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The Bottom-Up Revolution

This podcast features stories of the Strong Towns movement in action. Hosted by Tiffany Owens Reed, it’s all about how regular people have stepped up to make their communities more economically resilient, and how others can implement these ideas in their own places. We’ll talk about taking concrete action steps, connecting with fellow advocates to build power, and surviving the bumps along the way—all in the pursuit of creating stronger towns.

Latest Episodes:

How Community Gardens Can Make Cities Stronger Jul 17, 2025

Linda Appel Lipsius is the executive director of Denver Urban Gardens, where she supports a network of over 200 gardens and food forests that produce 650,000 pounds of food annually. She also helps launch initiatives to help make Denver a greener, more food-resilient place.

Linda and Tiffany discuss the importance of nature in urban resilience and the benefits of community gardening, from access to healthy food to community building and mental health improvement. Linda explains how a permaculture design philosophy can help cities become more resilient.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Denver Urban Gardens
Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership, including member-exclusive perks.

Bottom-Up Shorts: Giving People Better Transportation Options Jul 15, 2025

Wendy Nash is the founder of Get Around Caboolture, a grassroots transportation initiative in Caboolture, Australia. She and Norm discuss the group's efforts to promote more transportation options, including hosting the first Week Without Driving outside the U.S. Wendy emphasizes the importance of tailoring messages to different audiences and explains why she would like to see more comedy in advocacy.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Get Around Caboolture
Strong Towns Academy
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership, including member-exclusive perks.

Brandi Thompson: Driving Change Through Civic Empowerment Jul 10, 2025

Brandi Thompson is the “accidental” co-founder and leader of Strong Towns ABQ, a Local Conversation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She’s lived in eight states and has worked as a rattlesnake wrangler, a grant writer, and a teacher. She currently works as a flight nurse, providing care to patients who need to be air-lifted to the hospital.

Today, Brandi sits down with Tiffany to discuss the strategies that have helped Strong Towns ABQ successfully advocate for zoning reform and against highway expansions.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Strong Towns ABQ (site)
Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership, including member-exclusive perks.

Alyssa Lee & Kay Crumb: How To Build a Thriving Advocacy Group Jul 08, 2025

Alyssa Lee and Kay Crumb are leaders of Strong SacTown, one of the largest and most successful groups in the Strong Towns Local Conversations program. Based in Sacramento, California, the group has 140 engaged members, balances multiple ongoing initiatives, and successfully collaborates with city staff.

In this Bottom-Up Short, Alyssa and Kay share their advice for building and sustaining a successful Local Conversation.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Strong SacTown (site)
Alyssa Lee discussed this topic in more depth at the 2025 Strong Towns National Gathering. You can check out her presentation slides here.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership, including member-exclusive perks.

Craig Cassar: How To Take a Holistic Approach to City Building Jul 03, 2025

Craig Cassar is a first-term city councilor in Hamilton, Ontario. Prior to serving in public office, he acquired nearly 25 years of private sector leadership experience. Craig is a believer in the Strong Towns philosophy of city building, an advocate for active and public transportation, and a passionate environmentalist.

Today, Craig and Tiffany discusses the challenges Hamilton faces and the progress the city has made. They also talk about the importance of a holistic approach to city building, including creating synergy between urbanism and environmentalism.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Craig Cassar (site)
Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership, including member-exclusive perks.

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Remove Barriers to Good Housing Development Jul 01, 2025

Jesse Russell is a small-scale developer and Strong Towns member from Bend, Oregon. He joins Norm to discuss the ways he’s helping create more attainable homes in his hometown. He also explains how he works with the community and city officials to remove barriers to good development.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Hiatus Homes (website)
Bend made it to the Final 4 in this year’s Strongest Town Contest. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work. Click here to read more about their progress.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership, including member-exclusive perks.

Eric Higbee: How to Master the Art of Community Engagement Jun 26, 2025

Eric Higbee is a landscape architect and writer who teaches university courses on community engagement at the University of Washington Department of Landscape Architecture. He works on community design and planning projects through his award-winning landscape architecture practice, Convene.

Today, Eric joins Tiffany to discuss the importance of community engagement, why attempts at this kind of engagement often fail, and how to succeed at it.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Read more from Eric in his Substack, The Answer is Community
Convene (site)
Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership, including member-exclusive perks.

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Encourage Smart, Financially Strong Development Jun 24, 2025

In today’s Bottom-Up Short, Norm is joined by Kevin McDonnell, the mayor of Petaluma, California, and Dave Alden, co-leader of Petaluma Urban Chat. Kevin and Dave discuss their Know Before You Grow initiative, a community-driven effort focused on smart, financially strong development. They share how this initiative has helped direct attention toward building housing in Petaluma’s downtown, where services already exist and infrastructure is more financially viable.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Petaluma Urban Chat (site)
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership, including member-exclusive perks.

Dr. Patricia Tice: Why Social Interaction Should Influence City Planning Jun 19, 2025

Dr. Patricia Tice has been an transportation engineer, planner, researcher and self-proclaimed geek for nearly 30 years. She spent the first decade of her career doing hundreds of traffic impact studies. In 2011, she started her own consulting firm and, a few years later, completed a PhD in transportation engineering.

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Patricia talks about her research into human behavior, as well as the role of human interaction and LEGO in urban design.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Read more from Patricia on her Substack ProFound City Insights
Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Mr. Barricade: How to Quick Build a Connected City Jun 05, 2025

Vignesh Swaminathan is an engineer, transportation planner, and content creator. Formerly the the CEO of a civil engineering firm, he now works as a project engineer and has over 1.7 million followers on TikTok, where he discusses urban infrastructure and transportation planning.

Tiffany and Vignesh discuss how transportation planning affects other aspects of cities such as housing. Vignesh explains how he works with quick-build projects, intersection design, and social media to make cities stronger.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

See more from Vignesh:
Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Humbly Observe Where People Struggle Jun 03, 2025

Danny Wind is a Local Conversation leader and Regional Transportation Commission member from Lake County, California. In this Bottom-Up Short, Danny discusses their Open Street Map Project, which gives people a space to share photos and descriptions of the everyday challenges they face. Danny explains how this method of humbly observing where people struggle is a powerful force for change and how it intersects with their Regional Transportation Commission work.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Read more about Danny: “A Love That Helps Your Place Live Up To Its Full Potential”
Learn more about the Strong Towns approach to public investment.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Noah Roth: How Animation Can Build Strong Cities May 29, 2025

Noah Roth is the founder of Streetcraft, a platform that uses visual storytelling and urban design to explore and improve the built environment. He joins Tiffany to talk about what led him to this form of advocacy, how visualizations can bring people on board with a project, and what he’s learned since starting his platform.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Want to hear more from Noah? Get your National Gathering tickets today!
Streetcraft (YouTube)
Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How State Governments Can Foster Strong Towns May 27, 2025

Danny Lapin is a revitalization specialist with the New York State Department of State. He and Norm discuss the ways that New York state is encouraging bottom-up community development, as well as Danny’s strategies for getting buy-in from communities that are wary of state programs or intervention.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Danny Lapin (LinkedIn)
Read more about Danny: “A Strong Towns Voice in State Government”
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Rachel Leonardo: How Social Media Builds Collaboration and Great Places May 22, 2025

Rachel Leonardo is the video producer at Strong Towns. She has a bachelor’s degree in architecture and specializes in breaking down complex topics into clear, actionable ideas that inspire local change.

