Sixty years ago, a mother's grassroots effort sparked what would become Thrive Upstate, now redefining ability for 600 individuals with intellectual disabilities across Greenville County. Executive Director Tyler Rex shares how this innovative quasi-governmental organization transforms tax dollars into life-changing opportunities - from residents performing at the Peace Center to employees working at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Drawing from his eight years of leadership and personal experience as a father of children with disabilities, Tyler reveals how community partnerships are creating a Greenville where everyone contributes their unique abilities.

Links:

• Thrive Upstate
• Previous Episode about Boards and Commissions

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Produced by Podcast Studio X.

Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville.

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Some South Carolinians have gone to bed in one state and woken up in another - without ever moving. When surveyors corrected centuries-old border errors, residents discovered their property had legally "teleported" overnight. Katy and Nathaniel reveal how colonial mapmakers with faulty compasses, river disputes, and political maneuvering created the bizarre patchwork of boundaries that now determine your tax rate, emergency response times, and even whether you can keep backyard chickens. Discover why city maps look like Swiss cheese, where you really are when you're floating down the Savannah River, and how these invisible lines from the 1600s are silently shaping your daily life in 2025. Listen to uncover which services you might be missing based on your address, then grab your hiking boots to walk the actual zigzag Carolina border yourself.

Links:

• Palmetto Trail
• Episode on Places
• Episode on Home Rule
• Episode on Annexation
• Episode on Special Purpose Districts

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Produced by Podcast Studio X.

Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville.

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When Hurricane Helene toppled centuries-old white oaks while sparing seemingly fragile maples, it revealed hidden truths about resilience beneath our feet. As Greenville recovers from two historic environmental disasters, TreesUpstate's Aaron Davis shares a surprising statistic: despite our "green" reputation, Greenville's 36% tree canopy lags behind Atlanta and Charlotte's 45%. Discover how an 1872 newspaper editor united a post-Civil War nation by planting one million trees in a single day - a tradition that predates Earth Day by nearly a century. Between fallen giants and forest fires, learn why meeting your neighbors with shovels in hand might be our most powerful act of civic optimism for generations we'll never meet.

Links:

TreesUpstate

South Carolina Forestry Commission

Arbor Day

Earth Day

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Produced by Podcast Studio X.

Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville.

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Your mailbox says "Taylors," your neighbors call it "Greenville," and your GPS has its own opinion entirely. Behind this geographical identity crisis lies a system that determines your tax bill, your services, and whether you can vote in this year's municipal elections. Join Katy and Nathaniel as they decode the invisible boundaries that shape daily life in Greenville County - revealing why Taylors isn't legally a town, why a Greenville address doesn’t mean you get a Greenville city vote, and how these distinctions impact where your tax dollars go. Whether you've lived here for decades or just arrived, discover where you actually live before heading to the polls in 2025.

Links:

Episode on Municipal Elections: https://simplecivicsgreenvillecounty.org/vote-smart-your-ultimate-guide-to-greenvilles-local-elections/

Census-Designated Places in Greenville County: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Census-designated_places_in_Greenville_County,_South_Carolina

Map of Greenville County Zip Codes: https://www.gcgis.org/website/Docs/zipcode11x17.pdf

Political Boundaries within Greenville County: https://www.greenvillecounty.org/Council/RedistrictingMaps/CountywideRedistricting_Feb1.pdf

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Produced by Podcast Studio X.

Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville.

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Celebrating 50 years of excellence, Greenville County Schools Fine Arts Center has generated millions in scholarship offers for its students - yet Director Vee Popat measures success by how each young artist develops as a whole person, whether they become Broadway performers or scientists with creative thinking skills. Step inside this nationally-recognized creative ecosystem where architecture students tackle homelessness solutions and teenagers master professional mindsets alongside their artistic crafts.

