Fostering Economic Citizenship and Civic Engagement
| | JOIN CITYTALK LIVE TOMORROW and REGISTER FOR NEXT WEEK | | | | Community Innovation in Uncertain Times: Building Resilient Main Streets with Local Solutions Thursday, April 17 | 12 p.m. ET | Live Zoom Webinar | | | | | | Turning Uncertainty Into Opportunity The cure for uncertainty is action. As the current economic turbulence continues, main streets across the country are responding with creativity, collaboration, and a renewed focus on community-based economic models. This session will explore how local economies are adapting through innovative grassroots strategies, tools that promote economic transparency, and programs that empower both businesses and consumers to invest in their communities. Join us to examine emerging frameworks that treat purchasing decisions as a form of economic citizenship—empowering residents to shape the future of their neighbourhoods. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain practical insights on how communities can lead the way in building resilient, people-powered economies.
| | | | Moving Toward People-Centered Cities: Civic Engagement and the Legacy of Jane Jacobs Thursday, April 24 | 12 p.m. ET | Live Zoom Webinar |
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| | In celebration of the upcoming Jane’s Walk Festival, join us for a dynamic conversation on the lasting impact of Jane Jacobs—urban activist, author, and champion of people-powered cities. From challenging top-down renewal in 1960s New York to helping shape some of Toronto’s most vibrant neighbourhoods, Jacobs redefined urban planning by putting communities at the heart of city-building.
This session will explore how her groundbreaking ideas—such as mixed-use development, bottom-up planning, and civic participation—continue to influence urban advocacy today. Our panellists will spotlight the global Jane’s Walk movement, now active in nearly 500 cities across six continents, where thousands gather each May to connect through discovery, storytelling, and shared curiosity. As Jacobs famously said, “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” Whether you’re an urbanist, a changemaker, or simply curious about your neighbourhood, don’t miss this conversation on civic engagement and how we can build more inclusive, connected, and community-led cities together.
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| | Senior Service Designer | Royal Borough of Greenwich Celia is a Senior Service Designer at a council in London, UK, and a former Co-Chair of Jane’s Walk. She is passionate about community-led design processes and outcomes, and recently completed a Master of Science in Urban Studies. As part of the program, she explored ways to center people and communities in the design of cities and neighbourhoods—living in four different European cities over the course of two years. Her thesis examined whether participation in the Jane’s Walk Festival, or similar initiatives, can help instill a sense of belonging.
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| | Co-Founder | Muslims in Public Space Mehedi is a Development Manager based in Toronto, where he focuses on zoning, revitalization, and the planning of community infrastructure in urban neighbourhoods. With a background in urban planning and a passion for equitable city-building, he brings a multidisciplinary approach that blends policy, design, and grassroots engagement. Mehedi is the Co-Founder of Muslims in Public Space (MiPs), a nonprofit organization that explores the intersection of Islamic art, public space, and spatial justice. Through MiPs, he has led community exhibits, design interventions, and creative programming that challenge stereotypes and foster a sense of belonging in the public realm. Mehedi is also a Co-Organizer for this year's Jane’s Walk Toronto.
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| | Community Mobilization Manager | York Region Food Network Sarah is Co-Chair of the Jane's Walk Steering Committee. She is an equal parts community builder and explorer with a strong background in community development approaches and a strong passion for facilitating meaningful engagement. Sarah has a professional background in the non-profit sector, having worked with organizations that support grassroots organizing and cross-sector collaborations and networking. When not working, you can find her exploring parks and greenspaces as a hike guide and leader, encouraging accessibility and representation in outdoor spaces. |
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| | ActivateYYC Program Director| Federation of Calgary Communities Adam Schwartz is a born-and-raised Calgarian with a passion for urban planning and placemaking. He holds a Master of Planning (MPlan) from the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape. Adam works with the Federation of Calgary Communities as the lead coordinator of Jane’s Walk Calgary and director of the ActivateYYC Microgrant Program. Adam frequently leads walking tours in his home neighbourhood of Crescent Heights, including his annual Crescent Heights: Curb Appeal walk during the Festival, which showcases tactical urbanism and placemaking projects initiated by himself and fellow community members. Outside of his planning work, Adam is an active artist working under the pseudonym @AGS.YYC, known for creating whimsical urban installations using found objects and bold, vibrant colours. |
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| | Public Programs Manager| Municipal Art Society of New York Genevieve is the Public Programs Manager at the Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS). She has worked on MAS's Programs Team since August 2021, planning the organization's in-person and virtual programming, including their annual Jane's Walk NYC festival. The New York City chapter of the festival engages over 175 volunteer walk leaders and offers over 200 walks annually. Prior to MAS, Genevieve held positions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (moCa), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Clinic, and Wexner Center for the Arts. She studied printmaking at Ohio State University, graduating in 2021. |
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| | | Can't make it? Watch the recording! | | For anyone unable to attend live, be sure to watch the recording on our CityTalk website! Recordings are posted within a week of the event. | | | |
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