Cities change. Neighborhoods evolve. These are all widely accepted truisms; however, in communities that have experienced disinvestment followed by new development, there is often a struggle to form a shared identity between long-time residents and newcomers. But there is an opportunity to bridge this gap by recognizing that the existing “authentic community” is (and was) never truly static. By viewing our cities and neighborhoods as constantly evolving places of innovation marked by the fingerprints of individuals from all walks of life, a new sense of authenticity can be discovered. Ray Gastil, Director of City Planning at the City of Pittsburgh, Dr. Daniel Campo, Professor in Architecture and Planning from Morgan State University, Janera Solomon, Executive Director of the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, and Matthew Lister, Director at Gehl Architects will explore this topics in depth and share perspectives from a variety of viewpoints.