Rachel and Tiffany discuss the importance of collaboration in building great places that foster community, culture, and connection. They explore how social media can encourage that collaboration and how it intersects with Strong Towns’ mission.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Want to hear more from Rachel? Get your National Gathering tickets today!
See Rachel’s work:
- Studio Leonardo (YouTube)
- Strong Towns (YouTube)
Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Build a Network of Advocates May 21, 2025

Hazen Elwood is a student, a member of Strong Towns Calgary (in Alberta, Canada), and a community manager with the organization For the City. Today, Norm and Hazen discuss ways to build an advocacy network and the power of raising local awareness through storytelling.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Unsprawling (site)
Calgary made it to the Elite Eight in this year’s Strongest Town Contest. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work. Click here to read more about their progress.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Justine Underhill: Using Media To Build a Better City May 15, 2025

Justine Underhill is an elected city council member in Falls Church, Virginia, and an award-winning video journalist and independent filmmaker. She’s worked for international and domestic news organizations, created an award-winning docuseries, and started an educational YouTube channel.

Justine joins Tiffany to discuss how media can be used to connect with people and drive change.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Want to hear more from Justine? Get your National Gathering tickets today!
Learn more about Justine’s work:
- YouTube Channel
- Falls Church Forward
Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Make a More Walkable City May 13, 2025

How do you turn three people with snow shovels into an initiative that gets covered on the news, triggers a city-funded pilot program, and inspires people to stay in the city long-term? That’s what Andrew Neidhardt and Dustin Moore of Walkable Albany, a Local Conversation in New York, are here to explain.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Walkable Albany (site).
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Rosaline Hill: Proving the Power of Infill Housing Development May 08, 2025

Rosaline Hill is a registered professional planner and awards-winning architect from Ottawa, Canada. She’s consulted on zoning for the city of Ottawa and is the founder and principle architect of BuildingIn, a planning program that helps municipalities reach their housing goals through infill development.

Today, Rosaline joins Tiffany to discuss the complexities of housing reform. She explains how she created a 3D modeling program that helps municipalities visualize and argue persuasively for development.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:
- Equator Coffee
- Capital Pathway Bike Trail
Learn more about Rosaline’s work:
- BuildingIn (site)
- Walkable Ottawa (site)
- Ottawa Cohousing (site)
Learn about the six simple code reforms local officials can implement today to welcome new housing.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Build a Stronger Richmond Hill May 06, 2025

In this episode of Bottom Up Shorts, Norm is joined by Saeed Vahid, a Local Conversation leader from Richmond Hill, Ontario. They talk about how he started the Local Conversation, how the group is collaborating with city officials, and how the expansion of the Greater Toronto Area has affected Richmond Hill.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Strong Richmond Hill (site).
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Diane Alisa: How To Restore the American Village May 02, 2025

Diane Alisa is an author and founder of the nonprofit End Car Dependency. Her nonprofit helps support families by making it easier to get around safely without a car, build strong support networks, and empower children to be part of their communities.

Diane joins this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss the impact of car-dependent design on families and the importance of building integrated communities (or "villages").

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Support the work of advocates like Diane by becoming a Strong Towns member today!
Local Recommendations:
- Downtown Provo
“Love Letter to Suburbia: How to Restore the American Village” by Diane Alisa
End Car Dependency (website)
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How Normal People Can Make a Big Difference Apr 29, 2025

Daniel Bloemker is a Strong Towns member and Local Conversation leader from Bellingham, Washington. He’s been instrumental in advancing local efforts on parking reform, housing, and community spaces. He joins Norm in this Bottom-Up Short to discuss these efforts and the progress the city has made.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Want to support advocates like Daniel? Become a Strong Towns member today.
Bellingham won the “Most Progress in Building Better Budgets” award in the Strongest Town Contest. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work.

Elizabeth Turman-Bryant: The Bottom Up Path to Local Leadership Apr 24, 2025

Elizabeth Turman-Bryant is a councilmember in Burlington, Washington. She's passionate about community building, revitalizing historical areas, and making Burlington more bicycle and pedestrian friendly.

Turman-Bryant joins Tiffany to discuss her journey from nonprofit work to local government. She explains some of the projects she’s working on and the importance of striking a balance between the responsiveness of bottom-up activism and the influence of local government involvement.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Build Bikeable Streets Apr 22, 2025

Denyse Trepanier is the president of Bike Walk Alameda, a nonprofit organization in the island city of Alameda, California. She joins Norm to discuss the city's efforts to improve biking infrastructure, including the creation of a network of low-stress bikeways and neighborhood greenways.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Bike Walk Alameda (site)
Alameda made it to the Sweet 16 in this year’s Strongest Town Contest, from a list of almost 40 nominees. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work. Click here to read more about their progress.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Doing the Math as a City Council Member Apr 15, 2025

Steven Zittergruen is a city councilor and Strong Towns member from Decorah, Iowa. In this Bottom-Up Short, he joins Norm to discuss the ways he’s making his community stronger. His efforts include revamping Decorah’s budgeting process, helping launch Decorah’s Local Conversation group, and writing about local governance.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Dear Decorah (Substack)
Learn how to do the math in your own community.
Decorah made it to the Elite Eight in this year’s Strongest Town Contest. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work. Click here to read more about their progress.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Will McCollum: How To Design Prosperous Places Apr 10, 2025

Will McCollum is a registered architect and the president and co-founder of Citymakers Collective, a nonprofit that teaches aspiring architects and planners how to design resilient, beautiful and prosperous places.

He joins Tiffany on this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to talk about what it takes to design environments for human flourishing, as well as the importance of educating the next generation of architects and planners.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:
Citymakers Collective (Website)
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Build a City’s Economic Core Apr 08, 2025

Amy Emery is a community leader focused on fostering sustainable growth and smart development in Warrenville, Illinois. In today’s Bottom-Up Short, she joins Norm to discuss several initiatives the city is running, including an incubator program for local businesses and a zoning overlay that allows for mixed-use development.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Warrenville made it to the Sweet 16 in this year’s Strongest Town Contest, from a list of almost 40 nominees. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work. Click here to read more about their progress, and remember to vote today in the Championship Round!
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Sarah Rose: Using Art To Advocate for Street Safety Apr 03, 2025

Sarah Rose is an artist from Spokane, Washington, who uses her art to raise awareness about street safety and the protection of native insects. She is active in her city’s Local Conversation, Spokane Reimagined, and often speaks with local reporters and at city council meetings. She joins Tiffany on this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to talk about how the intersection of advocacy and art is driving change in Spokane.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:
- Pacific to Palouse Wine Bar
- Page 42 Bookstore
- Zola
- “One Block Revolution” by Summer Hess
Connect with Sarah Rose:
- Instagram
- Website
Spokane Reimagined (Website)
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How Local Pride Can Strengthen a Town Apr 01, 2025

Hannah Rechtschaffen is the director of the Greenfield Business Association in Greenfield, Massachusetts. She joins Norm on this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities that Greenfield faces and how it’s becoming a stronger town.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Read more about Greenfield:
- Hope for More Affordable Housing Options Is Growing in Greenfield (article)
- Strongest Town Nomination
- Visit Greenfield (site)
Feeling inspired? Vote for Greenfield in the Strongest Town Contest!
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Kip Santos: Building Strong Cities in Two Countries Mar 28, 2025

Kip Santos is a trained civil engineer and construction manager who quit his job to build Local Conversations full-time. Now he splits his time between the U.S. and Canada, nurturing the groups he's founded and building missing middle housing

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Santos talks about what inspired him to quit his job, what his different groups are working on, and how he became an small-scale developer.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

The Strong Towns National Gathering is coming to Providence this June! Get your ticket today.
Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Legalize Strong Neighborhoods Mar 25, 2025

Sean Hayford Oleary is a city council member in Richfield, Minnesota. A Strong Towns member of seven years, Hayford Oleary has helped reintroduce duplexes, reduce parking mandates, and support walkable, financially strong neighborhoods in his community. In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, he and Norm discuss the progress Richfield is making in becoming a stronger town.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Richfield made it to the Sweet 16 in this year’s Strongest Town Contest, from a list of almost 40 nominees. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work. Click here to read more about their progress, and remember to vote next week in the Final Four matchup!
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Montana Gau: Empowering a Network of Advocates Mar 20, 2025

Montana Gau is the founder of Strong Denver, a Local Conversation in Colorado. A software engineer by trade, he built the group into a registered nonprofit with a board of directors and several hundred members. Now, city officials are reaching out to the group for collaboration on a variety of initiatives.

