Learn more about the Bloomberg Philanthropies Coronavirus Global Response Initiative at https://bloombg.org/3dwqvId .

Over 90% of the 1.35 million people killed in road traffic injuries every year are in low- and middle- income countries. Road traffic crashes are the eighth leading cause of death and are the leading killer of people ages 5 and 29. Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety concentrates investments to make the greatest impact in countries where manufacturers send cars without basic safety features, including seat belts, airbags or ABS breaking. Becky Bavinger of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Health team and Jessica Truong, Vice President of Programs and Asia Pacific Coordinator for the Global New Car Assessment Program (Global NCAP) spoke about the need for improved road safety and vehicle safety. They discuss the strategy for improving road safety across the world, including providing consumers with crash test results, pushing for legislation to regulate manufacturers and the work that remains in low- middle- and high-income countries.

The skills needed to be a mayor are many, and few have the time to pause and learn something new. The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative was developed in response to the need for leadership and management training specifically tailored to city leaders. Bloomberg Philanthropies and Harvard University are uniquely qualified to develop such a program, combining resources to facilitate learning for city leaders currently holding office. Josh Skolnick of the Bloomberg Philanthropies? Government Innovation team spoke to the program?s director and faculty co-chair for executive education, Jorrit de Jong. Jorrit is also a Senior Lecturer at Harvard?s Kennedy School; he and Josh discuss the program?s nearly 99% recommendation rate, the use of data, experimentation and innovation and cross-sector collaboration.

On September 10th, 2019, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced the creation of a new $160 million initiative to end the youth e-cigarette epidemic. The three-year program, called Protect Kids, is led by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, which will partner with other leading organizations including parent and community groups concerned about the nation?s kids and health. Dr. Kelly Henning, Bloomberg Philanthropies? Public Health program lead, spoke to Matt Myers, President of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, about the initiative, including the need to hold the federal government accountable for it?s stated intentions to ban flavored e-cigarettes.

Follow the Data?s Census Series has covered the ?Who, What, When, Where, Why? and featured a case study on how one city, Detroit, Michigan, is preparing for the 2020 census. In the final episode of the series we learn more about the federal agency that manages the decennial census, among other things. Terri Ann Lowenthal, former staff director for the House of Representatives Census Oversight Subcommittee, speaks to Bloomberg Associates? Municipal Integrity Principal, Rose Gill Hearn, about how the Census Bureau has evolved to prepare for the first ?digital count,? about the agency?s commitment to confidentiality and the efforts made to achieve full census participation.

In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, support flooded in from across the country to drive the recovery effort in New York, and beyond. Since then, hundreds of thousands of first responders, recovery workers, and community members have gotten sick and many have passed away from exposure to toxins at the recovery site. 18 years after the attacks, communities are still feeling the effects. To recognize the sacrifice, loss and continuing effort of those who responded to rebuild the community, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum created a physical space on the memorial site, called the Memorial Glade. On the heels of the 18th anniversary of 9/11, we feature a conversation between Anita Contini of the Bloomberg Philanthropies? Arts program and Alice Greenwald, National September 11th Memorial and Museum President and CEO. They discuss how the Glade came to be, it?s thoughtful design, and how the space will tell its story for years to come.

In today?s episode, we revisit a conversation about tackling persistent problems facing boys and young men of color. Bloomberg Associates ? the international, philanthropic consulting arm of Bloomberg Philanthropies tailored for city government?works with the city of Houston, Texas on My Brother?s Keeper (MBK) initiatives. MBK aims to address opportunity gaps for boys and young men of color, offering new support from cradle to career through young adulthood. Last fall, Niiobli Armah IV of Bloomberg Associates? Social Services team spoke to both the Mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner and Asa Singleton, an MBK program participant. The Mayor discussed inter-departmental collaboration, his personal experience with the MBK program, and long-term impact. Asa describes how he got involved with MBK, advice for others, and the opportunities he hopes to explore in the future.

