Director's Take

Social Responsibility

07-08-2025

Dear Friend of Downtown,

How do we rediscover the value of personal responsibility, of being accountable to our neighbors and our community through our actions? Community-centered cities plan ahead and build plazas and promenades and pedestrian-friendly spaces. We don’t have enough of those, and I’m interested in developing more of them. We need them to remind us how to share space with each other and be cognizant of how our behavior affects other people.

Leave a space better than how you found it…

That doesn’t just mean picking up after yourself, but maybe also throw away any other litter you see. Take care of the public property that belongs to us all. That means respecting public spaces and respecting others.

Individualism – the idea of taking care of only oneself – is getting in the way of society and it matters the most in Downtown, everyone’s neighborhood. Let’s get back to basics and remember to be kind, be thoughtful of others, and celebrate our very cool community.

Let’s do more of that. See you on the streets soon!