Reimagining the Civic Commons comes to Lexington!

Last week, CivicLex, the Blue Grass Community Foundation, and the City of Lexington co-hosted a 3-day convening of Reimagining the Civic Commons (RCC). RCC is a national learning community of funders, nonprofits, and government agencies focused on demonstrating that transformative public spaces can connect people of all backgrounds, cultivate trust and create more resilient communities.

Throughout the convening, participants from 12 communities across the US experienced Lexington’s award-winning public spaces, including Town Branch Commons, Charles Young Park, and more. Participants also heard from speakers like MacArthur Genius grantee Kate Orff and Richard and Leah Rothstein, in partnership with Blue Grass Community Foundation’s Just Action event.

CivicLex’s Executive Director, Richard Young also joined the stage, with a one-on-one conversation with democracy scholar Danielle Allen at the Lyric Theatre. Their conversation spanned a range of topics, including the role of public space in democracy, the importance of investing in civic education, and more.