At the start of 2022, metropolitan Washington faces a double challenge. First, the region continues to battle COVID-19. At the same time, area leaders must keep an eye on the future. They have set ambitious goals to address the region’s most pressing challenges related to climate, housing, transit, and equity. On this special episode of Think Regionally, COG Board of Directors Chair Christian Dorsey of Arlington County talks about how the region can move the needle on this work. mwcog.org/thinkregionally

Metropolitan Washington is one of the wealthiest metropolitan areas in the nation, but about one out of ten households isn’t sure where its next meal is coming from. And that figure is higher for communities of color and families with children. This episode of Think Regionally is all about food insecurity—what it is, why it is happening, and some ways area officials, organizations, and farmers are working to address it. mwcog.org/thinkregionally

Metropolitan Washington’s population is expected to grow by more than 10 percent by the end of this decade. That’s an increase of almost 600,000 people! Where are we going to put them? What does that mean for congestion? How do we ensure that they benefit from the investments this region is making in transit and economic development?  This episode is all about the strategy to plan more housing, more communities, near high-capacity transit.

Metropolitan Washington is one of the wealthiest regions in the world, but that prosperity is not shared equally. COVID-19 has only exacerbated the region's social and economic disparities. This inaugural episode explores the social, economic, and racial divisions that are decades—or even centuries—old. It considers how local governments can help overcome the gaps by targeting resources at geographic areas that have lagged behind the rest of the region. mwcog.org/thinkregionally