what you can offer others
13:02 — Community versus business
16:36 — Why Ben believes in small movements
18:48 — Freedom, time, and the lessons Ben learned in prison
20:33 — Creating community without financial barriers
24:04 — Would you still serve without social media?
27:16 — Using positive stories to challenge stereotypes
30:19 — Why forgiveness matters
34:25 — Protecting your energy and removing distractions
37:41 — How difficult experiences shape service
42:26 — Closing reflections

Learn more about Good Vibes Movement:
https://goodvibesmovement.org

Learn more about My City My Health:
https://mycity.health

Move the City FWD is powered by My City My Health.

What if economic mobility starts in kindergarten?

Corey sits down with Emily Westergaard, Executive Director of By Degrees Foundation, to explore how early exposure to education, careers, financial literacy, and trusted mentors can shape a child’s future.

Emily shares how By Degrees works alongside Des Moines students and their families from kindergarten through graduation, helping young people see possibilities they may not have known existed.

The conversation also explores the connection between education, financial stability, mental and physical health, and why creating healthier communities requires more than healthcare alone.

Emily will join the Economic Mobility & Access panel at the 5th Annual My City My Health Conference on November 13, 2026.

SHOW NOTES

In this episode of the Move the City FWD Podcast, Corey talks with Emily Westergaard, Executive Director of By Degrees Foundation, about what it takes to create real pathways toward economic mobility.

Emily explains why By Degrees starts working with students and families in kindergarten rather than waiting until high school to begin conversations about college, careers, trades, apprenticeships, and other opportunities.

They discuss:

• Why conversations about careers and education should start in elementary school
• How early exposure helps young people imagine new possibilities for themselves
• Why families must be included in conversations about a child’s future
• How By Degrees brings college and career experiences directly to students
• The role of mentors and representation in helping young people see what is possible
• How 529 education savings accounts can help build both financial resources and hope
• Why financial aid, FAFSA, scholarships, and college costs need to be explained much earlier
• How By Degrees has helped parents pursue their own education and high school equivalency credentials
• Why meeting people where they are can remove barriers to education
• The connection between education, financial stability, mental health, and physical health
• How healthcare organizations can expose students to careers beyond doctors and nurses
• Emily’s idea of connecting preventive health behaviors with incentives that contribute to students’ education savings
• Why critical thinking, communication, creativity, and problem solving can keep opportunities open throughout someone’s career
• Emily’s personal journey from North High School to Grinnell College and how educators helped change her trajectory
• Why every student deserves someone who can help them navigate their options
• What Emily hopes comes from the Economic Mobility & Access panel at this year’s My City My Health Conference

ABOUT EMILY WESTERGAARD

Emily Westergaard is the Executive Director of By Degrees Foundation, a Des Moines-based organization working to help more students graduate from high school prepared to pursue education, training, apprenticeships, military service, careers, and other opportunities after graduation.

By Degrees works with students, families, schools, businesses, colleges, universities, nonprofits, and community organizations to build long-term systems of support around students.

Learn more about By Degrees Foundation:
www.bydegreesfoundation.org

MY CITY MY HEALTH CONFERENCE

Emily will be part of the Economic Mobility & Access panel at the 5th Annual My City My Health Conference.

November 13, 2026
Des Moines, Iowa

Learn more and register:
www.mycity.health

What happens when the problems affecting your patients cannot be solved with a prescription?

Corey Dion Lewis sits down with Dr. Megan Srinivas, physician, Chief Medical Officer at Primary Health Care, and Iowa legislator, to talk about the connection between medicine, policy, housing, and community health.

Dr. Srinivas shares how her experiences caring for patients pushed her toward policymaking. She explains why housing can shape nearly every part of a person’s health, from safety and medication access to transportation, insurance coverage, and the ability to focus on anything beyond immediate survival.  

They also discuss the role of nurses, community health workers, case managers, and social workers in extending care beyond a short clinical visit, the challenges created by Medicaid redetermination, and why you do not have to hold elected office to influence policy.  

The conversation closes with a reminder that advocacy can start anywhere, including with young people willing to ask one simple question: “What can I do?”

