New episodes explore who has the power to shape a city built for families to thrive

Memphis has always been a city defined by its neighborhoods — by churches that double as community anchors, by leaders who grew up on the same blocks they now work to strengthen, and by a deep, generational commitment to family. This month, PathBreakers turns its attention to Memphis, asking the same question we’ve asked in Detroit and will keep asking in Fresno and New Orleans: Who has power to shape what happens in their city?

In Memphis, the answer starts with people who never left.

Episode 1: Mayor Paul Young

We begin at City Hall. Mayor Paul Young grew up watching his parents build a church in the neighborhood — and that same community-rooted instinct now shapes how he leads the city itself. In conversation with Kresge President & CEO Rip Rapson, Mayor Young talks about what it means to bring a grassroots, community-up approach to the scale of city government, with a particular focus on expanding access to housing and youth workforce development.

Coming up in the Memphis arc

July 15: Marlon Foster, Executive Director of Knowledge Quest — Marlon grew up in South City, Memphis, and watched his neighborhood change around him. What began as a small community effort is now a sophisticated two-generation organization working across home, health and opportunity to build economic mobility for Memphis families.

July 22: Archie Willis III and Alex Willis Boddie, Urban Renaissance Partners — Most developers go where growth is easy. Urban Renaissance Partners goes where the numbers don’t easily “pencil out” — building everything families need, from multi-family housing to early childhood centers in South City and across Memphis.

July 29: Anna McQuiston, Executive Director of the Mid-South Regional Development District — Anna leads a regional public-private partnership working to break down borders and boundaries between communities, replacing competition with collaboration to bring resources to all who call the MidSouth home.

Together, these conversations trace a through-line: family stability in Memphis isn’t built by any single institution. It’s built when city government, community organizations, developers, and regional partners all move in the same direction.

Follow along as new episodes release throughout the month, and revisit the full first arc from Detroit at http://pathbreakers.kresge.org.

PathBreakers is a video podcast from the Kresge Foundation, hosted by Tracey Pearson and Jamie Bennett, with mayoral conversations hosted by Kresge President & CEO Rip Rapson. New episodes release throughout 2026 across four American cities: Detroit, Memphis, New Orleans, and Fresno. Last month, it was named the Podcast of the Year, Best Content and Best Interview Podcast at the Timbre Awards, which highlight podcasts that serve the public interest. Listen or watch on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.