2020 has been a unique year, so it only makes sense that our Annual Luncheon would be equally unique. This year’s Luncheon will be held virtually on Friday, November 13th with the theme Community-Led Change. The theme is meant to remind our community that, together, we have the power to make a difference so that change happens with us, not to us. 2020 has shown that we all have a lack of control over the things that impact us: from natural disasters to global pandemics to systemic racism. In response to these impacts, we are asking what we can all do to be more proactive and resilient in our communities. 

When you purchase a ticket for the event, you are directly funding our mission to advocate for civic design visions and actionable change in communities to improve quality of life for all. While the Annual Luncheon is always a celebration of the work we do as an organization, and a thank you for those who help us make an impact, the virtual platform has motivated us to use this event as a push for a powerful collection of thought leadership. 

Online Event Details

Since “civic” is an adjective that relates to the duties or activities of people in relation to their local area, “civic designs” cannot be changed without the people who call a space their own leading the charge. The Luncheon will feature inspiring community leaders in our keynote address and in our following conversations. Those conversations will split up our 800+ guests into smaller "community-led" conversations around a theme of their choosing: “Leading Change through…”. Once you reserve your spot, we will follow up with an email towards the end of October to choose your conversation group. You will have to act fast because the groups will be first-come first-served. 

• Welcome Remarks

• Community Leader Keynote and Moderated Conversation (60 minutes)

• Short Break (10 minutes)

• Community-Led Conversations (60 minutes)

Keynote Speakers

Kristen E. Jeffers (she/her) is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Black Urbanist multimedia platform, as well as an author, textile artist and designer, urban planner, and activist.  She holds a Master of Public Affairs focused on community and economic development from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and a Bachelor of Arts in communication with a concentration in public relations from North Carolina State University. She has presented at the annual gatherings of the Congress for New Urbanism, YIMBYTown, Walk Bike Places, CityWorksXpo, APA Virginia, NACTO, and to communities around the US and Canada, using her personal story to illustrate what land use and planning really mean and really do, plus encourage practitioners, both young and old in best practices. She is a Streetsblog Network member and has also contributed articles to CityLab, Greater Greater Washington, [Greensboro] News & Record, Yes! Weekly, Grist, Next City, Better! Towns and Cities, Triad City Beat,  Urban Escapee and Urbanful and appeared on several NPR affiliate stations (KCUR, WAMU and WUNC) as a commentator and expert.

Sekou Cooke (he/him) is an architect, researcher, educator, and curator based in Syracuse, NY. He is currently an Assistant Professor at Syracuse University's School of Architecture where he teaches exploratory design studios and seminars. He holds a B.Arch from Cornell University, an M.Arch from Harvard University, and is licensed to practice architecture in New York and California. Through his research, practice, and other academic endeavors within the emergent field of Hip-Hop Architecture, Sekou hopes to leave an equally lasting impact on ivory towers and underserved communities. 

Community-Led Conversations Information

What we typically love about our Annual Luncheon is the diverse group of thought leaders coming together in a huge banquet hall and discussing their interdisciplinary work. Since we are virtual this year, we wanted to add an element to this year’s Annual Luncheon that replicates those connections in an even more actionable way. 

Following the keynote discussion, we will all break out into conversations of our own. Two thought leaders will come together for a moderated discussion on a particular topic with the goal of “Leading Change”. With the collection of thought leaders, we will find 3 tangible actions that we can accomplish as community members or members of a particular profession to lead change in that area. 

Commitment Level + Takeaways

While you can only attend one session, each attendee will receive a combined list of tangible actions they can take in ALL of the topics. We will be your advocate and your cheerleader to make sure you commit to accomplishing one of the actions over the next year. 

The discussions can be interactive or passive depending on your level of interest, but as a thought leader yourself, we encourage you to come with an open mind, but to also provide your expertise to guide all of our peers into community-led change. 

Apply for Sponsored Admission

We would like to make sure all people who would like to attend the Luncheon are able to regardless of ticket price. Please email joe@civicdesigncenter.org to apply for a community member sponsored ticket.

Thank you to our 2020-2021 Annual Sponsors!

By becoming a sponsor before November 13th, your company will receive recognition at our Annual Virtual Luncheon.