The Bottom-Up Revolution

When a nine-year-old rides the subway alone, is that neglect or normal childhood? Lenore Skenazy, a speaker, writer, and reality show host who was once dubbed "America's worst mom," makes the case for why kids need more independence and shares tactics for how parents can give it to them in the modern city or suburb.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Local Recommendations:
  
  • Lety’s Bakery
• Let Grow (site)
• Free Range Kids (site)
• See more from Lenore:
  
  • “Why I Let My 9 Year Old Ride the Subway Alone” (article)‍
  • Free Independence Kit‍
  • Lenore’s TedTalk‍
• Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
• Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Strong Towns Chicago learned that fun isn't frivolous — it's essential for sustainable advocacy. Leader Alex Montero shares how the Local Conversation group uses urbanist comedy, neighborhood tours, and social events to keep volunteers energized and engaged while winning real policy changes.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Want in on the action? Find a Local Conversation near you!
• Alex Montero (Linktree)
• Strong Towns Chicago (Linktree)
• ‍Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
• Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here.

Jennifer Truman didn’t set out to be a housing or transit advocate, but after running into the same problems while designing small projects in Raleigh, North Carolina, she started asking bigger questions. In this episode, she explains how noticing friction in everyday work led to her involvement in zoning reform, transit leadership, and launching a pro-housing movement.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• ‍CITYBUILDER (site)
• ‍The Rocket Shop (site)
• ‍Jennifer Truman (site)
• Recommendations/Show Notes:
  
  • Dix Park
  • Trophy Brewery
  • The Can Open Food Truck Park in Durham
  • Oakwood Pizza Box in Raleigh
  • Two Roosters Ice Cream‍
  • Black and White Coffee and Videri Chocolate in downtown Raleigh

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What does it look like to actively love the place you live? Tiffany Owens Reed talks with New Haven Alder Caroline Tanbee Smith about community-building, public space, and how small, people-powered projects grow into lasting civic impact.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Local Recommendations:
  
  • Criscuolo Park
  • Ozzy’s Pizza
  • The Crooked Goat
  • Taqueria Oyameles

• Caroline Tanbee Smith (site)
• Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
• Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Norm sits down with Connor Legros, an undergrad student studying city planning and administration. Connor explains how he's creating a one-stop-shop for building backyard cottages in Flagstaff, Arizona. He shares how better guidance and streamlined approvals can support local housing and reduce the burden on city staff.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Learn how to make housing easier to build in your community with the Strong Towns Housing Toolkits.
• Connect with Connor:
  
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
• ‍Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
• Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here.

In this special episode, Norm introduces Mary Kate Norton, Strong Towns' new Mobilization Coordinator and Trainer. Mary Kate shares about her background in grassroots organizing, leadership development, and coalition building. She also offers some tips for people hoping to make change in their communities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Find a Local Conversation near you.
• Mary Kate Norton (LinkedIn)
• ‍Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
• Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here.

When a tragic car crash forced street safety changes in Chattanooga, Tennessee, local businesses panicked about losing customers. But they soon discovered that foot traffic beats car traffic every time.

Emily Thompson, entrepreneur, author, and marketing chair of the North Shore Merchant Collective, explains how she helped push for increasing walkability and reclaiming space for people — and how those efforts made surrounding businesses more successful.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Local Recommendations:
  
  • Frazier Five and Dime
  • I Go Tokyo
  • Verre Noir
  • Basecamp
• Almanac Supply Co (site)
• Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
• Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

What happens when a planner stops following broken rules and starts rewriting them instead?

Brad Callender, director of planning and zoning for Monroe, Georgia, legalized the housing people actually need. Duplexes and backyard cottages are now popping up across town. He joins Norm today to explain how he did it as a department of one.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

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

Megan Ramey has advocated for kid-friendly transportation for over a decade, culminating in her role as the Safe Routes to School Manager for Hood River County, Oregon.

Megan and Tiffany discuss the importance of walkability and bikeability for children, and Megan shares lessons she's learned from advocating in cities as big as Boston and towns as small as Hood River.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Local Recommendations:
  
  • Historic Columbia River Highway
  • Ten Speed Coffee Shop
  • Love and Hominy
• Walk And Roll Hood River County Schools (site)
• Bikeabout (site)
• Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram)
• Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Your downtown isn't a money pit — it's a money pot. When Medicine Hat, Alberta, discovered the real financial value of traditional urban form, it sparked something bigger: a grassroots movement that's now changing who runs city hall. Superintendent of Planning Shawn Champagne joins Norm to discuss small bets, fiscal resilience, and why bottom-up change actually works.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

• Shawn Champagne: shacha@medicinehat.ca
• Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)