Photo Credit: Bulmer Foundation

People across the United States have recognized that the development of this country has not been sustainable or just. On a national scale, the US is one of the largest producers of greenhouse gas emissions and waste. On a local scale, unequal distribution of both resources and ecological hazards causes environmental, social, and economic injustices.

But communities are responding to these injustices. Throughout the country, people are coming together to rethink and rebuild their own environments and economies. From urban community garden projects in Detroit to resilient waste-water systems in rural Appalachian towns, communities are taking the lead in the redevelopment of the US. Not only is redevelopment improving the environmental sustainability of communities, but it is also strengthening their long-term resiliency by rejuvenating social and economic dynamics.

However, these stories are not always told, as they are often led by underrepresented communities who frequently do not have a voice in national media. What are these communities doing, particularly those who aren’t often heard? How has redevelopment contributed to building social, economic, and environmental resiliency within these communities? Which projects are successful, and which are failing? These stories will serve as powerful examples as people across the country transform their communities in order to build a more just and sustainable world.