What is a local neighborhood revolution and why do you want one?

Natchez is kicking off a Neighborhood Revolution, and you’re invited to be part of it—and to imagine bringing this same energy back home to your town

On Saturday, February 21, I’ll be in Natchez, Mississippi, for a full day of hands-on, street-level community building hosted by BlackNatchez.org, an organization dedicated to preserving and uplifting Black culture while driving community development and redevelopment in Southwest Mississippi.

What We’ll Do In Natchez

In the morning, we’ll load up a bus and tour several neighborhoods together. We’ll ride and walk past empty lots and places that need some love, then talk right there on the spot about how those same spaces can become pocket parks, pop-up markets, gathering spots, or starter projects neighbors can tackle together. This isn’t theory—we’ll focus on practical, do-able ideas people can start on immediately.

I’ll share stories and examples from my book, From Possibilities to Reality: Save Your Small Town with These Uniquely Do-able Ideas, Projects, and Success Stories, a workbook created specifically for small towns that want real-world strategies, not big-city fantasies. You’ll hear how other rural communities have turned small actions into visible change, and how you can adapt those same approaches in your own neighborhood.

After lunch, generously provided by Communities Unlimited, Joseph A.C. Smith and I will lead a conversation about what we saw on the drive-around, the ideas people suggested, and the possibilities that stood out. Communities Unlimited takes a holistic, people-centered approach to economic development, blending on-the-ground relationships with technical expertise, so this conversation will connect local dreams with real tools and know-how.

Learning The Idea Friendly Method

In the afternoon, we’ll roll up our sleeves and get to my favorite part of the day: helping participants create their own Idea Friendly projects they can begin right away. The Idea Friendly Method gives rural people a clear, hopeful way to make things happen without waiting on perfect plans or permission, by gathering their crowd around a big vision, building on what they already have, and taking small steps forward.

Everyone will leave with at least one concrete, next-step project tailored to their own block, neighborhood, or town—something small enough to start now, and meaningful enough to inspire others to join in.

This is how long-term change really starts: with one small, visible win that proves “we can do things here.”

Why Other Towns Want This

Communities that bring SaveYour.Town in have used this kind of hands-on visit to kickstart new businesses, energize burned-out volunteers, and get more people involved in shaping their town’s future. Local leaders tell us they value that we live and work in small towns ourselves and bring stories, tools, and methods that fit rural realities, not one-size-fits-all templates from somewhere else.

If your community wants:

• More people engaged beyond the “usual few”

• Practical, low-cost ideas to fill empty lots and vacant spaces

• A hopeful path forward instead of waiting for a big grant or a perfect plan

…then The Local Revolution format—touring real neighborhoods, hearing real stories, and designing Idea Friendly projects together—is something we can customize for your town too. 

Join Us In Natchez—and Bring This Home

If you can be in Natchez on Saturday, February 21, register to save your seat on the bus. This event is made possible by Tourism Currents, SaveYour.Town, BlackNatchez.org, and Communities Unlimited, partners committed to growing stronger, more resilient communities through culture, storytelling, and practical action.

This is more than a single event. It’s the start of a Neighborhood Revolution in Natchez—and it can be the start of one in your town, too, so let’s talk about bringing The Local Revolution and the Idea Friendly Method to your community and see what we can make happen together.