We?re re-publishing a past episode of Follow the Data featuring Katherine Oliver of Bloomberg Philanthropies, and John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety. They discuss Everytown?s tireless work fighting gun violence, how they use data to inform change, the future of gun safety in America, and the national movement to end gun violence.

Nearly every nation is experiencing rising rates of overweight and obesity and no country has successfully reversed these trends. This poses a serious threat to people?s health and wellbeing; the significant healthcare costs associated with treating obesity and related conditions, such as diabetes heart disease and certain cancers, have the potential to undermine economic development across the globe. A major cause of the obesity epidemic is easy access to unhealthy, ultra-processed foods and beverages that are inexpensive and marketed heavily?especially to children. We need leaders who can stand up to the food and beverage industry and fight for communities where healthy foods are the norm, not the exception. Dr. Neena Prasad of Bloomberg Philanthropies? Public Health team spoke with three public health experts who are doing just that: Paula Johns, Director of ACT Health Promotion in Brazil; Professor Karen Hoffman, Director of Priceless South Africa; and Deborah Chen, Executive Director of the Heart Foundation of Jamaica. They describe the food environments in their countries and highlight some of the successes and challenges of their work.

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The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People -- better known as the NAACP convenes an annual meeting of members, delegates, elected officials, entertainers, authors, athletes and other leaders from across the country. This year, the organization hosted its 110th convening with over 10,000 people in attendance. The convention helps set the organization?s policy priorities for the coming year. The mission of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination. Among the speakers this year were Presidential candidates, activists, business leaders, and philanthropists including our founder Mike Bloomberg. In his speech, he spoke about prioritizing education as a path to equity and equality, and how it can be done.

The first episode of our census series was dedicated to the basics: who gets counted, what the survey is, when it takes place, why it matters, and how cities are preparing for the census. To get a sense of specific preparation plans, we visited a Bloomberg Associates? client city, Detroit, Michigan. The Mayor of Detroit, Mike Duggan, spoke to Bloomberg Associates Municipal Integrity Principal, Rose Gill Hearn, about his experience with the count, challenges that are specific to Detroit, the extensive efforts Detroit is making to prepare for the count and how he defines success.

In order to be managed, data needs to be collected. One of the largest data collection efforts in the United States is fast approaching; cities and states are gearing up for the 2020 census. Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that works with cities across the world, is advising Detroit and Atlanta to prepare for the decennial survey. Jaime Lavin of Bloomberg Associates municipal integrity team spoke to our podcast host, Katherine Oliver, about the history of the census, how to prepare, and potential challenges in the 2020 count. This episode is part one of a series on the census, be sure to subscribe to Follow the Data to hear more.

Tobacco is a deadly killer, claiming over seven million lives every year, with most of the deaths occurring in low- and middle- income countries. Mike Bloomberg has been committed to tobacco control since first entering office as New York City Mayor, and Bloomberg Philanthropies has invested one billion dollars to help implement tobacco control measures. Dr. Kelly Henning leads Bloomberg Philanthropies? public health program. She?s been on the road, visiting countries across the world, as part of a ?global health check-up?. She spoke to the foundation?s operations lead, Allison Jaffin, about the progress countries are making, sharing lessons learned and stories from the road.

We conclude our special series featuring Mike Bloomberg?s commencement addresses this year, with a speech at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. On June 7th, Mike spoke to the graduating class of 2019 about inspiring innovation, bold leadership, and applying both to tackle one of the largest threats to life as we know it ? climate change. In his speech, Mike announced a new $500 million investment, called Beyond Carbon, to put the U.S. on track towards a 100% clean energy economy. The investment is the largest ever philanthropic effort to fight the climate crisis. To learn more about Beyond Carbon, visit BeyondCarbon.org.

We continue our special series featuring Mike Bloomberg?s commencement addresses this year. On May 29th, Mike delivered remarks at Harvard Business School?s 2019 Class Day. He spoke about his career, learning never to compromise when it comes to ethics, and the urgent need for ethical leadership.