In this episode of the The Bottom-Up Revolution, Gau joins Tiffany to discuss Strong Denver’s origins and where the group is now. He talks about how his role shifted as the group grew, from advocating “on the ground” to creating a space where others can more effectively advocate, and the new challenges and opportunities he has because of it.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:
Strong Denver (Twitter/X)
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How Decorah, Iowa, Is Becoming a Strong Town Mar 18, 2025

Travis Goedken is the city manager of Decorah, Iowa. In this Bottom-Up Short, he joins Norm to talk about a few of the practices and reforms that are making Decorah strong, including making its budgeting easier to understand for residents, embracing a highly collaborative planning process, and opening up new housing options by finding creative loopholes in restrictive state laws.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Feeling inspired? Vote for Decorah in the Strongest Town Contest!
Travis Goedken (LinkedIn)
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Ryan Andrews: Re-Localizing the Benefits of Housing Development Mar 13, 2025

Ryan Andrews is the CFO of Hiatus Homes, a small-scale development company in Bend, Oregon. He is also the CFO of the Hiatus Capital Fund, which helps Bend locals invest in development projects in their own community. He’s managed more than 20 investment funds and syndications across real estate debt, equity and venture capital, and he specializes in capitalizing construction and development projects.

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Andrews discusses the importance of local investment and explains how to fund small-scale development in a way that channels profits back to locals, instead of outside investors. He and Tiffany discuss the success this model is having in Bend and how it could be replicated in other cities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Feeling inspired? Vote for Bend in the Strongest Town Contest!
Local Recommendations:
- Crosscut Pub
- Mount Bachelor Community Inc.
Hear more about Hiatus Homes:
- “The Bottom-Up Revolution Is...Making a Big Impact With Tiny Homes” (podcast)
- Hiatus Homes (website)
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Make Your City’s Finances More Accessible Mar 11, 2025

David Jenkins is a city councilor in La Plata, Maryland, as well as the city’s Local Conversation leader. He joins Norm on this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts to discuss his work with the city’s budget, particularly his efforts to share the city’s financial information with the community in a way that’s easy to understand and actually allows residents to participate in the budgeting process.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

La Plata Financial Sustainability podcast
The Local-Motive session that inspired Jenkins: “Parsing Through Your Local Budget to Find Some Real Answers”
“You’ll Pay for This! How We Can Afford a Great City for Everyone, Forever” by Michel Durand-Wood
Learn more about:
- Finance in a Strong Town
- Local Conversations
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Dr. Jonathan Gingrich: A Better Way To Teach Transportation Engineering Mar 06, 2025

Dr. Jonathan Gingrich is a professor of engineering at Dordt College in Iowa. A trained chemical and environmental engineer, he started teaching transportation engineering due to staffing shortages. Unsatisfied with the standard materials required for the class, he incorporated the book "Confessions of a Recovering Engineer" by Chuck Marohn into his curriculum and had his class conduct a Crash Analysis Studio.

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Dr. Gingrich shares how his unusual background helped him see past engineering codes and look for a better way to design streets. He explains the logistics of incorporating crash analysis and safe street design into the classroom, as well as the benefits it had for his students.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:
Learn more:
- Crash Analysis Studio
- "Confessions of a Recovering Engineer" by Chuck Marohn
- “How One Professor is Inspiring the Next Generation of Transportation Engineers”
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How a Personal Loss Can Drive Public Change Mar 04, 2025

Josh Stewart is an advocate from Littleton, Colorado. A year ago, his 12-year-old son was struck and killed by a car while biking to school. Since then, Josh has been relentlessly pushing for safer streets in his community. He joins Norm in this Bottom-Up Short to share his story and what he’s learned over the last year of advocacy work.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

“The Cost of an Extra Foot” (article)
“Large Trucks Need Better Street Design” (article)
Learn more about the Crash Analysis Studio model for responding to and preventing car crashes.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!
Subscribe to The Bottom-Up Revolution on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Podbean or via RSS.

Jesse Russell: Making a Big Impact With Tiny Homes Feb 27, 2025

Jesse Russell is the founder and CEO of Hiatus Homes, a development company in Bend, Oregon, that specializes in small home design and cottage community development. In 2019, he introduced Bend’s first small-scale housing community. He’s also been involved in citywide policy and incentive reform for small-scale development and urban infill.

Russell joins Tiffany on today’s episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss his journey from Los Angeles TV producer to small-scale developer. They talk about how to navigate the challenges of building small homes, including city policies and project financing, and how this kind of development can benefit communities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:
Hiatus Homes (website)
Learn how to bring more housing to your city:
- “The Housing-Ready City: A Toolkit for Local Code Reform”
- Accelerator program, spring session: Get expert guidance in making your community housing ready.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!
Subscribe to The Bottom-Up Revolution on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Podbean or via RSS.

Bottom-Up Shorts: How to Build Momentum as a Local Advocate Feb 25, 2025

In this Bottom-Up Short, Norm is joined by Christian Schick, the leader of Strong Towns RVA, a Local Conversation in Richmond, Virginia. The group has built a lot of momentum in the past year, and Schick talks about how they did that in a productive and helpful way, particularly while juggling local elections.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Strong Towns RVA (Linktree).
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Mike Christensen: Bringing the Benefits of Passenger Rail to Utah Feb 20, 2025

Mike Christensen is the executive director of the Utah Rail Passenger Association, where he works to educate the public and policy makers about the value of investing in passenger rail. He also serves on Salt Lake City’s planning commission, as well as the boards of the Utah chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism, the Utah Transit Riders Union and the national Rail Passengers Association.

Christensen joins Tiffany Owens Reed on this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss the benefits of passenger rail, including how it can lead to more productive land use, as well as his work advocating for better public transit outside of metropolitan areas.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:
Mike Christensen (Twitter/X)
Utah Rail Passenger Association (website)
Amtrak Long Distance Study
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Capture the Rhythm of a City Feb 18, 2025

Varsha Gopal is an architect from Chennai, India. She is putting Strong Towns ideas into action by starting conversations about what makes places thrive — what makes them special, sustainable and prosperous. On this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, she joins Norm to discuss two research projects she recently conducted in her city and what they taught her about thriving cities, urban design and community engagement.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!
Subscribe to The Bottom-Up Revolution on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Podbean or via RSS.

