{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"My City Talks","title":"Civic Engagement, Local Power, and Public Health in Des Moines","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2155,"description":"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 racesHow transportation access influences employment, insurance coverage, food security, and mental healthPractical ways to engage when your time or confidence is limitedThe hidden health power of libraries, community fridges, and neighborhood cleanupsLinks:My City My Health Conference info and merch: mycity.healthNAACP Des Moines: naacpdesmoines.orgDes Moines Public Library: dmpl.orgLocal news and policy explainers mentioned: Iowa Starting Line, Iowa Capital Dispatch, Des Moines RegisterDes Moines metro school board and city council meeting streams are typically available on each body’s YouTube channel or websiteCall 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 Notes00:01 Welcome and why civic engagement belongs in a health conversation02:00 “Local civics matter the most” and how engagement looks different for everyone04:45 Transportation as a foundation of public health06:30 Commuting, job access, insurance, wages, and downstream health outcomes08:15 Voting mindset for local elections and why school bonds matter for long-term community health10:40 City councils, budgets, sidewalks, housing, pollution, and potholes as health policy12:40 School boards should be nonpartisan, and why parents must track positions and votes13:40 Beyond the ballot: attend meetings, email representatives, set coffee or Zoom16:55 Where to watch meetings and...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/7EL9Km6ydDgYVYm5cZAFfJxWKkbgpG_bmdF2OuTmT8I/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kMjQw/MGE3YWRmM2RiYTZk/MWFkYWVmNWYyMzdi/NmViMS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}