Juneteenth Special Programming from Urbanist Media

In 2026, Cincinnati Public Radio is celebrating its fourth year of partnership with Urbanist Media‘s Urban Roots podcast to explore Juneteenth with a local touch.

As we work on creating both a new series of short, 90-second stories to air throughout June as well as a one-hour special, we’d like to ask: which subjects would you most like to hear covered?

Cast your vote

Help us decide, voting ends on April 20th, 2026.

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90-Second Shorts

Please choose one. Individual topics subject to change.

90-Second Short Choice

Black Architects Series — Possible topics include: The Birch Brothers, James E. Jackson, Harold L. Williams, Philip B. Ferguson, and Ruth Johnson.

Green Book Series — Possible topics include: "What was the Negro Motorist Green Book?," the Edgemont Inn, the Gordon Hotel, and Bryant's Snack Shop & Barbeque

One-Hour Special

Please choose one.

One-Hour Special Choice

Cincinnati’s Black Architects – Past & Present | A deep dive into the legacy of Black architects in Cincinnati, featuring voices connected to featuring historic firms like the Birch Bros. and experts on their lasting impact.

Featured Interview – Voices from the Field | Hear a compelling conversation with local Black architects or historians, highlighting personal stories, challenges, and contributions to Cincinnati’s cultural landscape.

Revisit a Powerful Conversation | An interview featuring Black architects David Kirk and Michael Burson, adapted for a special Juneteenth audience.

2025 Season:

2024 Season:

2023 Season:

About the 'Urban Roots' Production Team:

Deqah Hussein-Wetzel (Co-Host)

Deqah is a Cincinnati-based Somali-American architectural historian. She started Urban Roots in order to increase awareness around how history is preserved (and not).

Vanessa Maria Quirk (Co-Host)

Vanessa is a New-York-based journalist and the co-host of City of the Future and Uncertain Things. She brings serious storytelling skills (and A-game alliteration) to the pod.

Connor Lynch (Editor)

Connor is a podcaster and documentary filmmaker. He takes the Urban Roots scripts and turns them into cinematic, sound-rich audio stories.

Tania Mohammad

Tania is a Karachi-born storyteller and whose projects focus on culture and history. Now based in New York City, she most recently hosted and produced the Undiscarded: Stories of New York podcast.