Common Ground with Ryan Choura: Recent Episodes
Ryan Choura
Entrepreneur, speaker, and local leader Ryan Choura hosts a series of conversations with bold thinkers and gets to the bottom of the biggest issues facing our community today.
Rex Richardson is a Long Beach City Councilmember and regional leader with a track record of collaboration and problem solving that has helped improve the lives of Long Beach residents. Throughout his life, Rex Richardson faced tough odds and rose above adversity. From firsthand experience, he understands the work and determination it takes for families and communities to climb into the middle class. Rex pushes for equity through regional policymaking as the Immediate Past President of the Southern California Association of Governments and as a South Coast Air Quality Management District Board Member. Rex and his wife, Dr. Nina Richardson, are homeowners in North Long Beach, where they reside with their two young daughters.
Andy King became a viral meme after appearing in Netflix’s Fyre Festival documentary. Now he’s back to work at his event company, which focuses on sustainable events. In Netflix's Fyre documentary, King revealed he was “fully prepared” to give oral sex to a customs worker in exchange for the festival's Evian water supply after Billy McFarland suggested such a transaction was necessary. These days, King is back to work and leveraged his Fyre Festival fame. Listen to Ryan Choura and Andy King chat on the events industry and also on sustainability approaches to future events.
Councilwoman Suzie Price represents Long Beach’s 3rd Council District. As a mom, local small business owner, and prosecutor, Suzie believes that in order for Long Beach to fulfill its promise of being a truly great city, it must have a functional and competent city government. That’s why on the council, Suzie has worked across divisions to focus on homelessness, public safety, street repair, infrastructure investment, improving and expanding our green spaces, and ensuring Long Beach remains a place where you can afford to buy a home and start a business.
Suzie’s back to basics agenda is focused on improving the quality of life for everyone, no matter what neighborhood you live in. At a time when career politicians are focused on partisanship, ideology and big promises, Suzie is running for Mayor to fix and lead our city agencies to make sure Long Beach works.
John M. Edmond has more than 25 years of senior-level professional experience in both the public and private sector assisting clients in political campaigns. He has a strong background in public affairs, regulatory issues, policy development, banking and land use approvals. John has represented corporations, trade associations, nonprofit organizations and public agencies before federal, state and local government. Before starting his own firm, he was the Sr. Vice President at Mercury Public Affairs a top global lobbying firm and prior to working for Mercury, he spent over 15 years as Chief of Staff in the City of Long Beach.
Duke Givens is the founder of Care Closet LBC which is a steadfast commitment to meeting the needs of our brothers and sisters in the homeless community. Duke's organization focuses on serving people where they are by attending to both their immediate needs and helping facilitate their long term goals. Listen to Ryan and Duke talk more about the non-profit organization and how others can get involved!
On this episode, 16-year-old Wyatt Mitchell sits down with Ryan to discuss his decision to refuse to wear a mask at school and the administration's response.