Maricela Sanchez: Applying Big City Lessons to a Small Town Feb 13, 2025

Maricela Sanchez is a city council member and anesthesiologist from Prosser, Washington. She has lived in major cities all over the U.S., including Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City. In today’s episode, she joins Tiffany to discuss how her travels and profession molded her perspective on what makes a town safe and resilient. They also discuss Sanchez’s role as a councilor, where she focuses on creating safe, walkable neighborhoods and improving active transportation.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Stanis Moody Roberts: Rallying a Community To Fight Highway Expansion Feb 06, 2025

Stanis Moody Roberts is a business owner from the Portland, Maine area. For the past year he has been organizing locals to oppose a highway expansion that would have claimed eight acres of his land. He joins Tiffany on today’s episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss this journey and the progress his community has made — including how they convinced their town council to rescind support for the project and delayed construction by several years.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:

Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Build Credibility and Effectivity as an Advocate Feb 04, 2025

Welcome to this episode of Bottom Up Shorts! Today, Norm is joined by Andrew and Anna Carley, the leaders of Strong Towns Grand Rapids, a Local Conversation in Michigan. They discuss the progress they’ve made in advocating for policy changes in their city and how they became one of the go-to groups that city officials turn to when they’re considering policy changes.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Strong Towns Grand Rapids (site).
Want to hear more from the Carleys? Hop on the Spring Local Motive Tour, where they’ll share their tactics for regional organizing and letter-writing campaigns.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Emily Hutcheson: Building a Culture of Bicycling Jan 30, 2025

Emily Hutcheson is a bike advocate in San Antonio, Texas, and a mom of three. She joins Tiffany on this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss her work improving bike infrastructure in her city. They discuss her path to advocacy, some of the initiatives she’s spearheaded, including a bike club and bike bus, and the response from the public and local officials.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:
- Bright Coffee.
- Copper Rose Winebar.
- SoHill Café.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Incrementally Improve Your City's Zoning Laws Jan 28, 2025

Spencer Coyne is the mayor of Princeton, British Columbia. As a proud Strong Towns member, he works to bring incremental development and community resilience to his city. Coyne joins this Bottom-Up Short to explain how he’s implementing the Strong Towns approach in Princeton, including how to incrementally reform a zoning code and how to do a lot with a small amount of funding.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Connect with Spencer Coyne:
- Facebook.
- LinkedIn.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Ellie Riggs and Ryan Carter: Advocating for Clean Water and Flood Prevention at the State Level Jan 23, 2025

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, host Tiffany Owens Reed is joined by Ellie Riggs and Ryan Carter from Catawba Riverkeeper, a grassroots organization that preserves the waters of the Catawba-Wateree River basin in North Carolina.

They discuss stormwater’s effect on the environment, how it’s connected to parking reform and developers, and a new stormwater management bill that Riggs and Carter are introducing to the North Carolina state legislature in a few weeks. They also discuss Riggs and Carter’s experience with advocacy at the state level.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:
Catawba Riverkeeper Website.
2025-2026 Catawba Riverkeeper Legislative Agenda.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Remove Parking Mandates in Your Downtown Jan 21, 2025

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Michael Bassili, one of the leaders of Strong Towns Nanaimo, a Local Conversation group based in British Columbia, Canada. Bassili explains how his Local Conversation created a parking campaign that convinced their city council to vote 8-1 to eliminate parking mandates in their downtown.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Connect with Strong Towns Nanaimo:
- Website.
- Instagram.
- LinkedIn.
Try Strong Towns Nanaimo’s letter of support generator.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Matt Harder: Making City Budgeting More Participatory Jan 16, 2025

Matt Harder is the founder of Civic Trust, a participatory budgeting company that provides technology infrastructure, communications and process methodology to help citizens participate in their governments’ budgeting process.

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Harder joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss participatory budgeting, a method of getting resident input on how a city’s budget is spent. They talk about the three phases of participatory budgeting, the benefits and challenges to implementing this method, and real-world examples of where it’s been implemented.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Transcript available on our site.
Local Recommendations:
Civic Trust (website).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How This 4-Step Approach Can Transform Your Community Jan 14, 2025

In this special episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Edward Erfurt, chief technical advisor for Strong Towns, to discuss a transformative 4-step approach to public investment.

They explore real-world examples of this approach in action, including the inspiring stories of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and Chisholm, Minnesota. These stories illustrate the power of starting small, focusing on what's possible today, and engaging local energy to build something truly transformative over time.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Read more about the incremental approach to public investment:
- “The Strong Towns Approach to Public Investment” (article).
- “Starting a Local Business Can Be As Easy as Setting Up a Chair” (article).
- “Learn the 4-Step Process for Public Investment” (Academy course).
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How Local Papers Can Help Combat Social Isolation Jan 07, 2025

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Jake Loftis, a pastor and leader of the Local Conversation group Strong Towns Blair. They discuss the ways that North America’s built environment can lead to social isolation and how Loftis used his local paper to combat that isolation and encourage engagement in his community.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Transcript available on our site.
Read more about Loftis and Strong Towns Blair.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Building a Coalition for Long-Term Change Dec 19, 2024

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, host Tiffany Owens Reed is joined by Chloe Groome and Aaron Feldman, co-leads of the Local Conversation group Strong Towns Chicago.

They discuss the initiatives that Strong Towns Chicago is working on, including legalizing fourplexes throughout the city and getting city officials involved in tactical urbanism. They also talk about the challenges the group faces and their strategies for overcoming those difficulties, including building a coalition with other advocacy groups.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
- The winter Christkindlmarket
- Summer streetfests.
- Four Moon Tavern.
- Live music concerts.
- Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria.
Strong Towns Chicago (Instagram).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How a Rodeo Arena Can Strengthen a Rural Community Dec 17, 2024

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Joshua Hopkins, the newly elected mayor of Chugwater, Wyoming. They discuss Hopkins’ path to becoming mayor and how he created a rodeo ring that provides a third place for his community and supports local businesses and walkability.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Tri-County Mercantile.
Read more from Strong Towns about Chugwater.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is Offering People More Transportation Options Dec 12, 2024

Sara Studdard is a community engagement and communications expert. She’s also a partner at City Thread, a nonprofit consulting firm that specializes in helping city governments design and implement active mobility plans.

Studdard joins this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to explore how having a variety of mobility options (walking, biking, public transit, etc.) benefits communities, as well as the importance of effective messaging and communication.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
- Nowhere Coffee.
- Westwood Neighborhood.
City Thread (site).
- “Communication Strategies That Work” (blog).
- “How to Activate Local Support Through Messaging” (blog).
- Case Study: Providence, Rhode Island.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Save Main Street Dec 10, 2024

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Sully Israel, leader of Strong Towns Santa Barbara, a Local Conversation group. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Barbara’s main street was closed to car traffic, which revitalized the area. Now, Israel and his group are working to keep the street closed to cars and address the community’s other needs in the public realm.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

See more from Sully on his YouTube channel Sullyville or connect with him on LinkedIn.
Strong Towns Santa Barbara (site).
Local coverage of efforts to keep State Street car free.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!
Subscribe to The Bottom-Up Revolution on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Podbean or via RSS.

Bottom-Up Shorts: Helping People Become Incremental Developers Dec 03, 2024

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Ken Kunka, a consultant and coach for small-scale developers. A former building and permitting manager, Kunka helps others develop their craft as builders of stronger communities, with a focus on infill development. Here’s how he does it.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Improving Downtown Success by Building Experiences Nov 29, 2024

Jaime Izurieta is an architect, designer and author from Montclair, New Jersey, who focuses on the interaction between users and the built environment. He’s also the founder of Storefront Mastery, an award-winning creative agency that works with place management organizations to design and activate interactions between local businesses and their community.

This week, Izurieta joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss the importance of designing experiences, instead of just buildings, and how local leaders can shift their perspectives of downtowns to make them more successful.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
Storefront Mastery (site).
Check out Jaime Izurieta’s book, “Main Street Mavericks.”
Learn more about the Storefront Renaissance League.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: Starting a Bus Bench Building Program Nov 26, 2024

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Julie Emery, one of the leaders of Strong Milwaukee, a Local Conversations group. Emery and her group are helping to make their community stronger by building bus benches. Here’s how they started their program and how it’s evolving.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Reclaiming Forgotten Spaces for the Community Nov 21, 2024

Katy Clagett is a commercial real estate appraiser, but at her core, she’s an urban explorer and champion for overlooked spaces. At this year’s National Gathering, she won the Small Bets Competition for her “Flock Party” pitch of reclaiming a neighborhood alley using sheep and goats.