Show Notes

In this episode:

•  02:40 — Dr. Srinivas’ path through internal medicine, infectious disease, global health, and health equity 
•  04:01 — Why she realized there was only so much she could accomplish with a prescription pad 
•  07:25 — What medicine taught her about listening, disagreement, and meeting people where they are 
•  08:59 — Why “housing is medicine” 
•  10:54 — What clinicians can do when a patient is experiencing housing instability 
•  13:46 — How nurse-led visits and team-based care can strengthen patient trust and understanding 
•  16:08 — Medicaid work requirements, redetermination, and the problem of not having a stable address 
•  18:33 — How Primary Health Care is preparing patients who may be at risk of losing coverage 
•  21:23 — Managing the emotional weight of caring for patients while working to change the system 
•  22:24 — Turning patient experiences into advocacy and policy 
•  23:49 — Why health professionals across disciplines have a role in advocacy 
•  26:19 — The influence young people can have on policy and community change 
•  27:57 — Using social media to push accurate information into the public conversation 
•  29:36 — What Dr. Srinivas is looking forward to at the My City My Health Conference 
•  33:50 — Why difficult moments require more than acknowledging the problem. They require people willing to work together to change it. 

Dr. Srinivas describes health as something shaped by far more than what happens inside a clinic. Housing, transportation, food, insurance, safety, and public policy all influence whether someone has the opportunity to be healthy. 

She also makes the case that advocacy does not require a title. Testifying, contacting elected officials, sharing your expertise, and raising an issue that others may not see can all influence what happens at the decision-making table. 

Connect with Dr. Megan Srinivas

Dr. Srinivas shares that people can connect with her through her legislative email and across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and TikTok. 

My City My Health Conference

Dr. Srinivas will join the Housing Is Medicine conversation at the 5th annual My City My Health Conference on November 13, 2026.

Learn more and register at mycity.health.

Move the City FWD is powered by My City My Health.

Special thanks to UnityPoint Health, the presenting sponsor of the 2026 My City My Health Conference, for supporting this work and helping us move the city forward. 

Urban planner, housing researcher, and filmmaker Amal Barre joins Corey Dion Lewis for a conversation about why housing should be treated as a core part of health.

Amal brings more than a decade of experience in affordable housing, homelessness services, urban planning, and community development to the conversation. She explains why stable, accessible, quality housing cannot be separated from healthcare, economic mobility, education, transportation, neighborhood design, and the other systems that shape our daily lives.

Corey and Amal discuss what happens when healthcare and housing operate in silos, why professionals need to build relationships outside their traditional spaces, and how showing up in “unexpected places” can create new opportunities for collaboration and change.

They also explore Amal’s path into housing work, what she learned working alongside families navigating homelessness and social service systems, and why planners, healthcare professionals, nonprofits, developers, and community members need to better understand what each other is doing.

Amal will join the Housing Is Medicine panel at the 2026 My City My Health Conference in Des Moines on November 13.

In this episode:

• Why housing and health are inseparable
• How the built environment shapes health outcomes
• The cost of navigating fragmented systems
• Why relationships matter in solving housing challenges
• What healthcare organizations can do beyond making referrals
• How planning, housing, healthcare, and community organizations can work together
• Why breaking down silos can lead to better community solutions

Learn more about My City My Health and register for the 2026 conference at mycity.health.

Getting someone into an apartment is not the end of the work. It is often where the real work begins. Corey talks with Austin Neal about youth homelessness, housing instability, and what it takes to help young people build a life beyond survival mode. Austin shares lessons from nearly a decade of serving people experiencing homelessness through Joppa, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa, and Iowa Homeless Youth Centers. They discuss hidden homelessness, the lack of affordable housing in Des Moines, and why housing must include safety, stability, mental health support, employment, food, and long-term relationships. They also explore a central question: What becomes possible when a young person finally has a safe place to sleep? Austin will continue this conversation as part of the Housing Is Medicine panel at the 2026 My City My Health Conference.

Learn more and register at mycity.health.

SHOW NOTES

In this episode:

• How volunteering helped Austin discover his purpose
• What Austin learned serving people through Joppa
• The realities facing students and families experiencing homelessness
• Why youth homelessness cannot be reduced to drugs, alcohol, or personal choices
• The difference between placing someone in housing and helping them remain housed
• Why safety matters when evaluating housing outcomes
• How young people experience hidden homelessness through couch surfing, cars, and temporary living arrangements
• Why traditional homelessness counts miss many young people
• The connection between housing, mental health, trauma, and preventive care
• What it means to meet someone’s immediate needs before asking about long-term goals
• How stable housing gives young people room to dream again
• Why communities must work with people instead of making decisions for them
• The relationship between housing conditions, cancer, and community health

KEY QUOTES

“At the root of it, it’s a housing issue.”

