Events

Ask two random Americans whether they think post-industrial cities are “coming back,” and you’re likely to get two very different answers—even if both of those people live in the Rust Belt themselves. That’s because much of the development in the Detroits, Baltimores, and Clevelands of the world have been highly concentrated in just a handful of lucky neighborhoods. And the rest of the city, in many cases, have fallen into sharper patterns of decline than ever.

How did this happen, and what does it mean for those who want to see whole regions (and their residents) become financially strong, rather than just a few select corners of our legacy cities? That’s the question at the heart of scholar and urban practitioner Alan Mallach’s The Divided City: Poverty and Prosperity in Urban America. In his provocative and ground-breaking book, Mallach explores the economic, political, and social realities that have propelled so much of our nation’s largest cities into unhealthy and inequitable development patterns that resist simple narratives of both unilateral gentrification and unilateral decline. And then he explores what he thinks it will take to really create resilience for all their citizens.

On March 21st at 12pm CST, Strong Towns members are invited to a very special Ask Me Anything event with Alan Mallach. Participants in this edition of Celebrity Ask Strong Towns are invited to log on live for a conversation between the author and Strong Towns staffer Kea Wilson, followed by a moderated digital Q&A period with the author. Members, please check your email for your exclusive invite, or email team@strongtowns.org.

Not a member? Join the movement now to join this webcast and ask your questions live. A recording of this live conversation will be released in the weeks following for non-members.
 

Harnessing the Creative Potential of Design for Social Good
Cheryl Heller with Rosanne Haggerty

Designer and business strategist Cheryl Heller, author of The Intergalactic Design Guide, talks with designer Rosanne Haggerty about how social design can help address our most pressing challenges, from poverty to climate change.

Design has built global brands, disrupted industries, and transformed our lives with technology. It has also contributed to the complex challenges we face today. Social design is a new kind of leadership. Cheryl and Rosanne discuss some innovative approaches for increasing creativity, strengthening relationships, and developing our capacity to collaborate—with the potential to transform everything from corporations to cities and to design ourselves for change.

Join us for this book signing and discussion by Montana natives, Bob Quinn and Liz Carlisle in celebration of their newly released book Grain by Grain: A Quest to Revive Ancient Wheat, Rural Jobs, and Healthy Food. Refreshments will be provided.

Advocating for better transportation in your city can feel like a losing battle. How do you get to a planning meeting? Who do you direct your concerns to? What changes can you even affect? Christof Spieler, author of Trains, Buses, People: An Opinionated Atlas, has been in your shoes. Christof, PE, LEED AP, is now the Vice President and Director of Planning at Huitt-Zollars and a Senior Lecturer at Rice University. Earlier in his life, he was doing citizen advocacy to change his local metro system in Houston. 

Christof has brought together a panel of local transit advocacy leaders that are doing effective, on the ground work in their neighborhoods. They are using data and best practices to measure their outputs and they're looking to share the secrets of their successes with you. 

Panelists include: 
- Fred Neal Jr., Commissioner of the Regional Transit Authority of New Orleans and Sr. Planner at Villavaso & Associates, LLC
- Laura Wiens, Director of Pittsburghers for Public Transit
- Christof Spieler, PE, LEED AP, is now the Vice President & Director of Planning at Huitt-Zollars + Senior Lecturer at Rice University

Conversation moderated by David Bragdon, Executive Director of TransitCenter. 

This webinar is free and educational in focus.