Links:

The Fine Arts Center website: https://www.fineartscenter.net/

Previous episode on Roper Mountain Science Center: https://simplecivicsgreenvillecounty.org/from-classroom-to-career-the-power-of-public-private-partnerships-in-education/

The Fine Arts Center's performance calendar/events page: https://www.fineartscenter.net/calendar/

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Produced by Podcast Studio X.

Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville.

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In Greenville County, an eviction filing follows you for life like a permanent tattoo - even if you win your case. With 20% of local renters facing eviction (compared to just 8% nationally), this crisis isn't just creating homelessness; it's costing landlords up to $5,000 per case and driving up housing costs for everyone. Experts Tina Belge and Mario Brown reveal why property owners and tenant advocates have surprisingly united around four key reforms that could transform evictions from "a cause of poverty" into an opportunity for community prosperity. The solutions are ready - but is Greenville?

Links:

Project Website - https://evictioningvlcounty.org/

Tina Belge bio - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-belge-mpa-aicp-b536b567

Mario Brown bio - https://www.affordableupstate.com/team/mario-e-brown

"The Eviction Epidemic" Episode - https://simplecivicsgreenvillecounty.org/the-eviction-epidemic-unraveling-the-crisis-and-solutions-in-south-carolina/

"Understanding Evictions" Episode - https://simplecivicsgreenvillecounty.org/evictions-understanding-south-carolinas-rental-challenges-and-protecting-your-rights/

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Produced by Podcast Studio X.

Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville.

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In a small town where Burger King's arrival was once celebrated as progress, Travelers Rest now stands as a remarkable anomaly in American governance - with women holding the positions of mayor, city administrator, and majority of the city council. How did this Greenville County community not only transform itself from a "pass-through town" to a coveted destination, but also defy national trends in which women hold just over 20% of chief local government positions? Mayor Brandy Amidon (who began her political journey at age 27) and City Administrator Shannon Herman reveal the surprising role older residents played in championing female leadership, the unexpected mentorship dynamics that shaped their careers, and the leadership principles that have created TR's unique "heartbeat" - a vibrant community where 85% of downtown businesses are now female-owned. Their insights challenge conventional wisdom about who builds thriving communities and how.

Links:

Brandy Amidon Bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandy-amidon-701a7220/

Shannon Herman Bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-herman-03a31ba/

International City-County Managers Association on Women in Leadership: https://icma.org/articles/pm-magazine/looking-back-fifty-years-aspirations-women-public-administration?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwY2xjawJNjRxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHVxLAE8zFHn61hg73_zl-cgNJQ8wu6MOCuU5x-IwIYakMHox0Wd2TP5sbw_aem_-LftpE057alspwn62YFECA

Center for Women in Politics on Women in Leadership: https://cawp.rutgers.edu/facts/current-numbers

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Produced by Podcast Studio X.

Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville.

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When your favorite barista, your child's teacher, and the firefighter who protects your home can no longer afford to live in your community - what kind of place will Greenville County become? Bryan Brown and Amber Stewart from Greenville Housing Fund reveal the surprising reality that 80% of our workforce earns below the area's median income, making housing increasingly out of reach. They dismantle common misconceptions about "affordable housing" while explaining how innovative tax incentives and thoughtful density planning are already transforming neighborhoods. Beyond policy talk, this conversation illuminates how our housing ecosystem connects everyone from service workers to retirees on fixed incomes, and why the places we call home determine the community we share. Listen to understand how your neighborhood's character, your favorite local businesses, and Greenville's future are all shaped by the housing decisions we make today.

Links:

Greenville Housing Fund Website: https://greenvillehousingfund.com/

Greenville Affordable Housing Coalition: https://greenvillehousingfund.com/greenville-affordable-housing-coalition/

House Bill H-4164 (Community Development Tax Credit reauthorization): https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1855825

Previous episode on affordable housing: https://simplecivicsgreenvillecounty.org/getting-specific-about-affordable-housing-in-greenville/

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Produced by Podcast Studio X.

Simple Civics: Greenville County is a project of Greater Good Greenville.

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