Clagett joins this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to talk about the ways bottom-up projects can bring neighbors together and build community, as well as her experience with spearheading this kind of project.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
- Manheim Gardens.
- Broadway Cafe.
Flock Party before-and-after images.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How $6 Can Make a Community More Bikeable Nov 19, 2024

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Sarah, the leader of Strong Towns Poway/Rancho Bernardo, a Local Conversations group. Sarah and several of her friends teamed up to install bike racks in places that were lacking them. Here’s how they used a really small budget and lots of determination to make something good happen in their community.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Bottom-Up Shorts: How Stickers Can Help You Build a Strong Town Nov 14, 2024

This Member Week, we’re excited to introduce you to Bottom-Up Shorts, a new collection of 10-minute episodes that we're adding to The Bottom-Up Revolution feed. Each week, Member Advocate Norm Van Eeden Petersman will talk with inspiring guests who are taking action in their community.

This week, he’s joined by Manav Sharma, one of the leaders of Strong Towns Vancouver, a Local Conversations group. Sharma and his group were inspired to make their community stronger through the tactical deployment of stickers. Here’s how they’re doing it.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Become a member today!
Strong Towns Vancouver sticker campaign coverage, pictures and video.
Resources for creating safe and productive streets.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Building the Future With Wisdom From the Past Oct 31, 2024

Rik Adamski is the founder and president of Ash+Lime, a planning firm that strives to help cities and neighborhoods create thriving places by drawing on the wisdom of the past. Originally from Chicago, Adamski consulted for several of the most prominent planning organizations in the U.S. before moving to Texas and embracing a more nimble, actionable and participatory approach to developing communities.

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Adamski joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss his approach to urban planning, the challenges of implementing a new planning approach in cities, and the importance of community engagement and incrementalism.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
- Ten Bells Tavern (reopening soon).
- Texas Theatre.
- Jefferson Boulevard.
- Tyler Station.
- Stockyards District in Fort Worth.

Ash+Lime (website).
A Better Brainerd report.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is...Building and Amplifying Communities Oct 24, 2024

Norm Van Eeden Petersman is the director of membership and development at Strong Towns. He regularly writes for Strong Towns on topics including housing, transportation and community building. He also co-leads his area’s Local Conversation, Deltans for People-Oriented Places.

In this episode, Petersman joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss his work with Strong Towns and the importance of building community in your place. They also share an exciting update about the future of The Bottom-Up Revolution.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local Recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).

Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is...Advocating for Safer Streets Oct 17, 2024

Yamini Karandikar is the leader of Strong Towns San Antonio, a Local Conversation in Texas that advocates for safer streets and alternative transportation. Among other efforts, she successfully nominated an intersection in her city for review in the Strong Towns Crash Analysis Studio and is co-hosting a Local-Motive session on improving street safety. Professionally, she works in process improvement strategy within the electric and gas industry.

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Karandikar talks with host Tiffany Owens Reed about her advocacy journey, what it’s like to conduct a Crash Analysis Studio, and how her community is changing for the better.

If you want more information about Karandikar’s experience with the Crash Analysis Studio and how it’s transforming her community, join her Local-Motive session on October 24 at noon CDT: “From Crash to Community Empowerment: How Addressing a Car Crash Helped Save and Change Lives.”

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
- The Friendly Spot.
- The Station Café.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Putting Down Roots To Build a Stronger Future Oct 10, 2024

Jacob Hyman is a civil-site engineer in training and the leader of Strong Towns Steubenville, a Local Conversation in Ohio. Originally from Florida, he moved to Steubenville after serving in the Air Force and started the city's Local Conversation two years later. He works for Crabtree Group, Inc., which provides site engineering services for traditional neighborhood developments and infill development across the country and globe.

Today, Hyman joins host Tiffany Owens Reed on The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss the challenges of revitalizing a Rust Belt city, how Strong Towns Steubenville is tackling those challenges, and how a combination of creativity, community and faith could be exactly what Steubenville — and cities like it — need to thrive.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Becoming a Local Real Estate Developer Sep 26, 2024

Tiffany Elder is a licensed general contractor, realtor and real estate investor/developer in Durham, North Carolina. She is the owner of Paradigm Construction (a design-build construction firm) and Paradigm Properties (a real estate brokerage firm). She also facilitates real estate ownership and investing seminars for residents.

Elder joins this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss her career path, how her various roles intersect, and the challenges and opportunities she’s faced in Durham.

To hear more from Elder, check out her Local-Motive session “Investing in Housing Development that Strengthens Neighborhoods Without Pushing People Out.” You can join live today at noon CDT or access the recording at any time in the Strong Towns Academy.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
- Bar Virgil - Downtown.
- Nzinga’s café.
- Walk downtown.
- Duke Gardens.
- Tiffany Elder’s TEDx Talk.
Tiffany Elder (website).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Helping Incremental Developers Make Better Places Part 2 Sep 19, 2024

Jennifer Krouse is a real estate strategist and the CEO of Liberty House Plans, an architectural publishing house that provides architectural plans for neighborhood-friendly buildings. Previously, she served as a business advisor to real estate developers and a consultant in the field of municipal productivity. She is a member of the National Town Builders Association and holds a BA from Williams College and an MBA from the Stockholm School of Economics.
Krouse returns in this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to dive deeper into what it means for an area to be productive. She and host Tiffany Owens Reed also discuss the importance of social capital and smart municipal investment strategies.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…a City Council Supporting Parking Reform Sep 05, 2024

Paloma Delgadillo is a council member in the city of Broomfield, Colorado. Originally from Texas, Paloma holds a B.A. in economics and a minor in statistics from the University of Chicago undergraduate program. She also earned a master’s degree in analytics from the University of Chicago Graham School.

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Delgadillo joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss her efforts to make her city more resilient, including through parking reform.

To hear more from Delgadillo, sign up for next week’s Local-Motive session: “The Parking Revolution is Here. Is Your Community Ready To Sign On?”

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
- Arista Deli.
- Proto's Pizzeria Napoletana.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Making a Difference With Local Government Aug 29, 2024

Alec Davis is a native of Des Moines, Iowa, with a background in engineering and consulting. In 2018 he left the corporate world to venture out as an entrepreneur, starting a restaurant alongside his brother back home in Des Moines. In 2023, after learning more about zoning and advocacy, he started Momentum Des Moines, an urban advocacy organization.

On this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Davis joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to talk about Momentum Des Moines’ efforts to build a better city by working with local government to end car dependency and make the city more accessible for everyone.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
- Dough Co. Pizza.
- Des Moines Biergarten.
- Lua Brewing.
- Big Grove Brewing.
- Bartenders Handshake.
- Lucky Lotus.
- Lachelle's.
- Cheese Bar.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!
Subscribe to The Bottom-Up Revolution on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Podbean or via RSS.

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Helping Incremental Developers Make Better Places Aug 22, 2024

Jennifer Krouse is a real estate strategist and the CEO of Liberty House Plans, an architectural publishing house that provides architectural plans for neighborhood-friendly buildings. Previously, she served as a business advisor to real estate developers and a consultant in the field of municipal productivity. She is a member of the National Town Builders Association and holds a BA from Williams College and an MBA from the Stockholm School of Economics.
On this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Krouse joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to talk about the ways Liberty House Plans makes incremental development easier and less risky. They also discuss the art of placecraft — also known as placemaking — and the importance of places being productive.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Liberty House Plans (site).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Fighting the Housing Crisis as an Incremental Developer Part 2 Aug 15, 2024

Seth Zeren is a a neighborhood developer and founding member of Strong Towns, as well as a self-proclaimed recovering city planner and a writer at the Build the Next Right Thing Substack. A San Francisco native, Zeren now lives with his family in Providence, Rhode Island, where he works as an incremental developer.

