Lockdowns are ending around the globe, and for many the end is in sight. Reporting your success metrics is key for most districts, downtowns and DMOs; but do you know what digital indicators to look for? If not, we got you, fam. In this edition, we look at intersectionality instead of diversity and flaccid performative attempts at DEI, plus pointers for planners on “queering the plan”, disruptive delivery LoCos, and smart insightful tips on leadership from one of our very own. As summer officially begins, #hotvaxsummer is taking shape in ways many could not have predicted. We’re pleased to report the economy is poppin’ across the board. Read on, and let us know which content is most valuable to you. We love your feedback!
– Your Bright Brothers Team
The pandemic has changed the name of the game for many, and for districts looking for signs of recovery, the numbers are right below your nose. But are you tracking the right metrics, and where do you even find them? In our latest Summer Trends report, we point out two distinct audience segments to have your eyes on, what to look for and where. The data is free, and you should be reporting it out to your board, stakeholders and city management. Need to know what to look for? Check out this report and get “Back to Work”! If the numbers aren’t adding up, give us a shout. We’re analytics assassins with nunchuck chops and mad ninja skills when it comes to data analysis. We’d love to work with your district on recovery and resilience strategies!
Photo credit: Adeolu Eletu, Unsplash
Canadian-based Jay Pitter is one of our most revered equitable placemakers. She recently shared this issue of the British Columbian publication “Exchange”, which includes a stellar piece on “Building Equity through Placemaking” (see page 20). Herein,  Jay explains why she eschews the modish notion of “diversity” –  instead opting for a lens of intersectionality. She explains how DEI efforts can be performative; leading to hollow outcomes, and why you should engage early, collect community stories and go on neighbourhood (sic) walks instead of hosting diversity workshops. Jay is a thought leader beyond compare and her position that, “There is enough space, joy and justice for all of us,” truly inspires us here at Bright Brothers Strategy Group. Please give her a read.
Photo credit: Jay Pitter
…the best leaders are lifelong learners? It’s true. And if you’re looking to amp your leadership game, check out this article from earlier this month, featuring pearls of wisdom from 11 luminaries pontificating on what makes a good leader. Not only is all the advice sage, tangible and valid – it includes musings from one of our own; Bright Brothers Strategy Group’s co-founder Josh Yeager. He offers insights on crowdsourcing, community engagement and a “bottom-up, not top-down” approach. Read on and maybe you can skip that costly grad school degree after all.
Photo credit: CB Nation
Are your city planners “queering the plan”? Similar to Jay Pitter’s eye-opening article above, this Streetsblog USA piece about designing more inclusive public spaces looks at intersectionality; this time from an LGBTQ+ lens, and the specific needs multiple communities and populations require within a public context. And these needs evolve over time from nascent neighborhoods to gay enclaves, to gentrifying quarters that literally push out those who made the space attractive to begin with. Many public spaces are designed and developed from a white male perspective and ignore the needs of underserved and marginalized segments of our society. Based on interviews with more than 120 academics, activists, designers and more, this piece on queering your city’s design may just change your prerogative on placemaking.
Photo credit: Greg Rosenke, Unsplash
Disrupting the disrupters. Before the pandemic delivery apps like GrubHub, DoorDash and UberEats were a welcome alternative for digital natives looking for near-contactless food delivery, and only a portion of a restaurant’s revenue, if they participated. With the lockdowns and ensuing crisis, the major apps put a stranglehold on restaurateurs, fiendishly doubled their take to 30% and offered little incentive for desperate gig workers willing to risk their lives and livelihoods in the name of convenient eats. Nearly 17% of restaurants (~110,000)  nationally closed temporarily or permanently by December 2020, according to the National Restaurant Association’s estimates. But a growing trend, rooted at the local level has brought dozens of disruptive LoCo Delivery Co-ops and app options to the market, and the platforms are starting to put a dent in Big Delivery’s dollars. With membership models, flat rates and reinvestment in their local communities, some newer LoCo platforms even offer living wages and healthcare benefits to delivery drivers. According to the Institute for Local Self Reliance, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization dedicated to fighting corporate control and building local power, the big four delivery apps’, “…combined revenues are projected to grow by 59 percent by 2025, making them an even greater threat to independent restaurants,”. In their report “Special Delivery”, they feature twenty locally based restaurant meal delivery services that build community wealth and offer a plethora of perks at the local level. Got a good case study to share from your city? Send it our way!
