From advancing workplace policies and leadership development programs to reimagining public spaces through the lens of safety and inclusion, Gretchen shares how Louisville is taking a practical approach to creating a more equitable city. She also discusses the hidden impact of caregiving responsibilities, the importance of supporting women's economic participation, and why meaningful change starts with addressing systems—not just individuals.

Along the way, Gretchen offers powerful insights on leadership, wellbeing, and finding balance in a world that often asks women to carry more than their share.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why women are frequently the first to feel the effects of challenges related to housing affordability, childcare access, healthcare, and workforce participation.
• Childcare, eldercare, and support for people with disabilities are essential systems that enable individuals to participate fully in the workforce and community life.
• Policies that promote safety, flexibility, parental leave, and leadership opportunities don't just benefit women—they create healthier workplaces and stronger communities for everyone.
• The concept of an "opposite world"—activities that allow us to disconnect from work and reconnect with ourselves. She shares why making time for personal restoration isn't a luxury but a necessity for long-term effectiveness and wellbeing.

Quotable: “Women really are the barometer of whether an economy is working or whether a city is working. If women are struggling with housing, childcare, safety, and economic opportunity, those are community issues. They're just being felt most acutely by women."

Resources and Links
Connect with Gretchen Hunt on LinkedIn
Office for Women | LouisvilleKY.gov
City Hub and Network for Gender Equity
WD2026 – Women Deliver
Bogotá Care Blocks - Observatory of Public Sector Innovation
Care Blocks: recognized by the OECD as a global example of social innovation | Bogota.gov.co
Parks Alliance of Louisville
LOUMED & Office for Women Night Walk
Home | Equimundo
What happens when a city takes women’s unpaid work seriously? | Vox
Designing Safety, Building Belonging

Special Guest: Gretchen Hunt.

Through candid storytelling and practical examples, Kat explains how communities can reclaim vacant and abandoned properties without displacement—and why listening to community “whispers” is the key to sustainable revitalization.

In this episode, we explore:

• Lived experience should shape leadership and solutions. Kat emphasizes that real, lasting change comes from leaders who understand the systems firsthand, not just in theory.
• Communities must be true partners, not afterthoughts. Effective revitalization starts with residents, not after decisions are made. Listening early leads to sustainable outcomes.
• Fixing systems matters more than fixing properties. The Center for Community Progress focuses on policy, education, and tools that address the root causes of vacancy and disinvestment.
• Revitalization can happen without displacement. When done right, community-led strategies can increase stability, homeownership, and quality of life—without fueling gentrification.

Quotable: “You can censor words—but you can’t censor lived experience.”

Link to register for the 2026 reclaiming vacant properties conference: 2026 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference | Center for Community Progress

Resources and Links
Connect with Kat J. Guillaume-Delemar on on LinkedIn
Center for Community Progress
Resources for Community Development Leaders & Professionals | Center for Community Progress
National Land Bank Network | Center for Community Progress
Creating Homeownership Opportunities in Newark through Housing Choice Vouchers | Center for Community Progress
From Harm to Home | Center for Community Progress
Chatham Savannah Land Bank Authority | Savannah, GA
Benzie County, MI
Detriot Land Bank Authority
Detroit Landy Bank Authority Rehabbed & Ready Program
County of Saginaw, MI - Land Bank
Publications | Center for Community Progress

Special Guest: Kathleen (Kat) J. Guillaume-Delemar.