Zeren returns in this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to talk with host Tiffany Owens Reed about the political side of incremental development and how to deal with issues like balancing needed development with the increased property taxes that development usually brings.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Build the Next Right Thing (Substack).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Advocating for Better Transit and Safe Streets Aug 08, 2024

Erik Lowe is the founder of Reimagine Spokane, a grassroots group of citizens who are calling for safer streets and better transit in Spokane, Washington. He's also the designer of the “Spokane Reimagined” plan, a $1 billion proposal to improve safety and connectivity in Spokane over 20 years. On this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, he joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to talk about transit advocacy and the importance of walkability and safe streets.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
1. Riverfront park, food truck, falls, gondola.
2. Atticus Coffee.
3. Domini’s Sandwiches.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Fighting the Housing Crisis as an Incremental Developer Part 1 Jul 25, 2024

Seth Zeren is a a neighborhood developer and founding member of Strong Towns, as well as a self-proclaimed recovering city planner and a writer at the Build the Next Right Thing Substack. A San Francisco native, Zeren now lives with his family in Providence, Rhode Island, where he works as an incremental developer.

On this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Zeren joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to talk about his path to becoming an incremental developer with a midsize real estate firm, the stark divide between most modern developers and non-developers, and his approach to both incremental finance and philosophy.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Build the Next Right Thing (Substack).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Becoming a Member of Local Government Jul 18, 2024

Erin Joyce is the mayor of Braintree, Massachusetts. She’s also a professional civil engineer, former chair of her local planning board, former PTO president, youth soccer coach, and mom to three boys.

She’s joining host Tiffany Owens Reed today on The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss what it’s like to build strong towns as an elected official, the challenges and opportunities she’s faced, and the importance of community engagement in local government.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Erin Joyce (site).
Local recommendations:
- Widowmaker Brewery in the Blue Hills.
- Foley's Ice Cream Shop.
- Thayer Birth Place, Historical Society.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…City Building With Small-Scale Manufacturers Jul 11, 2024

Ilana Preuss is the founder and CEO of Recast City, a program that helps cities build strong downtowns by empowering small-scale manufacturers. She is also the author of “Recast Your City: How to Save Your Downtown with Small-Scale Manufacturing.” Previously, she was the vice president and chief of staff at Smart Growth America and led the technical assistance program at the EPA Smart Growth Program. She is a TEDx speaker on, “The Economic Power of Great Places,” and a featured keynote speaker.

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Preuss joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss the importance of small-scale manufacturing and her experiences as a city builder.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Local recommendations:
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Fighting for Better Public Transit in the Big Apple Jun 27, 2024

Danny Pearlstein is the policy and communications director at Riders Alliance, a nonprofit transit advocacy organization in New York City. With degrees in environmental studies and urban planning from Cornell, a degree in law from Cardozo and a history on the New York City Council, Pearlstein works to ensure every New Yorker has access to frequent, reliable, accessible and affordable public transit. Today, he joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss congestion pricing, car dependency and public transit in the Big Apple.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Rider’s Alliance (site).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Helping Local Advocates Improve Their Cities Jun 13, 2024

In this special episode for Member Week, Tiffany interviews Strong Towns Community Builder John Pattison. Pattison works with advocates in hundreds of communities as they start and lead local Strong Towns groups called Local Conversations. In the interview, they explore how these groups embody the bottom-up nature of the Strong Towns movement, some of the ways Local Conversations have successfully improved their cities, and how becoming a member supports the Local Conversations program.

In addition to his work with Strong Towns, Pattison is the author of two books, most recently “Slow Church” (InterVarsity Press), which takes inspiration from Slow Food and the other Slow movements to help faith communities reimagine how they live life together in the neighborhood. He and his family live in Silverton, Oregon.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Become a member today!
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Unexpected Allies Fighting a Highway Expansion Project May 23, 2024

In this special edition of The Bottom-Up Revolution, recorded last week at the 2024 National Gathering, we have a double interview with Susan Graham and Ally Smither. Graham and Smither are part of a movement in Houston, Texas, called Stop TxDOT I-45, which is working to prevent a massive highway expansion.

Susan is a retired nurse who has lived in Houston for decades and who started the movement after hearing about the Texas Department of Transportation’s plans for her neighborhood. Ally is originally from London, Ontario, in Canada. A professional opera singer, she stumbled upon the world of transportation advocacy during COVID-19, as well as finding a new professional path in communications, community advocacy and (most recently) as chief of staff for Texas Senator-Elect Molly Cook.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Stop TxDOT I-45 (site).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Brian Boland: Reclaiming Land From Urban Highways May 09, 2024

Brian Boland is a native of Cincinnati and the founder of Bridge Forward Cincinnati, an advocacy group working to reclaim 19 acres of city land from urban highways. He has a master’s degree in Urban Sustainability and Resilience and 30 years of experience in neighborhood revitalization. In addition to his work with Bridge Forward Cincinnati, Boland is one of the founders of CNU Midwest and a member of Strong Towns. He helped organize this year’s Congress for the New Urbanism, which will be held May 15-18 in Cincinnati, directly after the Strong Towns National Gathering.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Bridge Forward Cincinnati (site).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Christian Gray: Alleviating Neighborhood Poverty at a Root Level Apr 25, 2024

Christian Gray is a native of Southern California, but now resides in Omaha, Nebraska, with his family, where he is the co-executive director of inCOMMON Community Development, an organization that aims to alleviate poverty at a root level by uniting and strengthening vulnerable neighborhoods. Gray has worked in the field of national and international community development for 16 years, and we’re excited to have him on The Bottom-Up Revolution this week to talk about his community and the work he’s doing in it!

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

inCOMMON Community Development (website).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Sara Joy Proppe: Helping Churches Use Placemaking To Connect With the Community Apr 11, 2024

Sara Joy Proppe is a native of Texas, but lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has a degree in urban planning, and has over a decade of professional experience and managing private real estate development projects, as well as leading community placemaking workshops throughout the Midwest. She's the founder and director of Proximity Project, a consultancy that helps churches discover how they can use placemaking to connect with the local community.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Proximity Project (website).
Check out Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, Summit Avenue, Cathedral Hill, and West 7th St.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Armando Moritz-Chapelliquen: A Grassroots Community Advocate Mar 28, 2024

Armando Moritz-Chapelliquen is a passionate community organizer in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. With extensive experience in providing reports and educational materials on community and economic development, he has collaborated with organizations such as the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and the Local Initiative Support Corporation, where he currently serves. Beyond his professional commitments, Armando is a dedicated father and volunteers actively within his local school district. In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, we delve into Moritz-Chapelliquen’s role as a grassroots community advocate.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Armando Moritz-Chapelliquen (LinkedIn; Twitter/X.)
Check out Easton Public Market and Plants and Coffee.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Maddy Novich: Not Your Typical Bike Activist! Mar 14, 2024

Maddy Novich is a criminal justice professor at Manhattan College, a mom of three, and an Instagram influencer living in New York City—you might know her as @cargobikemomma. Novich fell in love with cargo biking during a trip with her family to Europe in 2019, and launched an Instagram account when she came back to just share her love of biking around the city and to help other people, especially other women, realize that this mobility option is available to them.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Maddy Novich (Instagram).
Check out Vinetaria, Lalibela, and Double Dutch Espresso.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Deatra Kemp: Helping First-Time Homebuyers Realize Their Dreams Feb 29, 2024

