Nat's Sidewalk Stories
Nat's Sidewalk Stories
Podcast Description
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.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on themes of historic preservation, creative placemaking, and community engagement. Episodes explore how local art reflects neighborhood identity, featuring discussions on notable topics such as the establishment of historic districts, personal stories behind local landmarks, and the importance of civic involvement in community advocacy. For example, an episode includes a conversation with Charlene Burke about her impactful work in the West Bergen-East Lincoln Park Historic District.
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.
Meet Thaler Pekar
Thaler Pekar is the founder of Thaler Pekar & Partners, a consultancy celebrating its 20th anniversary helping organizations build cultures of excellent communication. Her work spans executive coaching, institutional story collections, oral histories, and high-end content creation. As both a Hoboken resident of nearly four decades and a former Jersey City professional who worked in McGinley Square for 10 years, Thaler brings a unique perspective on how stories shape our connections to place.
Connect with Thaler Pekar:
Website: thalerpekar.com
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ThalerPekarPartners
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thaler-pekar-partners/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThalerPekar
Key Insights
Stories are containers for information that hold facts, values, and emotions simultaneously, allowing us to express things we couldn’t say in other ways
Values like “integrity” or “community” are subjective – stories demonstrate what these values look like in action
People are drawn to solutions, not problems – showing stories of solutions in action is more effective than focusing on what’s wrong
The “Narrative Garden®” approach examines which stories are being told, which are missing, and which need more room to grow
Stories at the borders and edges of organizations or communities often contain the most innovation and untapped potential
Universal across cultures: everyone has stories to tell, and everyone wants to be genuinely heard
Historic preservation isn’t just about individual buildings, but about preserving streetscapes, neighborhood character, and the aesthetics of community
Buildings uniquely “bring the past into the present so we can hold both at the same time”
More details, visual documentation, full transcript and related resources on my substack.
Explore Further
In next week’s Substack article, I’ll be sharing my own story map of Jersey City, featuring paintings of the locations that have shaped my personal connection to this community. I’ll explore how finding these meaningful places helps us build deeper relationships with the cities we call home.
Coming Up Next
Join us for the next episode when I’ll be speaking with Colin Egan of the Friends of the Loew’s Theater about saving and revitalizing one of Jersey City’s most magnificent historic buildings.
Connect with Nat
Website: natkalbach.com
Substack: Nat’s Sidewalk Stories Substack
Instagram: @natkalbach
Email: [email protected]
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.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.