The Bottom-Up Revolution
The Bottom-Up Revolution features the stories of the Strong Towns movement in action. Hosted by Tiffany Owens Reed and Norm Van Eeden Petersman, 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. Each episode features a Strong Towns advocate who is making positive change in their community.
Episodes
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 Sho...
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...
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 Hous...
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) ...
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 busin...
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 kn...
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:
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.c...
In her day job, Victoria Via is an architect who designs affordable housing. In her off hours, she's one of the leaders of a powerhouse Local Conversation in Portland, Oregon. Victoria joins Tiffany to explain what affordable housing has in common with luxury projects and how Strong Towns PDX is working with neighborhood groups and city officials to transform Portland for the better.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTESWhat happens when a data analyst starts studying their hometown's finances? For Karl Urich, it meant seeing Albany, New York, in a whole new light. Karl shares how he makes intimidating financial statements accessible to everyone, why unbiased storytelling matters more than gotcha journalism, and practical tips for aspiring data storytellers.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES- Albany Data Stories (site)
- Hudson Finance Decoder (site)
- Karl U...
Why do some places make us want to stay forever while others repel us? In honor of Member Week, we're bringing back a great episode with architect Will McCollum. He explores the timeless principles of urbanism, why we need to democratize that knowledge again, and how understanding cities helps us understand what it means to be human.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES- It's Member Week at Strong Towns! Join the movement today.
- ...
Strong Towns members are doing remarkable things in their communities, but none of it requires magic abilities. Norm shares what he's learned from 50 interviews — and explains how you can get involved.
Additional Show Notes- It's Member Week at Strong Towns! Join the movement by making a donation of any amount.
Many cities will greenlight a billion-dollar highway but struggle to paint a crosswalk. Liza Burkin has spent 12 years changing that through advocacy, private consulting, and federal policymaking. The founder of Providence Streets Coalition, she joins Tiffany to share hard-won lessons on political navigation and practical tools anyone can use to start transforming their streets.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES- Local recommendations: ...
Dr. Shakeel Dalal builds spaceships for a living, and he never planned to run for mayor of Longmont, Colorado. He just kept doing the next small thing that made sense. That led him from writing about city council meetings to moderating congressional debates, founding housing organizations, and running for office. Today, Shakeel joins Norm to discuss his journey, the challenges facing his community, and his advice for advocates.
ADD...What if you could change a dangerous street today instead of waiting 10 years? Isaac Gonzalez founded the advocacy group Slow Down Sacramento to prove that you can. Two years later, the group has helped transform Sacramento from a city that resists innovation to one that's embracing tactical urbanism.
Today, Isaac explains how he kickstarted this change and how you can do the same.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTESMcKenzie Ortiz is the founder of Pedestrian Pride, a digital storytelling project that uplifts the realities of life for working-class people who can't drive. She also serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission in Columbia, Missouri. Today, McKenzie joins Tiffany to discuss what it's really like to be a nondriver in America and how storytelling can transform advocacy.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES- Local Recommendations:
Sam Foster is an engineer, Local Conversation leader, and mayoral candidate in Marietta, Georgia. He joins Norm to talk about why he's running for office at 24 years old, how he uses social media to educate the public, and what he has planned for a more prosperous Marietta.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES- Connect with Sam:
- A Better Cobb (site)
- Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
- Do you know someone...
Zoe Tishaev and Dylan DelliSanti work for the Institute for Justice, a nonprofit, public interest law firm. As part of the Cities Work program, they partner with cities to make it cheaper, faster and simpler to start small businesses. Today, they join Tiffany to talk about the importance of small businesses and to explain how cities can revitalize their local economies.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES- Local Recommendations:
Tyler Moldovan is a bus driver, urban advocate, and community organizer in Port Huron, Michigan. Today, he joins Norm to share how his work in transit, street safety, and local arts is helping to build a safer and more connected city.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES- Learn how your city can make its streets safer today with the Crash Analysis Studio model.
- Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)
- Do you know someone who would make for a g...
Kyle and Beverly Greenwood brought together nearly 2,000 residents to stop a proposed highway in Brazos County, Texas. What began with a single flyer turned into a community victory that protected historic ranches and homes. Today, they join Tiffany to explain how they took on a highway expansion and won.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES- Local Recommendations:
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