A Song for Chicken Hill: ETOD in Large and Small Cities

What do a small borough in Pennsylvania, a small city in Florida and a city near Phoenix share in common? All have prioritized equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) in conjunction with expanding regional rail and light rail service. Hear about what makes each place unique as well as the challenges they face, from funding sources to intentional use of data, while advocating for historically underserved populations. Two of these communities are recipients of assistance through the USDOT’s Thriving Communities Program.

The title of this session draws on James McBride’s novel The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, which is set in Pottstown and focuses on the African-American and Jewish communities of Chicken Hill. The creativity doesn’t end there! We’ll end with a song composed from the discussion and performed by youth from the STRIVE Initiative, a community-based organization that supports Pottstown youth to realize their academic and individual aspirations.

Program note: Learn more about ETOD and Pottstown on Sunday’s Mobile Workshop 02, A Journey to Chicken Hill (separate fees required).

Moderator: David Charles, Co-Founder/CEO, The Strive Institute, Pottstown, PA
Howard Brown, Senior Program Officer, Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation, Pottstown, PA
Twila Fisher, MPA, Director of Community Economic Development, Executive Director, The Hill School, Pottstown, PA
Zackery Good, Assistant City Manager, Homestead Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), Homestead, FL
Augie Gastelum, Founder, Patchwork Community Inclusion, Phoenix, AZ