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RE:NEW YORK CITY— How to Revive NYC’s Economy, Spark Good Jobs, and Build a More Equitable City

Event - September 2021

RE:NEW YORK CITY— How to Revive NYC’s Economy, Spark Good Jobs, and Build a More Equitable City

On September 22, CUF held a policy forum to explore what bold steps the New York’s next mayor—and the many other new leaders across city government entering office in January 2022—will need to do to create an economic recovery that is lasting and equitable.

Tags: economic opportunity economic growth workforce development higher education boroughs middle class jobs project

"RE:NEW YORK CITY— How to Revive NYC’s Economy, Spark Good Jobs, and Build a More Equitable City"
A Center for an Urban Future Policy Symposium

Replay of the Event

On September 22nd, the Center for an Urban Future held a major policy conference about New York City's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic featuring national urban experts Richard Florida and Ed Glaeser as well as innovative New York City leaders including Sheena Wright, Jennifer Jones Austin, David Rockwell, Rafael Cestero, Christine Quinn, Seth Pinsky, Anil Dash, Justin Garrett Moore, Gregg Bishop, Plinio Ayala, David Wu, and several others. The dynamic event, titled, “RE:NEW YORK CITY—How to Revive NYC’s Economy, Spark Good Jobs, and Build a More Equitable City,” was designed to generate concrete ideas for what New York's next leaders should do to ensure a lasting and equitable recovery in New York City.

Please click here to view the full replay of the event, or check out direct links below to the many individual segments of the event, which included:

  • Eleven 3-minute "idea pitches," with each TED-style presentation focused on one idea for New York's recovery. These were delivered by: Columbia University epidemiology professor Wafaa El-Sadr, Huge Chief Creative Officer Jason Musante, Glitch founder Anil Dash, urban designer & Andrew W. Mellon Foundation program officer Justin Garrett Moore, Win President & CEO Christine Quinn, CPC President & CEO Rafael Cestero, Baruch College President S. David Wu, Per Scholas CEO Plinio Ayala, Streetsense Managing Director Larisa Ortiz, Green City Force Executive Director Tonya Gayle, and former Times Square Alliance president Tim Tompkins.
  • One-on-one fireside chats with Harvard economist Ed Glaeser, urbanist Richard Florida, and FPWA CEO Jennifer Jones Austin.
  • An extended panel discussion featuring United Way of NYC President & CEO Sheena Wright, Rockwell Group Founder David Rockwell, Social Justice Fund Executive Director Gregg Bishop, 92nd Street Y CEO Seth Pinsky, Fund for the City of New York President Lisette Nieves, and Fisher Brothers partner Winston Fisher.

IDEA PITCHES 

Wafaa El-Sadr, Professor of Epidemiology & Medicine, Columbia University; Director, ICAP
Help prepare NYC for the next pandemic by making New Yorkers healthier through investments in public health, preventative care, and health literacy
Video

Christine Quinn, President & CEO, Win
Create and support workforce programs for women
Video

Justin Garrett Moore, Program Officer, Humanities in Place, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Create a Department of Care to strengthen local capacity to reimagine, maintain, and care for public spaces
Video

Jason Musante, Global Chief Creative Officer, Huge
Help NYC businesses compete in the metaverse
Video

Anil Dash, Founder & CEO, Glitch
Boost the city’s economy by making it easier for NYC startups to win city technology contracts
Video

Plinio Ayala, President & CEO, Per Scholas
Invest in quality childcare for New Yorkers in workforce training programs
Video

Rafael Cestero, President & CEO, Community Preservation Corporation
Break the logjam around housing development in NYC with a grand bargain on housing and jobs
Video

Tim Tompkins, Former President, Times Square Alliance
Neighborhood Incubator Initiative: Creating affordable clusters of small business innovation and entrepreneurship across NYC
Video

Tonya Gayle, Executive Director, Green City Force
Create an NYC Climate Corps
Video

Larisa Ortiz, Managing Director, Streetsense
Spur the return to offices by supporting public programming that reinvigorates business districts
Video

S. David Wu, President, Baruch College
Pair CUNY’s talented, diverse, and tech-savvy students with local small businesses that need help to thrive
Video

FIRESIDE CHATS

Edward Glaeser, Chairman, Department of Economics, Harvard University; Co-Author, Survival of the City
How NYC Can Overcome Challenges Old and New to Bounce Back Strong
Video

Richard Florida, Urbanist; Professor, University of Toronto; Author, Rise of the Creative Class 
The Keys to a Lasting and Inclusive Recovery in NYC
Video

Jennifer Jones Austin, CEO and Executive Director, FPWA
Building a More Equitable NYC Now and in the Future
Video

PANEL DISCUSSION: What NYC Needs for a Lasting and Equitable Recovery

  • Gregg Bishop, Executive Director, Social Justice Fund
  • Winston Fisher, Partner, Fisher Brothers; CEO, AREA15; Co-Chair, NYC REDC
  • Lisette Nieves, President, Fund for the City of New York
  • Seth Pinsky, CEO, 92nd Street Y
  • David Rockwell, Founder & President, Rockwell Group
  • Sheena Wright, President & CEO, United Way of New York City
  • Moderator: Eli Dvorkin, Editorial and Policy Director, Center for an Urban Future

Video

Wafaa El-Sadr, Professor of Epidemiology & Medicine, Columbia University; Director, ICAP

Help prepare NYC for the next pandemic by making New Yorkers healthier through investments in public health, preventative care, and health literacy

Christine Quinn, President & CEO, Win

Create and support workforce programs for women

Justin Garrett Moore, Program Officer, Humanities in Place, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Create a Department of Care to strengthen local capacity to reimagine, maintain, and care for public spaces

Jason Musante, Global Chief Creative Officer, Huge

Help NYC businesses compete in the metaverse

Anil Dash, Founder & CEO, Glitch

Boost the city’s economy by making it easier for NYC startups to win city technology contracts

Plinio Ayala, President & CEO, Per Scholas

Invest in quality childcare for New Yorkers in workforce training programs

Rafael Cestero, President & CEO, Community Preservation Corporation

Break the logjam around housing development in NYC with a grand bargain on housing and jobs

Tim Tompkins, Former President, Times Square Alliance

Neighborhood Incubator Initiative: Creating affordable clusters of small business innovation and entrepreneurship across NYC

Tonya Gayle, Executive Director, Green City Force

Create an NYC Climate Corps

Larisa Ortiz, Managing Director, Streetsense

Spur the return to offices by supporting public programming that reinvigorates business districts

S. David Wu, President, Baruch College

Pair CUNY’s talented, diverse, and tech-savvy students with local small businesses that need help to thrive

Edward Glaeser, Chairman, Department of Economics, Harvard University; Co-Author, Survival of the City

Fireside Chat: How NYC Can Overcome Challenges Old and New to Bounce Back Strong

Richard Florida, Urbanist; Professor, University of Toronto; Author, Rise of the Creative Class 

Fireside Chat: The Keys to a Lasting and Inclusive Recovery in NYC

Jennifer Jones Austin, CEO and Executive Director, FPWA

Fireside Chat: Building a More Equitable NYC Now and in the Future

Panel Discussion: What NYC Needs for a Lasting and Equitable Recovery

Featuring Gregg Bishop, Winston Fisher, Lisette Nieves, Seth Pinsky, David Rockwell, Sheena Wright

 

A video of the full discussion is available here.

This symposium was made possible through generous support from Fisher Brothers and Winston C. Fisher. We are also grateful for general support from The Clark Foundation, the Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation, the Altman Foundation, and ongoing support from a number of other philanthropic funders.