The Bottom-Up Revolution

Vignesh Swaminathan, an engineer and transportation planner with over 1.7 million TikTok followers, shares his insights on urban infrastructure. He discusses the critical connection between transportation and housing in California's neighborhoods. Vignesh highlights his innovative quick-build projects that enhance mobility and community engagement. He emphasizes the role of social media in making urban planning accessible and relatable, aiming to foster better communication and participation in local governance. The conversation also touches on urban innovations in San Jose.

Danny Wind, a Local Conversation leader and Regional Transportation Commission member from Lake County, California, discusses the transformative Open Street Map Project. This initiative empowers residents to document their everyday transportation struggles, highlighting the importance of keen observation in urban planning. Danny emphasizes the necessity of inclusive community engagement and how collaboration can lead to meaningful change. By fostering relationships and advocating for improvement, he reveals how small actions can dramatically enhance local infrastructure and accessibility.

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: Sleeping Bear National Dunes The Flying Noodle Farm Club Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

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 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: Bar Casa Jesus Mari Posada de Sorauren   Gosaria Coffee Shop Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

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 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: Panjshir Restaurant  Saturday morning farmer's market Cherry Hill Park Northside Social Café Kindred Godfreys Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

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 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!

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!