Nat's Sidewalk Stories Podcast Por Nat Kalbach arte de portada

Nat's Sidewalk Stories

Nat's Sidewalk Stories

De: Nat Kalbach
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Nat's Sidewalk Stories is a bi-weekly podcast exploring the places, people, and hidden histories that make our neighborhoods vibrant. Join artist and storyteller Nat Kalbach as she walks the streets of Jersey City and beyond, uncovering the stories beneath our feet. Through conversations with preservationists, artists, community advocates, and local changemakers, Nat examines how our physical spaces shape community identity, how art captures neighborhood character, and how ordinary people can make extraordinary impacts. Nat's unique perspective as an artist who documents urban landscapes brings visual and creative dimensions to these place-based narratives. Whether you're passionate about historic preservation, creative placemaking, or simply love a good neighborhood story, this podcast will help you see your surroundings with fresh eyes. New episodes release on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month.

© 2025 Nat Kalbach. This podcast and all content contained within, including audio recordings, descriptions, and associated materials, are protected by copyright law. All rights reserved.
Episodios
  • Episode #105: Slow Down and Look with Tris McCall

    Episode #105: Slow Down and Look with Tris McCall
    May 22 2025
    About This Episode Musician, writer, and cultural historian Tris McCall shares three decades of observing Jersey City's evolving arts landscape. From documenting lost creative spaces to mapping emotional geographies through characters and songs, Tris offers a unique perspective on how place shapes our creative expressions. Meet Tris McCall Tris McCall has been a fixture in Hudson County's creative scene since 1992. A musician who has performed on virtually every North Jersey stage, Tris has also written for numerous publications, authored fiction exploring place-based themes, and currently serves as an art critic documenting Jersey City's visual arts community. His work received recognition from the Andy Warhol Arts Writers Grant, supporting his continued art criticism through his website Eye Level. Connect with Tris McCall: Website: https://www.eye-level.net/Eye Level on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eyelevel.jc/Tris McCall on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trismccall_nj/Tris on NJArts.net: https://www.njarts.net/author/tmccall/Jersey City Times articles: jerseycitytimes.com/author/tris-mccallBandcamp: https://trismccall.bandcamp.com/ Key Insights Tris's characters often encourage us to "slow down and look carefully at the world around us," an ethos that extends through his songs, fiction, and art criticismThe loss of 111 First Street (demolished in 2007) left a lasting impact on Jersey City's arts scene, though its influence continues through spaces like Deep Space Gallery and The Drawing RoomsJersey City artists often explore environmental themes through adaptive reuse and show a unique relationship between people and place—with figures in artwork often "melding into the landscape"Bergen Lafayette has undergone the most dramatic transformation during Tris's time in Jersey City, from a neighborhood he was warned against visiting to a vibrant community with galleries and music venuesPM Dawn, influential 90s hip-hop pioneers from Jersey City, deserve greater recognition as cultural contributors to the city's musical heritageThe challenge of integrating vertical tower communities into Jersey City's horizontal street life represents a key tension in the city's developmentFor visual documentation, related resources and and more information including the transcript visit natkalbach.com/podcast Connect with NatWebsite: natkalbach.comSubstack: [Substack URL]Instagram: @natkalbachEmail: podcast@natkalbach.comMusic: Our theme music is "How You Amaze Me," composed by Jim Kalbach and performed by Jim Kalbach, Bryan Beninghove, Charlie Siegler, and Pat Van Dyke.Support the Show: Subscribe to the podcast and sign up for Nat's Substack to receive additional stories and visuals that complement each conversation.Share Your Story: What sidewalk stories have you discovered in your neighborhood? Share them with Nat through email or social media.Nat's Sidewalk Stories explores the intersection of place, community, and storytelling through conversations with practitioners, community leaders, and local changemakers. New episodes release on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month through August, with a break in September before Season 2 begins in October.
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    38 m
  • Episode 104: Building Artistic Shelter with Jin Jung

    Episode 104: Building Artistic Shelter with Jin Jung
    May 8 2025

    Meet Jin Jung

    Jin Jung is a visual artist, educator at NJCU, and creator of the WERE HERE project. Born in Seoul, Korea and having moved to the US at age 11, Jin uses public art to explore community history and create connections to place. Her handmade ceramic markers throughout Jersey City honor forgotten histories while creating what she calls "shelters for stories that might otherwise fade away."

