How Stories can Reshape Cities with Melissa Bruntlett | HC E 06 | Ruchita Bansal

#UrbanPlanning #Urban Design #Citythroughstories #Melissabruntlett #TheHumanCity #ruchitabansal Who should be our next guest? Write to us at [email protected] -------------------------Disclaimer: The views shared in this conversation are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Human City Podcast or its host. This content is for informational and educational purposes only.--------------------------Subscribe & FollowIf you enjoy conversations on cities, gender, and urban change, hit Subscribe and turn on notifications.🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1syIPWE...💼 LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/gwSTxE-Q--------------------------Chapters: 00:00 Introduction01:24 From Motherhood to Mobility02:39 Storytelling to Activism03:46 Building the Cycling City: Learning from the Netherlands04:48 Moving to Delft: A Transformative Experience06:54 Impact of Storytelling on Advocacy08:00 The Curbing Traffic: The Human Case for Fewer Cars10:06 Inspiring Global Movements in Cycling11:16 Women Changing Cities: Global Stories of Urban Transformation13:56 Skepticism and Bias: How Melissa 15:08 Universal Challenges for Women in Mobility16:55 Experiencing Urban Mobility in India18:49 Balancing Multiple Roles as a Changemaker20:04 Encouraging Everyone to Shape Better Cities21:29 Closing Reflections: Cities Built on Care--------------------------About the Episode: Can a family sell their car—and gain freedom?In this episode of The Human City Podcast, host Ruchita Bansal talks with Melissa Bruntlett—author, advocate, and global voice for people-first mobility—about selling the family car, moving from Vancouver to Delft, why the human case matters as much as infrastructure, and how women are changing cities worldwide. Fresh from her India visit, Melissa reflects on popular (informal) transport, last-mile gaps, and grassroots wins.What you’ll learn- How lived experience + storytelling can shift mobility policy- Lessons from the Netherlands: autonomy for kids, calm streets, everyday joy- Why Curbing Traffic centers emotion, noise, nature, and dignity—not just road design- Women-led city transformations (Bogotá, Tirana, Paris, and more)- India takeaways: informal transport, tactical urbanism, and latent demand for walking/cyclingMelissa’s books, buy via this link: https://www.modacitylife.com/books--------------------------About the Guest:Melissa Bruntlett is Co-author of Building the Cycling City, Curbing Traffic, and Women Changing Cities; co-founder of Modacity; international speaker and consultant on human-scale mobility.Follow her on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-bruntlett/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modacitylife/------------------------About the Host: The Human City Podcast is hosted by Ruchita Bansal, an accomplished urban planner and project management professional with 15+ years of experience. She has led multi-billion-dollar development projects and sustainable mobility programs across India, including her leadership role at the Ayodhya Development Authority.Ruchita is also the founder of SheCity India, a platform for gender-inclusive urban planning, storytelling, and data-driven advocacy.--------------------------About The Human City Podcast: This podcast brings together global voices and local insights to explore how cities can be made more inclusive, sustainable, and human-centered. Each episode uncovers what it takes to design cities that truly work for people.“The Human City Podcast is an initiative of SheCity India — building gender-inclusive, human-centered cities.”