Mike Bloomberg spoke to the graduating class of 2019 at the University of Maryland. He remarked how in order to meet the challenges of our time, we must be willing to take risks in defiance of long odds. Additionally, he announced a $2.3 million dollar commitment to support research illustrating U.S. progress towards Paris Agreement goals.

To read more on Bloomberg Opinion, here.

In this episode of Follow the Data, Mayor of Calgary Naheed Nenshi and James Anderson, Bloomberg Philanthropies Government Innovation Program lead discuss how his experience as a professor and business consultant have informed his approach to the job of being mayor, the ?simple social movement? happening in Calgary that?s improving the city?s schools and neighborhoods, and why it?s important for political leaders to talk about pluralism. Additionally, they discuss Calgary?s participation in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative and the ?life-changing career moments? it?s created for a number of Calgary?s civil servants.

The city of Paris conducted its second annual homelessness count in February, 2019. Approximately 2,000 people responded to the call for volunteers to conduct the surveys, which take place on the streets of Paris over the course of one night. The city had more volunteers than positions to fill on the count, so the city capitalized by coordinating with shelters with community associations to put volunteers to work. In this episode, Mariama N?Diaye of the Bloomberg Associates social services team spoke to Dominique Versini, Deputy Mayor in charge of solidarity, families, childcare, child protection services, fight against poverty, and seniors, for the city of Paris. They discuss the importance of volunteers, community support, and data.

In part two of a two part episode, Hannibal Johnson and Rick Lowe, discuss the future of Tulsa, Oklahoma in historical context, along with the potential impact of the Greenwood Art Project. Tulsa is the winner of Bloomberg Philanthropies? Public Art Challenge. The Greenwood Art Project commemorates the 100th anniversary of the destruction of a thriving black community in Tulsa known as Black Wall Street. The project celebrates the resilience and recovery of the community. Hannibal Johnson is an author, attorney, professor and consultant. He is an expert on the African-American experience in Oklahoma and its broader historic impact on American history. Rick Lowe is an artist, best known for Project Row Houses, which he started in Houston in 1993. He has worked with communities and exhibited all over the world. Stephanie Dockery of the Bloomberg Philanthropies? Arts team moderates a conversation with Johnson and Lowe. Listen to Part 1 of the episode by subscribing to Follow the Data

In Part One of a two part episode, we hear from Hannibal Johnson and Rick Lowe, detailing work in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the most recent winner of Bloomberg Philanthropies? Public Art Challenge.

Hannibal Johnson is an author, attorney, professor and consultant. He is an expert on the African-American experience in Oklahoma and its broader historic impact on American history.

Rick Lowe is an artist, best known for Project Row Houses, which he started in Houston in 1993. He has worked with communities and exhibited all over the world.

Listen to Part 1 of the episode now ? and read more from Rick Lowe here: https://www.bloomberg.org/blog/honoring-past-shaping-future-public-art-five-questions-artist-rick-lowe/

Inspired by our most recent film, Paris to Pittsburgh, National Geographic launched a new Your Shot photo assignment, calling for citizen photographers to document local climate leadership in their communities for the chance to be featured online on National Geographic?s digital platform.

This episode of the podcast features a conversation with Katie Orlinsky, National Geographic Photographer and Your Shot Editor and Katherine Oliver, of Bloomberg Philanthropies and executive producer of Paris to Pittsburgh.

As members of the American Talent Initiative (ATI) convene this week, we are re-running an episode featuring a conversation between Dan Porterfield, ATI Steering Committee member, and Howard Wolfson, head of the education program here at Bloomberg Philanthropies. At the time this episode was recorded, Dan Porterfield was the president of Franklin & Marshall College; he is now the president and CEO of the Aspen Institute.

Governments across the world are struggling to keep pace with new technologies and ever-evolving digital platforms. In the worst cases, bureaucracy is inefficient, arcane, and disconnected. In other cases, governments recognize the demand for modernization, and are stepping up to meet the need.

