The City of Atlanta announced that Mayor Kasim Reed spoke on a panel as part of the inaugural 21st Century Neighborhoods Symposium at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. The 21st Century Cities Initiative at Johns Hopkins is a university-wide Signature Initiative that brings together civic leaders, top Johns Hopkins researchers, students, and other universities worldwide with a vital interest in cities. The panel, called “Place Matters: Shaping Vibrant, Connected, Mixed Income Neighborhoods,” explored the value of place in determining outcomes for children and families, as well as proactive city policies and programs for increasing affordable housing and connecting residents and neighborhoods.
 
“I am pleased to represent the City of Atlanta in this important conversation with fellow mayors, scholars and advocates for cities,” said Mayor Reed. “Atlanta is in the midst of a vital conversation about how we will build for our future and ensure all of our residents have the opportunity to engage meaningfully in their communities. As we plan for major investments in transit, infrastructure and the expansion of the world-class Atlanta BeltLine, it is essential that city leaders share ideas, knowledge and resources.”
 
Mayor Reed participated in the panel discussion alongside Seattle Deputy Mayor Hyeok Kim, Patrick McCarthy, President of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Mary Pattillo, Professor of Sociology and African-American Studies at Northwestern University, and Stefanie DeLuca, Associate Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University. The panel was moderated by Andrea Elliott of the New York Times.
 
The two-day symposium brought together a diverse group of leaders committed to strengthening American cities, including mayors and top city officials, urban scholars, philanthropists, advocates and practitioners, entrepreneurs and federal officials, to explore new research and innovative work in cities related to 21CC’s signature theme of neighborhood transformation. The event also reflected on the Obama Administration’s legacy in urban affairs and on how to advance successful federal place-based initiatives, such as Choice Neighborhoods and Promise Zones, well into the 21st Century.