Chelsea Lawson is a Strong Towns member who’s putting her data-oriented mind to work to make her city and other cities stronger.
Lawson has worked in both local government and private consulting, helping cities like Los Angeles and Miami use data to understand how things are working and how to make them work better.
What we especially appreciate about Chelsea is the way that she’s taken her passion for data analysis and found a ton of creative ways to make her town stronger using those skills. Whether she’s working on a professional project or just walking through her neighborhood, she’s doing the math on what’s going to create the best return on investment and steward local resource well.
In this interview, you’ll learn about how even the trash in your garbage can plays an important role in shaping the future of your city, and how you can tie personal goals with community betterment. Chelsea shows us that doing the math is an essential part of building a strong town.
Additional Show NotesSocial Impact Calculator for public investment and policy decisions
Optimal Self (life game) dashboard and instructions
Clean Streets Santa Monica Community Organizing
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Creating People-Oriented Places
Using Tactical Urbanism to Create Safer Streets
Fostering Creative (and Financially Resilient) Communities
Serving on a Citizen Advisory Committee
Partnering with Local Government to Create and Foster Ideas
Using Nonprofits to Build Strong Neighborhoods
Building Neighborhood-Boosting Community Groups
Using Local Food to Build Community
Building Community Through Public Art
Investing in Your Neighborhood
Fostering Collaboration on a Local Level
Reviving Forgotten Alleyways
Taking the Strong Towns Movement to School
Creating Healthy Communities
Adding Elements of Play to Your Neighborhood
Depaving Your Neighborhood
Proposing No Parking Minimums to Council
Starting a Neighborhood Grocery Co-Op
Reinventing the Rural Economy
Fostering a Local Music Scene
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