Estonia is a leader in the field of digital government. In a conversation between Bloomberg Philanthropies Government Innovation lead James Anderson and President of the Republic of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid, the president describes her country?s dedication to providing streamlined services, protecting citizen?s privacy, and taking proactive steps to get people the information they need.

Becky Bavinger of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Health team spoke to two partners about vehicle safety. They discuss the importance of raising awareness, consumer demand, and putting pressure on the industry.

Valentina Ochoa is the Executive Director of Refleacciona con Responsabilidad, an organization working to improve public space in Mexico. Alejandro ?Alex? Furas is the Secretary General of the Latin New Car Assessment Programme, which works to advance vehicle safety in Latin America by advocating for more government regulation, testing vehicles new to the market, and publishing crash tests results.

In part two of a two-part episode, Follow the Data features a conversation between Dr. Steve Box, Vice President of Fish Forever at Rare and Melissa Wright of Bloomberg Philanthropies Environment team.
At last month?s 5th Annual Our Ocean Conference in Indonesia, UN Special Envoy for Climate Action Michael R. Bloomberg announced the expansion of the Vibrant Oceans initiative, dedicating $86 million to support coastal communities across 10 countries, including Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Tanzania, Peru and the US. The announcement marks the second phase of the initiative, expanding efforts into new countries.

Rare is one of Bloomberg Philanthropies Vibrant Oceans Initiative partners, specializing in local fishing reforms, targeting some of the 12 million small-scale fishers that operate 15km from shore. Rare?s Fish Forever program will continue to encourage community-led solutions to revitalize marine habitats, regenerate fish populations and help coastal communities reimagine their future.

Without action, road traffic crashes will become the seventh leading cause of death by 2030.

That?s why the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety has dedicated $259 million over 12 years to implement interventions that have been proven to reduce road traffic fatalities and injuries in low- and middle-income countries. Kelly Larson of Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Health team spoke to two partners about their efforts in Fortaleza and in other cities.

Luis Sabóia is the Executive Secretary for the Department of Public Services in Fortaleza ? where road traffic deaths dropped 32 percent from 2014 to 2017.

Skye Duncan is the Director of the Global Designing Cities Initiative at the National Association of City Transportation Officials, known as NACTO. She has been leading a multi-year program to develop the new Global Street Design Guide and to provide technical assistance to cities around the world on safe and sustainable street design, including São Paulo and Fortaleza in Brazil, Bogotá in Colombia, Mumbai in India, and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

The Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products (STOP) competition was launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies at the March 2018 World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Cape Town, South Africa. The winning partners have decades of experience thwarting the international tobacco industry?s most duplicitous tactics.

Professor Anna Gilmore, director of the Tobacco Control Research Group at the University of Bath spoke to Bloomberg Philanthropies? Public Health program lead, Dr. Kelly Henning. They discuss the importance of shedding light on tobacco industry tactics, collaborating with STOP partners, and data?s essential role in the fight against misinformation.

In August of 2011, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg addressed a group of nonprofit and community leaders as he announced the launch of a landmark approach to tackling persistent problems facing young black and Latino men: The Young Men?s Initiative.
Much like the Young Men?s Initiative, the My Brother?s Keeper Initiative, also known as MBK, aims to address opportunity gaps among boys and young men of color by offering new support from cradle to career through young adulthood.
The City of Houston, Texas accepted the MBK Challenge in 2015, and has been working with Bloomberg Associates to strengthen the program ever since.
To share more on how the city has leveraged resources for MBK programs, emboldened youth voices, and become a national model for other MBK cities, Niiobli Armah IV of Bloomberg Associates Social Services team social spoke to the Mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner, and to an MBK program participant, Asa Singleton for this episode of Follow the Data.

At Bloomberg Philanthropies, we are dedicated to ?following the data? ? and the data on gun violence could not be more compelling or urgent. Americans are 25 times more likely to be murdered with a gun than people in other developed countries. Every day, 96 Americans are killed by gun violence. And every year, approximately three million American children bear witness to gun violence.

