LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 7, 2024) — The places we live in impact people’s lives in so many ways: they determine networks of friends and coworkers, what resources and opportunities are available, the quality of schools, a sense of security and belonging and even how long people live. Yet too many of live in areas plagued by rising crime, school violence, family disintegration, addiction, alienation and despair. Even the wealthiest neighborhoods are not immune; while poverty exacerbates these challenges, they exist in ZIP codes rich and poor, rural and urban and everything in between.
The University of Kentucky Lewis Honors College, the Gatton College of Business and Economics and the College of Arts and Sciences Appalachian Center and Appalachian Studies Program will host “Strengthening Appalachia: Strategies Overcoming Fragility and Fostering Growth” 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, in the Gatton College’s Woodward Hall.
The guest speaker is Seth D. Kaplan, Ph.D., who will discuss his bold new vision for addressing social decline in America, one ZIP code at a time. By revitalizing local institutions — and the social ties that knit them together — residents can turn neighborhoods into places where people and families can thrive. Attendees will learn a set of practical lessons to inspire their own efforts, with a reminder that when change is hyperlocal, everyone has the opportunity to contribute.
Kaplan is the author of “Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society, One ZIP Code at a Time” (Little, Brown Spark 2023). He is a professorial lecturer in the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, senior adviser for the Institute for Integrated Transitions and consultant to multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, U.S. State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Following Kaplan’s speaking engagement, Cipriani & Werner Associate Ariana Strider, a 2024 graduate of the Gatton College of Business and Economics and the UK J. David Rosenberg College of Law, will moderate a panel discussion. Strider is an incoming associate/law clerk at Cipriani & Werner.
Panelists are:
- Angie Hatton, chair of Kentucky Public Service Commission, former representative for Kentucky House district 94;
- Richard Young, founder and executive director of CivicLex;
- Alison Davis, Ph.D., executive director of the UK Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky; and
- Kathryn Engle, Ph.D., director of the University of Kentucky Appalachian Center.
At the conclusion, attendees will have the opportunity to network as refreshments will be served.
This event is free and open to the public. Visitor parking will be available at the Cornerstone Garage.
For more information, visit https://gatton.uky.edu/strengthening-appalachia-strategies-overcoming-fragility-and-fostering-growth-rsvp.
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