The Bottom-Up Revolution is... Using Art and Stories to Strengthen Your City
Jacob Titus (Photo by Mary McGraw)
If you’re lucky enough to have a favorite coffee shop or Chinese restaurant in your town, you know how special it is to walk in the door and say hi to the owner, to know the employees by name, to have a favorite table by the window and a go-to order. You care about that business in a way that’s different from the others you pass by on your way to work or school…
What if there was a way to get to know a lot more of the businesses in your community on this deep level? How might your city be transformed if everyone cared more about the people around them? These questions form the basis of our latest episode of the Bottom-Up Revolution Podcast.
Jacob Titus is a photographer, filmmaker, and designer and creator, living in South Bend, Indiana. In this conversation, we talk about the publication he started, West.SB, and how he uses photography and writing to tell the stories of his city—its people, its places.
We talk about what happens when you open your eyes to the stories around you. We talk about how art can help people see things differently and even build stronger towns. We talk about the revelations that take place when we look closely at the history of our cities. And yes, we talk a little about Mayor Pete Buttigieg too.
Additional Show Notes
“Is South Bend a Prosperous College Town or a Struggling Rust Belt City?” by Emily Badger (New York Times)
“For Restaurants in the Pandemic, Immense Challenges...and a Glimmer of Hope” by Rachel Quednau (Strong Towns)
Send us your own voicemail about the small (or big) thing you’re doing to make your town stronger. Just record a voice memo on your phone and email it to rachel@strongtowns.org.
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