#193 - How to Make Your City Better for Friendship (Aaron Hurst)
From Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship by Nina Badzin
April 27, 2026 · 31 min · Season 1 · Episode 193
About this episode
Nina Badzin discusses with Aaron Hurst how to improve social connections in our neighborhoods to combat loneliness.
What if friendship isn’t just about who you text—but where you live? This week, I’m joined by Aaron Hurst, founder of the U.S. Chamber of Connection, to talk about how we can make our neighborhoods and cities better for friendship. We get into why loneliness is bigger than individual relationships, why some people naturally initiate (and many don’t), and how small efforts—like potlucks, block parties, or simply inviting someone along—can change the social fabric of a place. If you’ve ever felt like it’s harder than it should be to meet people, this episode offers a practical, doable way to think about it—and what to do next. Thank you to this week's sponsor: SINCERENOTES. SincereNotes is available to download free on Google Play and App store. Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!
People in this episode
Host: Nina Badzin
Guest: Aaron Hurst
Topics covered
- friendship
- community
- social health
- loneliness
- connection
- neighborhood
Keywords
- friendship
- community building
- social connection
- loneliness
- neighborhood events
- Aaron Hurst
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: U.S. Chamber of Connection
More episodes of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship
- #198 - Making Friends Through Work: Collaboration Over Competition (Kim Oster-Holstein and Mara Smith) · June 7, 2026 · 27 min
- #197 - Anxious Attachment in Friendships: Why You Keep Wondering Where You Stand (Rebecca Stambridge) · May 31, 2026 · 40 min
- #196 - Second Homes and Friendship: Hosting, FOMO, and Unspoken Expectations (Stephanie Hansen) · May 24, 2026 · 36 min
- Bonus: Are Your Friendships Surviving the Digital Age? Likes, Memes & What Really Matters (Nina on The Visibility Standard with Jazzmyn Proctor) · May 18, 2026 · 42 min
- #195 - Money Landmines with Friends: Group Trips, Weddings, and Splitting Checks (Heather Boneparth) · May 10, 2026 · 38 min
- #194 - Low-Key, Creative Ways to Spend Time with Friends (Ashlee Gadd and Katie Blackburn) · May 3, 2026 · 29 min
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