Deatra Kemp is a native of Milwaukee with a long background in the real estate industry. She is passionate about helping close the home ownership gap within her city's Black and Hispanic communities. As the Vice President of Programs at Acts Housing, she oversees the homebuyer coaching, lending, and home rehab programs that help first-time homebuyers realize their dream of owning a home.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Acts Housing (website).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Adam Greenfield and Miriam Schoenfield: Fighting Freeway Widening in Austin Feb 08, 2024

On this week’s episode, we’ve got a special double interview with Adam Greenfield and Miriam Schoenfield, who are both freeway fighters based in Austin, Texas. Greenfield is a transportation and land-use advocate and co-founder of Rethink35. Schoenfield, who is a board member at Rethink35, is a professor at The University of Texas at Austin. Challenging the expansion of a massive highway is one of the biggest missions one can take on in any city, so we’re excited to have Greenfield and Schoenfield on the show to talk about this important work that they’re doing.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Rethink35 (website).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Jessica Peacock: Fighting for a Family-Owned Grocery Store Jan 25, 2024

Jessica Peacock is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, and for the past four years, she’s been fighting to reopen her great-grandparents’ neighborhood grocery store in the Walnut Terrace neighborhood. The endeavor has required her to go through an extensive rezoning process, and on this week’s episode, she’s going to share what that journey has been like for her.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Peacox Market (website).
“Raleigh Woman Battles City Hall to Reopen Her Great-Grandparents' Neighborhood Store,” by Asia Mieleszko, Strong Towns (May 2023).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Jon Jon Wesolowski: Chattanooga Urbanist Society Jan 11, 2024

Today’s Bottom-Up Revolution guest is Jon Jon Wesolowski, who is an old friend of host Tiffany Owens Reed. Wesolowski lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with his wife and two kids and works full time in social media. Outside of work, he makes content for various social media platforms—mostly TikTok and Instagram—related to urbanist issues. He was a founding member of the Chattanooga Urbanist Society, a bottom-up group of residents who are making their city better through tactical action, and is also a member of the Chattanooga Local Conversation group.

Jennifer Gaughran: Running the Strong Towns Toastmasters Group Dec 14, 2023

On this episode, host Tiffany Owens Reed chats with Jennifer Gaughran. Gaughran is a resident of San Diego, California, and outside of her full-time job in marketing, she runs the Strong Towns Toastmasters group, where folks interested in cities and public speaking gather every week online to refine their speaking skills, while talking about various urban issues and Strong Towns concepts.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Learn more about Strong Towns Toastmasters.
Check out Gaughran’s adventure story podcast for children, The Adventures of Red Knight.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Check out the Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park, and Old Town.
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Dustin LaFont: The Largest Community Bike Shop in Louisiana Nov 30, 2023

On this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, host Tiffany Owens Reed chats with Dustin LaFont. LaFont is the proud executive director of Front Yard Bikes, a youth workforce development program providing safe spaces for youth in Baton Rogue, Louisiana, to learn bike mechanics, welding, urban gardening, cooking, riding safety, and providing after-school jobs.

LaFont first began repairing bikes with a few kids on his front yard in the summer of 2010, but as demand grew, the community rallied behind the project. Through the years, Front Yard Bikes has included over 2,000 youth and more than 10,000 bikes. With two after-school sites and a full-service bike shop in Mid City, Front Yard Bikes has become the largest community bike shop in the state and hopes to do even more with the amazing youth that champion the good work.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Front Yard Bikes (website).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Check out Highland Coffees, City Roots, Chow Yum, and French Truck Coffee.
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Alisha Loch: Keeping Norwood, OH, Vibrant for Future Generations Nov 16, 2023

Alisha Loch is a Strong Towns member, a mother of three, and a founding board member of Norwood Together, a community development corporation in Norwood, Ohio—which was a finalist in the 2022 Strongest Town Competition. A lover of cities, Loch enjoys community events, parks, porches, and anything that increases the small-town feel of Norwood. She is passionate about working alongside other residents to keep her neighborhood vibrant for future generations.

Strong Towns members like Alisha Loch are making a difference in their communities. Will you join them by becoming a member today?

Scott Jones: Building Neighborhood Connections With Acts of Hospitality Nov 09, 2023

On this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, host Tiffany Owens Reed talks with Scott Jones. Jones is a lifelong resident of Long Beach, California, where he is the co-founder and executive director of We Love Long Beach, a nonprofit that encourages and equips residents to build connections with their neighbors through acts of generosity and hospitality.

Their work shows how simple gestures of hospitality can be on-ramps to deeper connections with our neighbors, which can translate into friendships, meaningful political collaboration on the local level, and effective defense against loneliness.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

We Love Long Beach (website / Instagram / Facebook / X).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Check out Domenico’s Restaurant, Nick’s on 2nd, and Alamitos Bay.
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Aimee and Cody Frederick: Café Owners and Conversation Leaders Oct 26, 2023

Aimee and Cody Frederick are the owners of Blockhouse Coffee, a specialty coffee house in a historic part of downtown Richmond, Texas, a small town in the Houston metro area.

Even though they aren’t from Richmond or even from Texas, their café is just one way they are demonstrating radical commitment to their city. They also lead a Strong Towns Local Conversation group called Fortify Richmond and cultivate real estate. Aimee co-hosts a podcast called Born in the Bend and, starting in 2020, she began serving on the city’s zoning and planning commission…all of that in addition to raising two kids!

Ultimately for the Fredericks, their efforts boil down to their love of hospitality and building community, and they’ve got a lot to share in this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution!

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Block House Coffee & Kitchen (website / Instagram).
Born in the Bend podcast.
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Check out the Fort Bend Museum, Harlem Road Texas BBQ, Trough Juice, Mercy Goods, and Shady Oak Primary School.
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Shelby Wild: Breaking Down Barriers to Local Food Oct 12, 2023

Shelby Wild is a mom, a lifelong gardener, and executive director of Route One Farmers Market in her hometown of Lompoc, California, which she started in 2018 after her neighborhood farmer’s market closed.

As both a traditional farmer’s market and a nonprofit, Wild’s goal for Route One Farmers Market is to increase access and break down barriers to local food in California’s Lompoc Valley. The market runs every Sunday and is currently the sole market for 50 miles of the central coast of California that offers customers both EBT and Market Match.

Wild and her team strive to make the market a place that brings together the diverse communities that call Lompoc home. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wild led her market to be the first in the area to offer a produce bag for curbside contactless pickup for all customers, distributing hundreds of bags of local food for those under shelter-in-place restrictions. Last year, they launched the first ever mobile farmer’s market in Santa Barbara County, and just recently, Wild was honored as Woman of the Year by her local Chamber of Commerce at their annual awards banquet.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Route One Farmers Market (website).
Shelby Wild (LinkedIn).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Check out Cold Coast Brewing Co., Dare 2 Dream Farms Homestead, and South Side Coffee Co.
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Marques King: Doing Incremental Development in Detroit Sep 28, 2023

On this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, host Tiffany Owens Reed is joined by Marques King, a licensed architect, practicing urban designer, and small-scale developer operating out of Detroit, Michigan.

Originally from Detroit, King returned home after spending a decade in Washington, DC, and now runs a design firm that specializes in incremental development projects. His work is driven by a desire to see a more sustainable future for his city by providing human-scale neighborhoods that are accessible to a wider variety of people across the social-economic spectrum.