In 2014, in an effort to combat the National Rifle Association, Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action joined forces to create Everytown for Gun Safety. Today, Everytown has more than 5 million supporters across America.

In this episode, Katherine Oliver of Bloomberg Philanthropies speaks with John Feinblatt, President of Everytown. They discuss Everytown?s tireless work fighting gun violence, how they use data to inform change, the future of gun safety in America, and the national movement to end gun violence.

The Bloomberg Philanthropies Vibrant Oceans Initiative is the largest philanthropic commitment to internationally reform small-scale fisheries management. One of our partners, Rare, specializes in local fishing reforms, targeting some of the 12 million small-scale fishers that operate 15km from shore.

In part one of a two-part conversation on Follow the Data, Dr. Box and Melissa Wright, of Bloomberg Philanthropies? Environment team discuss small-scale fisheries. They dive into the results of Rare?s recent Fish Forever review, define good fishery practice, and explore the relationship between data and biology.

As the beginning of the school year approaches, we revisit an episode of Follow the Data profiling the development and launch of Cornell Tech ? the first campus ever built for the digital age -- bringing together academia and industry to create pioneering leaders and transformational new research, products, companies and social ventures.

Back in December 2010, New York City launched Applied Sciences NYC, issuing a challenge to top institutions from around the world to propose a new or expanded campus. The following year, Mayor Bloomberg announced the winning bid from Cornell University and Technion Israel Institute of Technology ? pairing two of the world?s top institutions in the fields of science, engineering, technology, and research.

Cornell Tech is on track to generate over 8,000 permanent jobs, hundreds of spin-off companies, and more than $23 billion dollars in economic activity over a period of 35 years.

We look back to the project?s inception and what the future holds for the school with Dean Dan Huttenlocher and former Deputy Mayor Bob Steel.

Bloomberg Philanthropies has enjoyed a deep relationship with the Mayor of Gary, Indiana, Karen Freeman-Wilson, and this episode of Follow the Data presents a conversation with the Mayor and James Anderson, who leads Government Innovation at our foundation. Mayor Freeman-Wilson and James sat down at the Engaged Cities Award Summit earlier this year. The summit was hosted by the national nonprofit Cities of Service and recognized creative ways city leaders are harnessing the power of people to solve problems.

They discuss engaging residents, making local government more nimble, and how participating in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative over the past year helped the Mayor sharpen her skills as a consensus builder.

This week, we revisit an episode featuring a conversation with Dr. Tom Frieden, one of the world?s leading public health experts, and President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, and Allison Jaffin of Bloomberg Philanthropies as they discuss non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and what it takes to protect the world.

As the former Director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and former New York City Health Commissioner, Dr. Frieden talks about leading public health efforts in New York under the Bloomberg administration.

Today, Dr. Frieden runs Resolve to Save Lives, a $225 million, 5-year initiative housed at Vital Strategies and funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a nonprofit organization aimed to work toward the vision that all people are protected by a strong public health system.

In 2014, Bloomberg Philanthropies joined with the King Baudouin Foundation to support the Foundation Center in creating a free web portal, Equal Footing ? the first-of-its-kind platform to collect, index, analyze and visualize data on past and current philanthropic efforts in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda.

Equal Footing creates a level of transparency and accountability for organizations, and for donors. It helps identify where the greatest needs are and which organizations are making a lasting impact.

Lisa Philp, senior advisor at Foundation Center, and Verna Eggleston, Bloomberg Philanthropies? Women?s Economic Development program lead tell us more about the Equal Footing and how non-profits can learn from one another.

Follow the Data presents a conversation with Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and James Anderson, who leads Government Innovation at Bloomberg Philanthropies. Mayor Fischer is serving in his second term and says that to be a good mayor, you need the ?head of a CEO, but the heart of a social worker.? Mayor Fischer and James discuss the discipline required to create a truly innovative city hall, why citizen engagement is so important, and how Louisville?s focus on becoming a more compassionate city has not only helped attract new businesses but also caught the attention of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

On June 1st, 2017, the Trump Administration announced its intention to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement. In the days following the announcement, Mike Bloomberg and California Governor Jerry Brown launched America?s Pledge, an initiative to aggregate and quantify emissions reduction efforts of states, cities, businesses, and universities in the U.S.

