One-Block Revolution: 20 Years of Community Building

by Summer Hess

When a public defender named Jim Sheehan received an unexpected inheritance, he decided to put his money to work for people and the planet. He purchased and renovated a cluster of six buildings in a dilapidated corner of downtown Spokane, Washington, and repurposed them for the collective good. For more than twenty years these buildings, now known as the Community Building Campus, have served as an interdisciplinary hub where grassroots leaders run campaigns, build coalitions, host meetings, train activists, and transform their city.

One-Block Revolution honors the chorus of diverse changemakers who show up every day to build their community. Part counterculture manifesto and framework for participatory placemaking, part handbook for nonprofits and social enterprises, this anthology tells one of Spokane's most essential stories while providing inspiration and practical guidance for organizations across the world.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2021

Reviews

[RuthAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would recommend: Yes, especially if you're interested in urban planning, creative placemaking, and fostering local community

I borrowed this book from a local friend who is deeply invested in fostering our community, and I'm so glad he put it on my radar, since I doubt I would have been exposed to it otherwise. It's a collection of essays from a 20-year local movement in Spokane, and I found it very thought-provoking. I appreciated the candid nature of the essays, especially as the world has changed over the past two decades and the interviewees could see where they or others had made missteps along the way. I also appreciated the variety of perspectives, from finance to the arts to the natural world. In the front matter, the editor notes that there's something here for everyone, and I would agree. I flagged two of the sections about finance, and my husband really enjoyed those, but he didn't need to read the whole thing. I recommend this book to anyone interested in urban planning, creative placemaking, and fostering local community. I'm definitely sharing it with my local librarians, government officials, and organizers of our grocery co-op.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter went to Spokane, Washington on business and brought me back this interesting book. It seems that the founder of United Parcel Service (UPS) left a fortune to his son Jim Sheehan, and Jim decided to use it to build a non-profit enterprise in downtown Spokane. It started with a public-interest law firm called Center for Justice, but over the past 20 years it has become a “one-block revolution.” I admit being surprised to learn such a progressive group is thriving in eastern Washington.

Each chapter of this paperback was written by a different person who was involved in this enterprise in some way (including Jim Sheehan himself). The first half describes “Community Building as a noun” – the LEED-certified building that was purchased, renovated, and rented out to non-profit and business tenants. In addition to office space for small non-profits, a food co-op, and a Fair Trade shop, the building contains an “arthouse” movie theater and a childcare center. The second half of the book describes “Community Building as a verb” which is about how the Community Building Foundation (and the additional buildings on the block that were added over time) built its progressive, egalitarian governance ethos.