How does history shape our understanding of our city and our work in it? That’s the central question of an upcoming conference in Rochester. “Rochester and the Mid-Sized American City in the 21st Century: A Conference and a Conversation” is set for April 21.
The first local conference of this theme was in 2002, convened by former Rochester Mayor Bill Johnson. The goal was to examine the unique concerns of mid-sized cities, drawing on the expertise of political leaders, academics, urban policy experts, and others.
Now, more than 20 years later, we discuss what has changed – and what hasn’t – with our guests:
- Michael Brown, associate professor in the Department of History at RIT
- Bill Johnson, former Rochester Mayor, and convener of the original “Rochester Conversation on Mid-Sized Cities” conference
- Justin Murphy, Democrat and Chronicle reporter, and plenary panelist for the conference
- Christine Ridarsky, Rochester City Historian