One year after the federal government announced it would pull out of the Paris Agreement, 2,700+ U.S. cities, states, and businesses are saying, "We Are Still In." Together, these non-federal actors have rallied their commitments in order to ensure the U.S. meets its Paris Agreement climate goals ? with or without Washington.

Even before the declaration of the America?s Pledge initiative, organizations and individuals have been working to transition America to cleaner energy. On this anniversary of the Trump administration?s pull-out of the Paris Agreement, we revisit a recent episode of the show in which Katherine Oliver speaks to two local leaders working to move the U.S. beyond coal ? who were also featured in From the Ashes, a documentary film about the future and legacy of America?s coal industry.

The heart of Athens historic center is experiencing a revival. The 27-acre district is bounded by three of Athens? most historic squares: Syntagma, Ommonia, and Monistraki. The Commercial Triangle, locally referred to as ?Trigono,? is a working district, with commercial activity dating back to the 19th century.

This episode features conversations with Alexandros Kambouroglou, the Executive Director of the Athens Partnership, and Elina Dallas, the Project Manager for the Trigono program. Jake Elder of Bloomberg Associates Sustainability Team joined them in Athens.

The United Nations International Coral Reef Initiative has declared 2018 the International Year of the Reef. Coral reefs are home to one in every four fish in the ocean, and are a critical backbone of ocean ecosystems. Unfortunately, climate change and destructive fishing practices threatens to destroy 90 percent of reefs in the next three decades.

Bloomberg Philanthropies Vibrant Oceans Initiative is working to replenish fish populations and create a more sustainable environment.

We re-visit the Vibrant Oceans Initiative with a rebroadcast of our show featuring a conversation between Andy Sharpless, the Chief Executive Officer of Oceana, and Melissa Wright from the Bloomberg Philanthropies? Environment team.

In the United States, over two million people are addicted to opioids and an average of 115 people die every day from opioid overdoses. It is a complicated issue that requires multifaceted solutions, with engagement and action from many stakeholders.

In this episode, Dr. Kelly Henning, Bloomberg Philanthropies? Public Health Program Lead, speaks with Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, Vice Dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is also director of the school's Bloomberg American Health Initiative, which was launched with a $300 million gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Dr. Henning and Dr. Sharfstein dive deeper into the opioid epidemic, addressing the factors that contributed to increased opioid use in America, harm reduction strategies and treatment options that can be implemented in American healthcare systems, and lessons-learned by American and global communities.

The American Talent Initiative (ATI) has united schools with the joint mission to enroll 50,000 additional talented, low- and moderate-income students at institutions of higher education with strong graduation rates ? by 2025. As of the date of recording this episode of Follow the Data, 96 schools are members of ATI, and the group continues to grow.

ATI Steering Committee member and Franklin & Marshall College President, Dan Porterfield, spoke to Howard Wolfson, who leads Bloomberg Philanthropies education program, about the power of uniting schools in their mission to execute a ?talent strategy.?

Since 2007, Bloomberg Philanthropies has helped save nearly 35 million lives through these efforts. In March 2018, we honored six governments and NGOs at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Tobacco Control. The awards celebrate the significant strides made by organizations implementing anti-tobacco policies in low and middle-income countries. In honor of the six winners, we revisit one of our favorite podcast episodes about the worldwide fight to reduce tobacco use. This episode?s conversation features Neena Prasad of Bloomberg Philanthropies? Public Health team in conversation with Yolonda Richardson, from the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and Jose Luis Castro, executive director of the Union and CEO of Vital Strategies.

