Episode 200: Building Hope: Art and Activism - with Mike Zuckerman
Tue Feb 03 2026
Mike Zuckerman is a cultural strategist, city builder, and humanitarian activist whose work is rooted in one central idea: regeneration.
Mike has designed and activated community-centered spaces all over the world—from temporary refugee settlements in Uganda, to post-crisis recovery zones in Haiti and Colombia, to experimental urban projects in San Francisco. He thinks deeply about how to repair broken systems by placing trust and power back in the hands of local communities. We talk about how he moves between the art world, humanitarian work, and activism—and what he’s learned about design, dignity, and hope along the way.
Mike is Heidi Zuckerman’s brother, and this is the last in her sibling series podcast.
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Mike Zuckerman is a cultural strategist, city builder, and humanitarian activist whose work is rooted in one central idea: regeneration. Mike has designed and activated community-centered spaces all over the world—from temporary refugee settlements in Uganda, to post-crisis recovery zones in Haiti and Colombia, to experimental urban projects in San Francisco. He thinks deeply about how to repair broken systems by placing trust and power back in the hands of local communities. We talk about how he moves between the art world, humanitarian work, and activism—and what he’s learned about design, dignity, and hope along the way. Mike is Heidi Zuckerman’s brother, and this is the last in her sibling series podcast.