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Artwork for The Bottom-Up Revolution

The Bottom-Up Revolution

Strong Towns
Strong Towns
Community Engagement
Urban Planning
Community Development
Strong Towns Movement
Affordable Housing
Urbanism
Urban Design
Housing Crisis
Walkability
Local Government
Community Advocacy
Architecture
Public Transit
Transportation
Transportation Planning
Denver
Incremental Development
Public Transportation
Zoning Laws

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... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes100Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for The Bottom-Up Revolution

Latest Episodes

Well-designed public spaces often look promising at opening, then slowly lose energy and use. Max Musicant explains how that decline comes down to what happens after construction—who maintains the space, how it’s programmed, and whether anyone is res... more

Barbara Didrichsen, known locally as “Traffic Granny,” describes how everyday walks filled with close calls in her Pleasant Ridge neighborhood in Cincinnati, Ohio pushed her to start documenting crashes and traffic problems on her streets. She and No... more

Using Woodbury in Moscow, Idaho as a case study, this conversation digs into how one master-planned neighborhood pursues walkability, mixed use, and everyday community life on the edge of a small town. Builder Levi Wintz unpacks the tradeoffs around ... more

In Athens, Ohio, stroller struggles on broken sidewalks and a sea of parking lots pushed Stevie Hunter to become the city’s “sidewalk lady.” She joins Norm to talk about mapping every parking lot in town, auditing rebuilt streets with a homegrown SPA... more

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Recent Guests

Barbara Didrichsen
Traffic Granny, community advocate
Cincinnati neighborhood advocacy
Episode: Ohio’s Traffic Granny Takes On Dangerous Neighborhood Streets
Levi Wintz
Developer and builder focused on creating walkable, community-centered neighborhoods
Woodbury project / Town Builders podcast
Episode: Rethinking New Neighborhoods Between Big Plans And Incremental Change
Stevie Hunter
Advocate in Athens, Ohio focusing on accessibility and pedestrian/cyclist advocacy
Athens Disability Commission (Accessibility and Advocacy Committee)
Episode: Becoming the Sidewalk Lady in Athens Ohio
Uthish Ganesh
Educator and community advocate focused on youth, education, and equity
Teacher, community leader in Toronto
Episode: Defying Deficit Narratives with Youth Pilot Projects
Emma Durand-Wood
City councilor for Elmwood East Culledonan; long-time neighborhood advocate
Elmwood East Culledonan, Winnipeg, Canada
Episode: Tree Canopies, Safe Speeds, and a Council Seat
Edward Erfurt
Chief Technical Advisor for Strong Towns
Strong Towns
Episode: Why Cities Need Community Led Crash Analysis Studios
Brian Kelly
Member of Sheboygan Active Transportation
Sheboygan Active Transportation
Episode: From Parklets To Pilots, Sheboygan Reclaims Its Streets
Braden Schmidt
Co-founder of Sheboygan Active Transportation
Sheboygan Active Transportation
Episode: From Parklets To Pilots, Sheboygan Reclaims Its Streets
Patrick Schloss
Economic Development Director, City of West Allis
City of West Allis
Episode: Inside West Allis's Playbook for Stronger Local Economies

Hosts

Tiffany Owens Reed
Co-host focusing on community-led urbanism and policy reform; affiliated with Strong Towns and The Bottom-Up Revolution.
Norm Van Eeden Petersman
Co-host associated with Strong Towns; leads and voices on Bottom Up Shorts and related Strong Towns initiatives.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 144 ratings
  • A+

    New host is fantastic!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MonkeysInACan
    United States3 years ago
  • Great Podcast

    This podcast is super inspiring. Rachel is a fantastic interviewer, and the range of guests are fascinating.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CateAVL
    United States3 years ago
  • More Personal Dive into Strong Towns

    Loving the format and the stories from people active in their communities.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mdelesd1
    United States4 years ago
  • Such interesting comments conversations about grass roots projects

    Fascinating ground-up projects in so many communities. I’ve started following the work of several interviewees because the conversations were so compelling. Locally based projects can take so many forms!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    listeninglou
    United States4 years ago
  • One of my favs

    One of my favs

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Me95691566
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The host's interviewing style is engaging and conversational, making complex urbanism topics accessible.
Guests are varied yet consistently aligned with grassroots, bottom-up change.
Positive and practical: listeners appreciate actionable insights and real-world guest stories.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ohio’s Traffic Granny Takes On Dangerous Neighborhood Streets
Q: Can you talk about how the Slow the Cars effort is being received and what steps you plan to take next?
Barbara explains that earlier efforts preceded COVID, and as traffic worsened, residents organized a committee, gathered data, and communicated with the city, aiming for non-costly, non-contentious moves first while preparing to push for more engineering and enforcement later.
Becoming the Sidewalk Lady in Athens Ohio
Q: What are some tips that you have for other people that are interested in maybe taking some of the similar steps that you've taken on your journey?
Pick a topic and become the local expert on it; start with sidewalks or housing or another issue, build maps or simple data, connect with a committee or city official, and gradually push concrete, implementable recommendations that address safety, accessibility, and proximity. Build a network rather than doing everything alone, and document progress to keep momentum.
Defying Deficit Narratives with Youth Pilot Projects
Q: What advice would you give to others starting grassroots work in similar neighborhoods?
Start with listening, use data to illuminate needs and outcomes, and build a support network that treats leadership as a sustainable, valued pursuit rather than a one-off effort.
Defying Deficit Narratives with Youth Pilot Projects
Q: What's a concrete example of a pilot project that made a real difference in your community?
The Bulldog Cafe and a youth-led food support system that feeds 200 families a month, built and run by the Young Male Leadership Group, which improved graduation rates and fostered community ownership.
Defying Deficit Narratives with Youth Pilot Projects
Q: What first sparked your shift from a traditional teaching path to community-based education work?
A moment when a student told the guest that having him as a teacher in high school might have kept them from dropping out, which inspired him to focus on local impact rather than distant, external projects.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Bottom-Up Revolution

What is The Bottom-Up Revolution about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show profiles grassroots urbanism in action, highlighting how regular people drive neighborhood-scale change to build economically resilient towns. Episodes weave hands-on case studies—from walkable, human-scale design and tiny housing to pedestrian safety and crowd-funded community projects—into practical playbooks for local transformation. A standout theme is turning ideas into measurable action: testing street changes, engaging residents, and using affordable tools to empower neighborhoods. The format balances personal journeys with scalable strategies, making it useful for listeners who want implementable steps and real-world examples.

Noteworthy aspects include a strong emphasis on bottom-up reform, a broad spectrum of urbanism-re... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Bottom-Up Revolution?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Bottom-Up Revolution:

1. The Strong Towns Podcast
2. Upzoned
3. The Urbanist Agenda
4. The War on Cars
5. The Messy City Podcast

How many episodes of The Bottom-Up Revolution are there?

The Bottom-Up Revolution launched 8 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Bottom-Up Revolution?

Recent guests on The Bottom-Up Revolution include:

1. Barbara Didrichsen
2. Levi Wintz
3. Stevie Hunter
4. Uthish Ganesh
5. Emma Durand-Wood
6. Edward Erfurt
7. Brian Kelly
8. Braden Schmidt

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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