Through candid storytelling and practical examples, Kat explains how communities can reclaim vacant and abandoned properties without displacement—and why listening to community “whispers” is the key to sustainable revitalization.

In this episode, we explore:

• Lived experience should shape leadership and solutions. Kat emphasizes that real, lasting change comes from leaders who understand the systems firsthand, not just in theory.
• Communities must be true partners, not afterthoughts. Effective revitalization starts with residents, not after decisions are made. Listening early leads to sustainable outcomes.
• Fixing systems matters more than fixing properties. The Center for Community Progress focuses on policy, education, and tools that address the root causes of vacancy and disinvestment.
• Revitalization can happen without displacement. When done right, community-led strategies can increase stability, homeownership, and quality of life—without fueling gentrification.

Quotable: “You can censor words—but you can’t censor lived experience.”

Link to register for the 2026 reclaiming vacant properties conference: 2026 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference | Center for Community Progress

Resources and Links
Connect with Kat J. Guillaume-Delemar on on LinkedIn
Center for Community Progress
Resources for Community Development Leaders & Professionals | Center for Community Progress
National Land Bank Network | Center for Community Progress
Creating Homeownership Opportunities in Newark through Housing Choice Vouchers | Center for Community Progress
From Harm to Home | Center for Community Progress
Chatham Savannah Land Bank Authority | Savannah, GA
Benzie County, MI
Detriot Land Bank Authority
Detroit Landy Bank Authority Rehabbed & Ready Program
County of Saginaw, MI - Land Bank
Publications | Center for Community Progress

Special Guest: Kathleen (Kat) J. Guillaume-Delemar.

She defines creative placemaking as cross-sector, community-driven work that integrates arts, culture, and design to advance equitable economic, physical, and social change, and challenges the misconception that arts lack impact, citing a $1.6 BILLION regional arts impact and a $42 return per $1 ArtsWave investment.

Rachael highlights some examples including Northern Kentucky placemaking grants, Newport’s historic mural ordinance and Orchard Street Project, and arts integration in Covington’s CCR redevelopment and Florence’s planned sculpture park (check out the resources and links below).

In this episode, we explore:

• Rachel Parker’s journey—from fiber artist and educator to nonprofit leader—highlights how creative careers can evolve into community-shaping roles that bridge art, strategy, and regional development.
• How creative placemaking blends arts, culture, and community collaboration to spark equitable economic and social change, transforming projects like Newport murals, Covington redevelopment, and Florence’s future sculpture park.
• With nearly a century of impact, how ArtsWave has invested over $350M into the region—supporting 150+ organizations and demonstrating how the arts strengthen identity, community, and local development.

*Quotable: * “ It is certainly not fluff. It is of vital importance to the success of our communities that we have a creative economy.”

Resources and Links
Connect with Rachael Parker on LinkedIn

Engineering a creative renaissance in Northern Kentucky

New grant program is fueling the arts and boosting economic development in Northern Kentucky

ArtsWave, meetNKY award $58K for creative placemaking projects

Local arts organization announces artist-in-residence program

City of Covington Launches New Interactive Project Showcasing 100+ Public Art Installations

New Covington mural depicts city’s history and future

Window on the World

Josephine Sculpture Park

ArtsWave Boardway Bound Training Program

Special Guest: Rachael Parker.

In this episode, we explore:

• The transition from public-sector leadership to private consulting. Amalia explains the key differences between working inside local government and advising from the outside, and how her background enables her to bridge gaps among policy, planning, and implementation.
• Practical guidance for developers and local stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of understanding municipal processes, zoning, and regulatory frameworks.
• Organizational structures (restructures) and their impact on effectiveness. Amalia explains when restructuring economic development departments makes sense, what local governments should consider during the process, and how structure can either enable or hinder results.

Quotable: “ No matter what side of the table you're sitting on, if you're an economic developer, if you're the private sector trying to do a project, I always try to approach my work and my practice assuming the best intentions from everyone else involved.”

Resources and Links
Connect with Amalia Cunningham on LinkedIn
Amalia Cunningham Consulting
News and Views American Planning Association, "Where Should Economic Development Live?"

Special Guest: Amalia Cunningham, AICP.