From Taxi Kicker to City Councillor - Justine's Urbanism Fight

Описание: Justine Underhill and I chat about her journey to becoming a city councillor in Falls Church, Virginia! We meander our way through the discussion, talking about tons of different topics.

Justine Underhill is a city councillor in Falls Church, Virginia, and a content creator who uses her YouTube channel to break down complex urban design and economic issues. With a background in economics and performing arts, she combines data-driven storytelling with advocacy for safer, more walkable, and housing-abundant communities. Her journey into urbanism began in New York City and led her from community organizing to running for elected office.

~~ Find Justine ~~
Website: https://justineunderhill.com/
YouTube:    / @justine-underhill  
Instagram:   / justineundy  
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/justineunder...

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Some topics we explore are:

• How Ben discovered Justine via Reddit’s “f**k cars” community
• Traffic calming designs (e.g., concrete balls) and public objections
• Vision Zero philosophy: Reducing crash severity over eliminating crashes
• Justine’s background: Economics/theatre education to urban advocacy
• The NYC scooter executive’s life-changing perspective on car-dominated spaces
• Personal urbanism awakening: From yelling at taxis to policy change
• Running for city council in Falls Church, VA
• YouTube as a tool for debunking misinformation
• Door-knocking campaigns for community engagement and election wins
• Housing shortages and ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units)
• Economic benefits of walkable cities vs. suburban sprawl
• Street redesigns: Safety vs. parking trade-offs
• Why bikes are better than cars in post-apocalyptic scenarios (and filmmaking challenges)
• Prepper tips: Urban resilience and food shortages
• Falls Church’s development boom and local backlash
• The “shadow debate”: Talking to residents vs. assuming their concerns
• Financial barriers to small-scale development
• Why asking “Who owns the streets?” changes everything


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• where to find me •
Website: https://bendurham.ca
Instagram:   / bendurham.ca  

🎥 Everything I use, in one place: https://bendurham.ca/gear-guide/


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NERDY RECORDING DETAILS:
This recording took place on the morning of July 19th, 2025 using RiversideFM.
A/V syncing issues are really getting annoying with Riverside's 24fps vs external camera's typical 23.976. Sigh.

Edited and mixed in Davinci Resolve Studio. 1080p render.

Audio is optimized for an ITU-R BS, 1770-4 standard at -1dBTP and -16LKFS, specifically for Spotify standards.