“My judgment came first rather than my help.”

“If they don’t have shelter, they can’t begin to dream. They can’t begin to think about what’s next.”

“We can say we housed this many young people, but how many feel safe and equipped to keep those apartments?”

ABOUT THE GUEST

Austin Neal has nearly a decade of experience serving people experiencing homelessness and housing instability. His work has included volunteering with Joppa, supporting students through Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa, and working with young adults at Iowa Homeless Youth Centers.

Austin is also joining Above + Beyond Cancer as an outreach manager and will serve as a panelist during the Housing Is Medicine discussion at the 2026 My City My Health Conference.

CONNECT WITH MY CITY MY HEALTH

Learn more about the conference, community education, and upcoming events at mycity.health.

The Move the City FWD Podcast is powered by My City My Health.

When the world feels heavy, how do you acknowledge what you are feeling without losing your ability to move forward?

Keynote speaker and life coach Vanessa McNeal joins Corey Dion Lewis to discuss burnout, hopelessness, anger, personal responsibility, and the pressure many helpers and community leaders feel to do more.

Vanessa explains why the questions you ask yourself shape how you see your work and your impact. She also shares practical ways to understand anger, reconnect with what gives you life, manage expectations, and remember that meaningful change does not happen through one person alone.

Vanessa will also serve as a panelist on the Mental Health Panel at the 2026 My City My Health Conference Des Moines.

REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE

Join us November 13, 2026, at Curate in Des Moines for conversations focused on mental health, housing, economic mobility, community resources, and the issues shaping the health of our communities.

Presented in partnership with UnityPoint Health.

Register here:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/my-city-my-health-des-moines--2026

The conference is open to community members, advocates, professionals, organizations, and anyone who wants to help move the city forward.

Civic engagement shapes health. In this episode, host Corey Dion Lewis sits down with Heather Jones-Brown and Victoria Weber to connect everyday actions like voting, emailing a school board member, riding the bus, and showing up at a neighborhood cleanup to measurable health outcomes. The conversation stays local. They dig into transportation, school boards, city councils, water quality, and how libraries, community fridges, and grassroots networks move the needle. 

You will hear:

• Why local elections often shape your daily health more than national races
• How transportation access influences employment, insurance coverage, food security, and mental health
• Practical ways to engage when your time or confidence is limited
• The hidden health power of libraries, community fridges, and neighborhood cleanups

Links:

• My City My Health Conference info and merch: mycity.health
• NAACP Des Moines: naacpdesmoines.org
• Des Moines Public Library: dmpl.org
• Local news and policy explainers mentioned: Iowa Starting Line, Iowa Capital Dispatch, Des Moines Register
• Des Moines metro school board and city council meeting streams are typically available on each body’s YouTube channel or website

Call to action:

• Register for My City My Health Des Moines, Nov 14: use code MCMH100 at checkout on Zeffy to claim the limited promo.

Show Notes

• 00:01 Welcome and why civic engagement belongs in a health conversation
• 02:00 “Local civics matter the most” and how engagement looks different for everyone
• 04:45 Transportation as a foundation of public health
• 06:30 Commuting, job access, insurance, wages, and downstream health outcomes
• 08:15 Voting mindset for local elections and why school bonds matter for long-term community health
• 10:40 City councils, budgets, sidewalks, housing, pollution, and potholes as health policy
• 12:40 School boards should be nonpartisan, and why parents must track positions and votes
• 13:40 Beyond the ballot: attend meetings, email representatives, set coffee or Zoom
• 16:55 Where to watch meetings and how to find contact lists
• 18:30 Toolkits, newsletters, and right-sized information habits
• 20:20 Join organizations for curated updates, like NAACP Des Moines and interfaith groups
• 21:55 Water quality alerts and why trusted sources matter
• 23:30 Everyday engagement: cleanups, cost savings, and reinvesting in community needs
• 26:00 Libraries as civic health hubs: makerspaces, classes, and small business sparks
• 28:35 Small mindset shifts, big public health impacts
• 30:40 What guests are excited to experience at My City My Health
• 33:05 How to connect with Heather and Victoria

Resources talked about:
2025 DMPS Bond Conversation
Info on the bond
Find your polling location

On this episode of My City Talks, host Corey Dion Lewis sits down with Sarah Donovan of Broadlawns Medical Center to explore the complex layers of food insecurity in Des Moines. From the role of culture and community in food access to how employment, transportation, and awareness shape outcomes, Sarah shares both professional insights and personal reflections.

