In Episode 71 of Downtown Depot, show host Austin Meek interviews Cuevas Peacock. Peacock is a Community Organizer for Grassroots Community Development. He reframes the gentrification debate around cultural displacement versus economic displacement, shares success stories of working in Waco, and gives tips on how members of the community can take ownership for themselves. Before that conversation, Meek shines the Small Business Spotlight, presented by American Bank, on Hanna Austin of Bittersweet, and later learns about a new coupon app called Bidly in The Word on The Street.

Inside the Episode:

Show host Austin Meek with Cuevas Peacock

0:44 - The Small Business Spotlight: Hanna Austin of Bittersweet
5:24 - The Word on the Street: Drew Galitz of Bidly
9:36 - Cuevas Peacock's Waco history
10:44 - AmeriCorps Vista leads to CityCenter Waco
14:04 - Developing a Community Benefits Agreement
16:40 - What is gentrification?
18:50 - Ways to get more customers
19:18 - Cultural displacement in East Waco
21:33 - Working together
23:44 - The benefits of ownership
24:29 - What are you already taking ownership of?
26:13 - Putting people in positions of dignity
27:59 - Waco's energy