david engwicht – a calm voice in a time of despair

We are in a time of upheaval here in the United States. Every day since Donald Trump took office has brought chaos and confusion to our government with actions that will displace, harm and destroy many of our institutions and the most vulnerable of our population. What do we do?
We cannot be silent and we must take a stand against the racism and narcissism that is displayed at the top levels. But, we also need to be smart and calm. David Engwicht has been building communities for decades. His approach embraces playfulness, inclusiveness and thinking outside of the box. Watch this video. He will give you hope. I promise!
info from the video:
Every human has a deep longing for home and a sense of place. But home is not where many people think it is, because home is a feeling – not a location. David Engwicht is a place maker and founder of Creative Communities International, a social innovation incubator. The son of an itinerant gospel preacher, David grew up on the fringes with no sense of place. He shares his secrets for helping ordinary citizens add magic and soul to the public spaces in their neighborhood or town center.
David has over 25 years of experience in place making. Best known as the creator of the Walking School Bus and the 7 Day Makeover, he is a passionate designer, artist, author, communicator, and social inventor. David is also a founder and director of Creative Communities International, an organization dedicated to creating great public spaces. Nothing gives David greater joy than working with communities to breathe new life into dead public spaces and dead shopping streets. According to PPS in New York, David is “one of the world’s most inventive thinkers on creating vibrant public spaces.”
A good article about David’s approach
key takeaways:
- Focus on your local community.
- Create welcoming spaces.
- Reuse junk to create art.
- Have a sense of humor.
- Home is not a place, it’s a feeling.
join creative placemakers!
When I started working on this site, I assumed that Kamala would be President and that people would enjoy participating in a site that honors diversity, sustainability and creativity. Now, this effort feels downright subversive! I realize that as we get ourselves up on the map, we can also become targets. If having your address online makes you nervous, the solution is to pick a public place near you, like a library, park or school. That way people can still see your general location and they can connect with you through the links you provide.
The more people we can show that stand up for these principles, the more we can push back against this insanity. Join here.
ethos: the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution
Ours is:
when creativity, sustainability and diversity thrive in a city or neighborhood, the people who walk its streets rejoice
We reject racism, sexism and any other “ism” that feeds totalitarianism or white supremacy. We live freely, with a creative spirit that will overcome this darkness. We honor the earth, the indigenous people who communed with it for centuries and we heal the scars left by the excesses of the Industrial Revolution. ALL people need a home and we only have this one planet to sustain us, so we will care for it to the best of our ability.
stay connected:
Many of my friends are leaving Facebook and heading over to Bluesky. I understand that, but I also believe that if we give up our assets and the communities we have built in these places, they win. Facebook is the only source of news for many people around the world. We can influence the algorithm (so far) by what we post and what we like. Like and comment on what you support so that your people get seen.
Join private groups online that have independent forums. Pick three and engage there. There are lots of wonderful organizations listed on our Resources Page.
If the social media platforms collapse, we can still have strong online communities. I am trying to focus on LinkedIn, The ABCD Institute (Asset Based Community Development), and the Craft Industry Alliance for now. We have a PlaceMakers Group on LinkedIn, but not much involvement so far. Maybe you can help me wake people up….
Join a couple of local groups. If there aren’t any that you like, start one.
Hang in there! We’re all in this together!

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