<p>The Columbia Pike Documentary Project invites us to encounter one of the most diverse communities in the world. With people speaking over a hundred languages living together with little in the way of ethnic enclaves, Columbia Pike in Arlington offers what may be a unique experience in diversity.</p><p>In this 18-minute podcast episode, I interview project team members <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sushmitamazumdar.com">Sushmita Mazumdar</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.deweytron.com">Dewey Tron</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://lloydwolf.com">Lloyd Wolf</a> about what drives them to document life on the Pike in videos, books, talks, and exhibitions. This episode has some great stories and insights about how a living diversity can make public life richer.</p><p>Above: Columbia Pike at Walter Reed during the 2024 Columbia Pike Blues Festival</p><p>Now in its 18th year, the documentary project has other goals besides letting the world beyond Columbia Pike in on this life-changing diverse community. The project</p><p>* Holds a mirror to the various neighborhoods of Columbia Pike to help them understand themselves another way—as a single, beautiful community</p><p>* Welcomes immigrants and validates their place in our society</p><p>* Celebrates the activities of the various nationalities along Columbia Pike</p><p>* Documents the Pike’s constantly shifting demographics and changing streetscapes for future research</p><p>Above: my students work with materials on the walls from the Columbia Pike Documentary Project</p><p>Here are some resources about Columbia Pike and the Columbia Pike Documentary Project, most of which are referred to in the podcast:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://cpdpcolumbiapike.blogspot.com">The Columbia Pike Documentary Project website</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://youtu.be/hUzIIRSi_ik?si=32eyHPzese0AGRvq">The Columbia Pike Documentary Project video</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiapikefarmersmarket.org/product/transitions-the-columbia-pike-documentary-project/">Website for the book </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiapikefarmersmarket.org/product/transitions-the-columbia-pike-documentary-project/"><em>Transitions: The Columbia Pike Documentary Project</em></a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.studiopause.com/projects/recovery">Website for the book </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.studiopause.com/projects/recovery"><em>Columbia Pike Recipes for Recovery: Restaurant Stories from Around the World in One Zip Code</em></a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.studiopause.com/projects/cityofstories">The City of Stories project webpage</a></p><p>Above: Columbia Pike Plaza</p><p>Music and sound effects used with permission from <a target="_blank" href="https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk">BBC Sound Effects</a>. bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2025 BBC.</p><p>My thanks to Lloyd Wolf, Dewey Tron, and Sushmita Mazumdar for the generous gift of their time, stories, and insights.</p><p>Above: car parked on S Highland Street</p><p>Above: Lloyd Wolf talks to some of my students in his capacity as our Arlington project’s expert (more tireless volunteer work that Lloyd does for the Columbia Pike community)</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Political Devotions at <a href="https://www.polidevo.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">www.polidevo.com/subscribe</a>