The Bottom-Up Revolution

Norm steps in for Tiffany on this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution. He's joined by Donna Boelen, who served on the city council of Bloomington, Illinois, from 2019 to 2024. Donna shares how she went from speaking at public comment to winning office as a self-taught Strong Towns-style advocate — and offers tips for anyone considering a run for city council.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Want to learn more about implementing the Strong Towns approach as an elected official? Join Mayor Erin Joyce of Braintree, Massachusetts, for a live virtual workshop at noon on October 23.
• Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
• Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

What does it mean to live wisely and grow well in the desert? Judith Rognli of Strong Towns WashCo shares how St. George residents are facing water scarcity, rapid growth, and livability challenges as a community.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

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

Butch Roussel is the founder of the 24 Hour Citizen Project, an annual event that connects everyday citizens with the expertise and resources they need to solve challenges in their town. Over the last decade, the 24 Hour Citizen Project has funded dozens of incredible projects to the tune of $170,000 and counting.

Butch joins Tiffany to discuss the big impact that small, locally funded projects can have on a community and how to bring those projects to life.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Local Recommendations:
  • Blue Moon Saloon
  • Reve Coffee
  • Central Pizza
  • Festival Acadiens
• The 24 Hour Citizen Project (site)
• Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
• Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this special episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, Norm is joined by John Pattison, Strong Towns' community builder and head of the Local Conversations program. They discuss what drives people to start one of these local advocacy groups, as well as the real costs and rewards of stepping into leadership. They also explore how mentorship, shared tools, and bottom-up collaboration knit single-issue advocates into a culture of lasting community change.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Learn more about 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!
• Subscribe to The Bottom-Up Revolution on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Podbean or via RSS.

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Jessica David and Josh Daley are co-founders of Local Return, a nonprofit in Rhode Island dedicated to building community wealth through ownership and investment. They empower residents through education and financing, with a particular focus on small-scale developers and small business owners. Today, Jessica and Josh explain how Local Return works, how it benefits communities, and the legal and technical challenges of starting this kind of program.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Local Recommendations:
  • Apsara Thai
  • White Electric Coffee
  • Figidini’s Pizza
• Local Return (site)
• Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
• Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Christine Corrado is a city councilmember in Brighton, New York. She’s also the founder of Brighton Safe Streets for All and has served on a variety of city committees, from the Zoning Board of Appeals to the Public Works Committee. She and Norm discuss how she’s making her community safer and more prosperous.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Brighton Safe Streets for All (Facebook)

• Christine Corrado

  • LinkedIn

  • Town of Brighton (site)

• Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)

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

Professor Jack Duncan is a professor of architecture and preservation at the College of Charleston. His mission is to help students and communities understand and rediscover the human-scaled patterns that make places beautiful, legible, and lasting. Today, Jack joins Tiffany to discuss how this mission relates to architecture, urbanism, and craftsmanship.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Local Recommendations:

  • Nathaniel Russell House

  • Magnolia Plantation Gardens

  • Angel Oak on Johns Island

• Duncan & Co. Studio (site)

• Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)

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

Gioia Calabretta is one of the leaders of Livable Lynchburg, a Local Conversation in Virginia. She is also Strong Towns’ graphic design intern. She and Norm discuss a walk audit she recently participated in, as well as her unique viewpoint as both a Local Conversation leader and Strong Towns staff member.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Livable Lynchburg (Instagram)

• See more from Gioia:

  • LinkedIn

  • “I Refuse To Accept That My Best Days of Walkability Were in College” by Gioia Calabretta

• 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 Gardner is the founder of South Coast Places For People, a new nonprofit — and Strong Towns Local Conversation — in Massachusetts. He previously founded Alma del Mar Charter Schools and now spends much of his time plotting street redesigns, housing reforms, and community events.

In this episode, Will discusses the three working groups his Local Conversation recently started, which focus on parking reform, backyard cottages, and street safety.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Local Recommendations:

  • Millicent Library in Fair Haven

  • New Bedford Whaling Museum

  • Ice Cream Cottage

• South Coast Places For People

• StrongHaven (Substack)

• Learn more about Strong Towns Local Conversations.

• Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)

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

Today, Norm is joined by Jess and Dan Sollaccio from Warrenton, Oregon. Jess is a city commissioner and a small-scale housing developer. Dan is a commissioner for the Warrenton Budget Committee and works remotely for a financial institution. They explain their asset-based mindset for strengthening their community, as well as their efforts to redevelop a vacant building into a community hub.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Jessica Sollaccio (site)

• The Outpost (site)

• Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)

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