Next City 2024 Vanguards in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Scott Hayes)
Every year, Next City’s Vanguard conference brings together over 40 urban changemakers who work to make cities better, more equitable places to live, work, and play. And with this year’s return to Philadelphia, that mission is no different.
This year’s Vanguard conference will take place in venues across Philly from October 6 to 9. Applications to attend close this Friday, May 9. (Apply now!) As we plan for that convening, we’re taking a moment to introduce you to the powerful work of just a few of our past Vanguards who are based in Philadelphia. You might just meet them in person if you join us this fall.
Stephanie Michel: Serving One of Philly’s Most Diverse Neighborhoods
Stephanie Michel is a second-generation Haitian, community developer, public educator, and spoken word artist. She currently serves as the executive director of the Olney Community Collaborative (OCC), a community development corporation serving Philadelphia’s Olney Neighborhood. Olney is the most culturally, racially and ethnically diverse neighborhood in Pennsylvania, which has avoided gentrification while growing. Its residents and small business owners founded the organization, formerly the North 5th Street Revitalization Project, in 2005.
Stephanie started as an Americorps VISTA volunteer with OCC in 2012, before becoming the program coordinator in 2013 and advancing to other roles over the subsequent years. Now, as OCC’s executive director, Stephanie leads a team of eight that provides corridor management and cleaning services to over 400 businesses.
Read more about Stephanie’s work: Stephanie discussed the importance of supporting small businesses when city officials visited the North Fifth Street commercial corridor during the most recent Small Business Saturday last November.
Alex Feldman: Developing Intentional Relationships Between Anchor Institutions and Residents
Alex Feldman is managing director at U3 Advisors, where he is committed to developing innovative solutions connecting anchor institutions and their surrounding communities. He has worked at U3 for more than a decade, and in that time, he has been most proud of creating lasting partnerships based on common ground that unite all stakeholders. As one of U3’s lead strategists, he has played a major role in the anchor-driven transformations of communities in Midtown Detroit and in the Memphis Medical District (MMDC), where he worked with the leadership of eight major institutions to launch a new nonprofit organization and increase the economic and physical vitality of the district through anchor-driven programs. The project has led to more than $300 million in place-based, economic, and community development impact in the Medical District since 2016. And in 2021, Alex served as the interim president of MMDC during a leadership transition for the organization.
“Everything we do, from developing a skilled workforce to housing, from public space to small business support, is possible because these institutions set aside their individual agendas to work in partnership towards a shared goal of a more vibrant, prosperous and equitable district that reflects our evolving residential population,” wrote Rory Thomas, current president of the MMDC in an op-ed for Next City. “In our case, impartial guidance from U3 Advisors was invaluable in helping establish these partnerships and building trust between these entities.”
Read more about Alex’s work: In 2022, Alex was recognized on City and State Pennsylvania Magazine’s Philly Forty under 40 list for his work developing partnerships between institutions, small businesses, and residents.
Mike Barsotti: Ensuring Equitable Access to Athletics for Philly’s Youth
Mike Barsotti is the director of youth sports for Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. In this role, Mike is responsible for the equitable distribution of athletics resources and programming across the city, focusing on underserved communities. He also serves as an ambassador, building confidence, encouraging healthy lifestyles, and connecting a diverse population of youth through athletic programming and partnerships.
Before joining the city, Mike was the director of external relations for the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative, a nonprofit focused on increasing opportunities for children in Philadelphia to participate in quality programs that will support their physical, mental, and emotional well-being through sport.
Read more about Mike’s work: Mike is leading an effort to increase youth engagement in sports and prevent violence. This work received a $3 million infusion in Mayor Cherelle Parker’s “One Philly” budget plan.
Apply to join us as a Vanguard this fall! The deadline is May 9 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.
You can find a full directory of our Vanguards here.