WASHINGTON, DC, September 21, 2020- The Community TrailBlazers Podcast features IHC Global President/CEO Judith Hermanson

The TrailBlazers Podcast, an initiative of the American Academy of Housing and Communities, features distinguished Academy Fellows  who have had a major impact on world affairs, federal policy, and the development of community culture through courageous action to bring about change. 

Judith spoke with TrailBlazers Podcast host Nan McKay about how growing up experiencing different cultures, coupled with inspiring mentors, motivated her to dedicate her career to improving people’s lives, a key tenet of IHC Global’s mission to alleviate inequity and advance inclusiveness in cities around the world.

Judith aso discussed the IHC Global initiative Smart City. Just City that seeks to increase inclusiveness and equity in cities around the world through a policy framework that uses smart city techniques to attain a just city vision of an equitable, inclusive, and participatory urban reality.  

Top takeaways from her interview included:

• The challenge of inequality which is a major destabilizing factor in the world today
• The importance of systemic change- finding solutions to complex issues to make the world a better place
• Understanding global development and the sustainable development goals (SDGs)
• How to understand what Smart City- Just City means for the city overall
• The importance of innovation and creativity as tools to move forward and implementing systemic change in governance