An Open Buffalo supporter hangs an Open When card at a kickoff event this past spring. Photo: Open Buffalo.
Open Places Initiative Convenes in Denver, CO
Published August 16, 2013
Open Buffalo Planning Council members and staffers are preparing to visit Denver, CO next week for an all-site convening of the Open Places Initiative organized by the Open Society Foundations.
Buffalo is one of eight sites competing for three to five grants of up to a millions dollars a year for ten years. The other sites are: Albuquerque, NM; Denver, CO; Jackson, MS; Louisville, KY; Milwaukee, WI; San Diego, CA; and Puerto Rico.
Participants from Open Buffalo and the other competing locations in the Open Places Initiative will receive objective critiques and input on their proposals through a series of workshops and one-on-one sessions with leading experts.
Heather McGhee of Demos, who came to Buffalo in July for a town hall organized by Open Buffalo, will be a featured speaker on creating good jobs and economic development.
The meeting will be a combination of plenary sessions with renowned speakers who discuss broader trends that provide a context for Open Places work and technical assistance on issues such as strategic communications and other key components of the proposal. It presents a great opportunity for teams to strengthen their proposals before the final proposal is submitted on September 27th.
Team members representing Open Buffalo in Denver are:
- Jennifer Diagostino, Executive Director, Coalition for Economic Justice
- Rev. Duane Diggs, VOICE-Buffalo, Board President
- Lou Jean Fleron, Co-director, Partnership for the Public Good
- Pastor James Giles, CEO, Back to Basics Ministries
- Franchelle Hart, Communications Coordinator, 1199 SEIU
- Sam Magavern, Co-director, Partnership for the Public Good
- Jennifer Mecozzi, Organizing Director, PUSH Buffalo
The meeting will begin on Monday, August 19th and last through Wednesday, August 21st.