The Women?s Opportunity Center in Kayonza, Rwanda is constructed of over 500,000 hand-pressed bricks made by local women. The center?s director, Joy Rwamwenge describes how she feels walking through the doors every day: ?I arrive knowing that the tile on the floor of the center comes from Congo, and the bricks in the wall of the center come from the women in Rwanda -- building peace at the same time while building a building.?

Listen to the conversation between Verna Eggleston, who leads Bloomberg Philanthropies? Women?s Economic Development program, and Joy. This episode marks a special milestone: Bloomberg Philanthropies 10th anniversary of partnership with Women for Women International. We also hear from Laurie Adams, the President and CEO of Women for Women -- she tells listeners how to get involved with the organization.

The 16th episode of Follow the Data presents a conversation with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and James Anderson, who leads Government Innovation at Bloomberg Philanthropies. Mayor Hancock is a native Denverite, serving his second term. He is known as a ?mayor?s mayor,? surrounding himself with a talented team, and concentrating on efforts to make government more effective, to better serve its citizens.

The 15th episode of Follow the Data presents a conversation with Helsinki Mayor Jan Vapaavuori and James Anderson, who leads Government Innovation at Bloomberg Philanthropies. The Mayor is the first person to lead the city in the wake of a significant set of reforms to Helsinki?s organizational structure. Additionally, he has an ambitious goal, to make Helsinki the world?s ?most functional city.?

This year?s final episode of Follow the Data revisits Bloomberg Philanthropies first feature documentary, From the Ashes, directed by Michael Bonfiglio and distributed by National Geographic. Inspired by Mike Bloomberg and Bloomberg Philanthropies? commitment to the Sierra Club?s Beyond Coal campaign, the film was developed to bring greater attention to the impact of the coal industry in the United States.
Katherine Oliver speaks to two clean economy pioneers featured in the film: Mayor Dale Ross of Georgetown, Texas, and Brandon Dennison, Founder of Coalfield Development Corporation, based in West Virginia.

The 13th episode of Follow the Data presents a conversation with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti about how to cultivate and retain innovation in city hall. In this episode, Garcetti speaks with James Anderson, who leads the Government Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies, about bold leadership and what it takes for city leaders to raise the expectations of civil servants and citizens alike to seek more from our public services.

Students, academics, business leaders, philanthropists, and elected officials from across New York recently gathered on Roosevelt Island in New York City for the opening of the new Cornell Tech campus ? conceived just seven years ago by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his administration.

Back in December 2010, New York City launched Applied Sciences NYC, issuing a challenge to top institutions from around the world to propose a new or expanded campus. The following year, Mayor Bloomberg announced the winning bid from Cornell University and Technion Israel Institute of Technology ? pairing two of the world?s top institutions in the fields of science, engineering, technology, and research.

Cornell Tech is on track to generate over 8,000 permanent jobs, hundreds of spin-off companies, and more than $23 billion dollars in economic activity over a period of 35 years.

In honor of the opening, we look back to the project?s inception and what the future holds for the school with Dean Dan Huttenlocher and former Deputy Mayor Bob Steel.

The Mayors Challenge is the first component of Mike Bloomberg?s recently announced American Cities Initiative ? a $200 million effort to empower U.S. cities and mayors to drive innovation and create policies that move our nation forward.

Bloomberg Philanthropies created the Mayors Challenge to help city leaders think big, be bold, and uncover inventive ideas that have the power to spread.

In 2013, the Mayors Challenge grand prize winner: Providence, Rhode Island, did just that and is the focus of our podcast today:

The City of Providence came up with an idea to tackle the word gap and introduced ?Providence Talks.? Launched with a $5 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies? Mayors Challenge and embraced by Mayor Jorge Elorza?s team in City Hall, Providence Talks is the first city-led education program supporting children at the critical stage of birth to age three.

Mayor Jorge Elorza, of Providence, Rhode Island speaks to former Bloomberg Philanthropies Government Innovation team member Garnesha Crawford about launching Providence Talks and its success. In this episode we also hear from the former Executive Director of the Providence Talks program, Courtney Hawkins, and Jennifer Calderon, whose daughter participated in the program.