Valeria Gelman

Valeria Gelman, an urban planner and graduate student at Virginia Tech, is launching "The Local Shop" on WERA to share oral histories from Arlington's legacy businesses. She emphasizes the significance of curiosity in storytelling and its role in preserving community narratives. Listeners learn about the emotional experiences of business owners, including the impact of segregation on the black community through the story of Friendly Cab. Gelman also discusses the joy of exploration, using unique analogies to illustrate the essence of curiosity in our lives.