    Connect with Jin Jung:

    Instagram: @constructed_ephemera

    Website: jinjung.com

    WERE HERE Instagram: @wereherejc

    WERE HERE Website: https://www.wereherejc.info/home

    Key Insights

    Jin began the WERE HERE project with photographer Duquann Sweeney to commemorate forgotten figures in Jersey City history

    The handmade ceramic plaques serve as temporary markers that invite official recognition of these important stories

    As an immigrant, Jin uses art and historical research to build her own relationship with Jersey City

    The WERE HERE plaques honor figures including Cliff Joseph (founder of the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition), Betty Shabazz (Malcolm X's widow who studied at NJCU), and the site of the African Burial Ground

    The project's title intentionally functions as both "we are here" and "were here," connecting past and present

    Community reactions have been largely positive, with residents often helping maintain the markers

    Jin views the changing city as inevitable but believes understanding its history helps us better understand who we are and our responsibilities as residents

    more resources and visual documentation as well as articles on my Substack

    Explore Further

    Visit my Substack for the show notes with photos and an upcoming article that dives even deeper in the markers and what they mean for the community.

    Coming Up Next

    Join me for a conversation with Jersey City music legend and cultural chronicler Tris McCall as we explore how songwriting, journalism, and deep local knowledge combine to document a city's changing identity. Tris brings unique insights into Jersey City's cultural landscape through his decades of artistic and journalistic work.

    Connect with Nat

    Website: natkalbach.com

    Substack: https://natkalbach.substack.com/

    Instagram: @natkalbach

    Email: podcast@natkalbach.com

    Music: Our theme music is "How You Amaze Me," composed by Jim Kalbach and performed by Jim Kalbach, Bryan Beninghove, Charlie Siegler, and Pat Van Dyke.

    Support the Show: Subscribe to the podcast and sign up for Nat's Substack to receive additional stories and visuals that complement each conversation.

    Share Your Story: What sidewalk stories have you discovered in your neighborhood? Share them with Nat through email or social media.

    Nat's Sidewalk Stories explores the intersection of place, community, and storytelling through conversations with practitioners, community leaders, and local changemakers. New episodes release on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month through August, with a break in September before Season 2 begins in October.
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    43 m
  • Episode 103: Building Communitiy Through Preservation with Kelly Carroll

    Episode 103: Building Communitiy Through Preservation with Kelly Carroll
    Apr 24 2025

    In this episode, Nat speaks with preservation expert Kelly Carroll about the power of community-driven historic preservation. Kelly shares how neighborhoods across New York City have successfully advocated for their historic districts and why even unsuccessful preservation campaigns can strengthen community bonds and build civic engagement.

    Kelly Carroll is a preservationist whose career has focused on empowering communities to protect their historic resources. A Buffalo native with a deep appreciation for industrial heritage, Kelly has worked with diverse neighborhoods across New York City through preservation advocacy and education. She currently serves at the Atlantic Avenue Business Improvement District in Brooklyn, where she champions legacy businesses and historic storefronts while balancing preservation with progress.

    Key Insights

    True preservation comes from the ground up – from residents who want to protect their neighborhoods, not from top-down government mandates

    Communities of color have been at the forefront of preservation efforts in Brooklyn, seeking self-determination for their neighborhoods

    Historic neighborhoods provide what many people want today: human scale, mature trees, walkable streets, and community connection

    Even unsuccessful preservation campaigns create lasting community connections and teach people about civic engagement

    Legacy businesses are crucial to neighborhood identity and deserve recognition through programs like the NY State Historic Business Preservation Registry

    Successful preservation examples include the Crown Heights North Historic Districts and East 25th Street in East Flatbush

    The Waldorf Astoria's interior landmark designation shows how public engagement can influence preservation outcomes

    Connections to Jersey City

    Kelly draws parallels between Jersey City and Brooklyn through their:

    Industrial waterfront history

    Immigration patterns

    Mom-and-pop businesses

    Historic infrastructure

    Religious and ethnic institutions

    Abandoned railroad infrastructure

    Hand-painted street signs and other "hidden treasures"

    Related Resources

    Historic Districts Council (NYC): historicdistricts.org

    Crown Heights North Association: crownheightsnorth.org

    Preserving East New York: preservingeastnewyork.org

    NY State Historic Business Preservation Registry: parks.ny.gov/historic-preservation/business-registry

    Atlantic Avenue BID: atlanticavebid.org

    Explore Further

    On my Substack, I'll be sharing articles on "Jersey City's Historic Businesses" and "Hidden Art Deco Treasures of Jersey City" inspired by my conversation with Kelly. I've already begun exploring this theme through a painting of a local historic storefront, connecting our conversation about preservation to the visual documentation of Jersey City's commercial heritage.

    Coming Up Next

    Join me for a conversation with artist and activist Jin Jung, whose ceramic plaques throughout Jersey City honor forgotten histories and tell powerful stories of people and places that shaped our community.

    Music: Our theme music is "How You Amaze Me," composed by Jim Kalbach and performed by Jim Kalbach, Bryan Beninghove, Charlie Siegler, and Pat Van Dyke.
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    44 m
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