King also serves as a faculty member of the Incremental Development Alliance and is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maryland’s School of Architecture, Preservation & Planning.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Marques King (Twitter/X).
Fabrick (website).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Check out the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), Islandview Villages, The Red Hook, Marrow, Yum Village, and the Detroit Riverfront.
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Gary Oddi: A Lifelong Educator Advocating for Active Transportation Sep 14, 2023

On today’s episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, host Tiffany Owens Reed is joined by Gary Oddi, a longtime resident of Temecula, California, who served in public education as a teacher and administrator before retiring in 2016. A lifelong biker, he founded Bike Temecula Valley in 2020, a nonprofit that advocates for more active transit in his city.

Along with his duties as president of Bike Temecula Valley, Oddi is also a substitute administrator for the Temecula Valley Unified School District and the director of the Murrieta Creek Regional Trail Four Cities Planning Team. He also sits on the city of Temecula Services Commission and continues to lead drives and educate the community about active transportation.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Gary Oddi (Twitter/X).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Bike Temecula Valley (website).
Check out Le Coffee, La Bottega, and Temecula Valley Wineries.
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Barry Greene: A Dad Advocating for Density and Localism Aug 31, 2023

This week on The Bottom-Up Revolution, host Tiffany Owens Reed talks with Barry Greene Jr., an urban journalist and local advocate from the Southside neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. After spending time in Brooklyn and Charlotte, Greene returned to Richmond earlier this year and launched his Substack, Density Dad.

On Greene’s blog, he draws on his experience as a husband and father to write about city and urban design issues in an accessible manner, and also advocates for urban design that’s friendly to families, children, and seniors. In addition to working full-time as a fundraising and grants manager for an environmental nonprofit, he also serves on the board of Virginia Rapid Transit and the Partnership for Smarter Growth.

Today, Greene talks with us about his work with advocacy and his success as a small business owner.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Barry Greene Jr. (Twitter).
Density Dad (Website).
Check out Urban Hang Suite, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge, and Shades of Moss (Greene’s own local business!).
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Noah Tang: Working Alongside Local Government Aug 17, 2023

Noah Tang, high school history teacher in Bloomington, Illinois, discovered the power of small steps when he invited a few friends over to discuss the city's housing issues. From that initial gathering, a Local Conversation movement was sparked that led to the city unanimously changing its zoning code. This change allows residents more flexibility to adapt to housing needs and build additional housing units (ADUs) on their property.

In this episode of the Bottom-Up Revolution podcast, host Tiffany Owens Reed catches up with Tang. They talk about why he chose to get involved in local government, his recent trip to the Netherlands, and how things are progressing in Bloomington. This episode follows Strong Towns' coverage of the Local Conversation Bloomington Revivalists' journey for change earlier this year.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Noah Tang (Twitter).
“History Teacher Steps Up and Starts the Conversation for Change in Bloomington, Illinois,” by Seairra Sheppard, Strong Towns (February 2023).
Learn more about starting your own Local Conversation.
Check out Bloomington's Farmers Market, McLean County’s History Museum, Epiphany Farms Restaurant, and Coffee Hound Cafe.
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

LeVette Fuller: Actively Making a Strong Town Aug 03, 2023

Who are the people working to make their places stronger?

On this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, host Tiffany Owens Reed interviews LeVette Fuller. Fuller was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, and has served for four years on the city council, ran for mayor, and is now working in real estate. She’s taken part in many projects pointed toward creating a stronger, more adaptable city, including Reform Shreveport, which hosts a Fiscal Impact Analysis conducted by Urban3 on their site, as well as a portal for citizens to inform the city of local needs.

Tune in to this episode and hear Fuller talk about Shreveport, its unique history, and how she’s bringing new ideas to the city.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

LeVette Fuller (Twitter).
Reform Shreveport (Website).
Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).
Check out Vinyl Coffee, Herby K’s, Southern Maid Donuts, the R.W. Norton Art Gallery Botanical Gardens, and Sweetport Ice Cream!
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!
Support this podcast by becoming a Strong Towns member today.

Introducing Your New Host for The Bottom-Up Revolution! Jul 27, 2023

After taking a hiatus for her maternity leave, Rachel Quednau is back with a new episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, where she's introducing Tiffany Owens Reed, who will soon be our new host for the podcast.

Those of you who have been around here for a while may recognize Tiffany as one of our regular writers and a previous guest on this very podcast, as well as a featured speaker in many of our workshops and events—including, most recently, the National Gathering. She's also a member of our advisory board, and, in general, has been involved with Strong Towns for many years.

We're so excited to welcome Tiffany to The Bottom-Up Revolution. We invite you to get to know her in this episode and look forward to hearing more from her in the coming weeks!

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Read Strong Towns articles by Tiffany.
Check out Tiffany’s previous appearance on The Bottom-Up Revolution.
Read more of Tiffany’s writing at Cities Decoded.
“Patterns, Placemaking, and People: 3 Questions for Observing Your City,” by Tiffany Owens Reed, Strong Towns (June 2023).
Learn the 4-Step Process for Public Investment from Tiffany over at the Strong Towns Academy.
Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!
Support this podcast by becoming a Strong Towns member today.

Top of the Bottom-Up: Creating a Coffee Shop for the Whole Neighborhood Jan 26, 2023

While Rachel is on maternity leave, we’re re-running some of our best and most popular episodes of The Bottom-Up Revolution podcast.

This episode, which we published in May of 2021, came to us because Strong Towns Community Builder John Pattison is friends with the guest, Coté Soerens and her husband, Tim. In the podcast you’re about to hear, the focus is on a wonderful neighborhood coffee shop that Soerens opened to be a gathering place in her community of South Park in Seattle. But we’ve been thinking about this episode recently because John also let us know that Coté and Tim have been leading an effort called Reconnect South Park to tear down a harmful highway that cuts through the neighborhood.

Soeren’s coffee shop, Resistencia, has served as a convening space for advocates working on this issue, a perfect example of how a neighborhood café can create so much benefit for a city—not just in providing jobs, providing local goods, activating a storefront—but also in being a “third space” where people can get together and work on making their city stronger. If you want to learn more about how to get involved in stopping wasteful highways in your city, check out our End Highway Expansion campaign.

Additional Show Notes

Reconnect South Park website.
Visit the End Highway Expansion campaign page.
Strong Towns articles on gentrification.
Urban Fresh Food Collective.
Support this podcast by becoming a Strong Towns member today.

Top of the Bottom-Up: Taking Matters Into Our Own Hands to #SlowTheCars Jan 05, 2023

While Rachel is on maternity leave, we’re re-running some of our best and most popular episodes of The Bottom-Up Revolution podcast.

This episode from August of 2021 is a fascinating story about a Strong Towns member who literally bought a road in order to try and make it safer. Mary Moriarty Jones lives in Honolulu, where plenty of roads are privately owned, which is what made this story possible. You’ll hear a lot more about that process and why Jones is so passionate about making this street safer for her children to walk to school. But since we recorded, we also have an update to share: Jones emailed a couple months ago to say that she successfully transferred ownership of the road back to the city and county, who now plan to add sidewalks and crossings to hopefully make the street safer for everyone who uses it.

This is ultimately the story of someone who was so dedicated to the Strong Towns mission and so believed in the cause of safer streets that she did everything she possibly could to make it happen. We hope that those who come after her do not have to fight quite so hard just to ensure they can safely walk to work or school without risking their lives. But we’re thankful and inspired by advocates like Mary Jones. Check out our Safe and Productive Streets campaign if you want to connect more with these efforts.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

A couple of articles about Mary Jones’s quest for safer streets, from Civil Beat: “This Diamond Head Mom Found An Unusual Way To Fight City Hall“ and “Diamond Head Mom Who Took Over Road Riles Neighbors By Charging For Parking.”
Safe and Productive Streets campaign page.
Support this podcast by becoming a Strong Towns member today.

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