This conversation highlights the connections between health equity, social determinants, and community partnerships—reminding us that solving hunger isn’t just about food pantries, it’s about systemic change.

Tune in as we lead up to the My City My Health Conference on November 14 in Des Moines, where Sarah will join the Food Insecurity panel.

Show Notes:
00:00 – Welcome to My City Talks
01:18 – Introducing Sarah Donovan
02:43 – Why she returned to Des Moines
04:14 – Understanding food insecurity in our community
06:40 – Supporting employees facing insecurity
09:20 – Food as culture and community
10:00 – Launching food pantries at Drake University
11:25 – Why partnerships matter in food access
13:13 – Beyond band-aid solutions
14:19 – Education, awareness & community health workers
15:24 – Broadlawns interpreter services & community health work
16:45 – Looking forward to the My City My Health Conference
17:06 – Final thoughts & invitation to connect

Connect with Sarah Donovan on LinkedIn
Learn more about the My City My Health Conference: mycity.health

In this episode of My City Talks, powered by My City My Health, host Corey Dion Lewis sits down with Jasmine Brooks, project manager for the USDA-backed Double Up Food Bucks program in Iowa. Together, they explore the realities of food insecurity, the cultural significance of food, and the importance of choice in nutrition.

From the lost art of cooking to the challenges of accessing fresh produce through SNAP, Jasmine shares real-life insights on how programs like Double Up Iowa are helping families stretch their dollars, support local farmers, and reclaim their health. This conversation is a preview of the upcoming My City My Health Conference in Des Moines on November 14, where leaders, advocates, and community members will gather to move from conversation to action.

🎟️ Register for the conference: https://mycity.health

🔗 Learn more about Double Up Iowa: https://doubleupiowa.org

Topics covered in this episode:

• Jasmine’s journey into food insecurity work (01:00)
• How Double Up Food Bucks stretches SNAP dollars (02:45)
• Why food insecurity is about more than “boxes of food” (04:00)
• Cooking as a lost art (05:30)
• Eating for color: simple nutrition tips (06:30)
• Cultural pride vs. healthy eating (10:00)
• Access, education, and the stigma of food assistance (13:00)
• How Double Up Food Bucks supports local farmers & grocers (18:00)
• SNAP, Medicaid, and funding challenges in Iowa (20:00)
• Turning conversation into action at My City My Health (25:00)
• How to connect with Jasmine Brooks & Double Up Iowa (30:00)

Resources & Links:

• 🎟️ Register for My City My Health Des Moines (Nov. 14): https://mycity.health

• 🌱 Double Up Iowa: https://doubleupiowa.org

• 💡 Presented by UnityPoint Health: https://www.unitypoint.org

 👉 Want to continue the conversation in person? Join us at the My City My Health Conference in Des Moines on November 14. Register here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/my-city-my-health-des-moines--2025

In this episode of My City Talks, Corey Dion Lewis sits down with Dr. Gregory Johnson, Chief Medical Officer at UnityPoint Health, to discuss the urgent challenges and opportunities around Black men’s health in Iowa.

They dive into why Black men are less likely to seek preventive care, the importance of screenings for prostate and colon cancer, and the role of social determinants of health in shaping outcomes. Dr. Johnson also shares insights on the financial cost of health inequities, how telemedicine can bridge access gaps, and why patients should see their doctors as partners in health.

Listeners will walk away with a clearer understanding of prevention, access, and how health systems can better meet communities where they are.

Show Notes – Black Men’s Health, Prevention & Equity in Iowa w/ Dr. Gregory Johnson

00:00 – Intro & Welcome
01:00 – Dr. Gregory Johnson’s journey into medicine and leadership
04:40 – From bedside medicine to population health
07:30 – What healthcare access really means: speed to treatment & patient experience
10:00 – Why Black men avoid going to the doctor and the cost of waiting
13:30 – Prevention matters: prostate, colon, and heart disease screenings
16:40 – The financial toll of health inequities in Iowa ($8.6B annually)
19:30 – Barriers to access: transportation and social determinants of health
23:40 – Meeting patients where they are & community-based solutions
25:00 – Doctors as partners in health, not just transactions
27:20 – Diabetes in Iowa: 100,000 undiagnosed cases
29:00 – Innovation in access: telemedicine and rural outreach
32:00 – Closing thoughts, My City My Health conference, and where to connect