Genre: Community Event

Hourglass is proud to host Chuck Marohn, founder & president of Strong Towns, for a community conversation. In this presentation Chuck will highlight some of the most powerful stories in his book, “Strong Towns: A Bottom Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity,” and use those insights to highlight a path to community prosperity that’s as unique as Lancaster. Using an innovative, hands-on approach, this presentation will showcase why so many towns in North America are struggling financially despite decades of robust growth. Part community conversation, part lecture from an expert, this talk will be a catalyst for every town in Lancaster to be safe, livable and financially resilient.

Schedule:

• 5-6 PM Reception with complimentary wine, beverages and hors d’oeuvres
• 6-7 PM Presentation from Chuck Marohn
• 7-7:30 PM Audience Q&A
• 7:30-8:00 Book Signing with Chuck

Thank you to our forum sponsors: Martin-Harnish Foundation, Coalition for Sustainable Housing, Coalition for Smart Growth, Lancaster County Community Foundation, Lapp Electric, Kinectiv, Monty & Molly Milner, Davison Associates, LLC, ELA Group, Garber Metrology, Members 1st Credit Union, Bob and Linda Groff, and Paul Mueller.

Book Signing: Chuck’s books Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity (Wiley, 2019) and Confessions of a Recovering Engineer: Transportation for a Strong Town (Wiley 2021) will be available for purchase at the event, or in advance at Read Rose Books (23 N Prince Street, Lancaster, PA).

Bonus Presentation: Everyone who purchases a ticket to this forum will be invited to join Chuck virtually the following morning, April 13 at 9 AM, as he meets with local experts for a conversation on housing. That presentation, “Breaking Out of the Housing Trap,” will focus on the root causes of America’s interrelated housing crises and will identify some rational responses that our community can take. You will have the opportunity to watch this conversation via livestream or later via video recording.

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About Chuck Marohn: Marohn is the author of Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity, and Confessions of a Recovering Engineer: Transportation for a Strong Town. He hosts the Strong Towns Podcast and is a primary writer for Strong Towns’ web content. He has presented Strong Towns concepts in hundreds of cities and towns across North America. Planetizen named him one of the 10 Most Influential Urbanists of all time. Chuck is an expert on designing safe streets, advocating for incremental housing, creating financially resilient downtowns, solving infrastructure challenges, and community engagement for positive neighborhood change.

About Hourglass: Hourglass was founded in 1997 to inform, enlighten, and encourage decision makers so that Lancaster County can have growth and economic prosperity without losing its unique character and enviable quality of life. Hourglass focuses on a wide range of complex, legacy issues that impact Lancaster County both now and for years to come such as city vitality, education, growth and land use, and the environment. Hourglass functions as an independent, nonpolitical entity, providing objective information and fresh ideas, conducting research and analysis, and encouraging collaboration among local governments and organizations to help them better meet the challenges of a changing world.

Frank Leonardis, School of Social Work alumnus and author will share his story and the power of hope as a tool to overcome childhood trauma.

This is event is FREE but we are accepting $10 donation to be used to support social work students in need of financial support for educational expenses (not tuition). 

A radical reframing of the use of disabled characters in film, gathering hundreds of clips from over a century of Hollywood favorites – viewed with a fresh perspective by on-the-ground disability activists, artists, and scholars. Taking its title from Tod Browning’s 1932 classic, Code of the Freaks counters formulaic “inspiration porn” with a powerful corrective, daring to imagine a cinematic landscape that centers the voices of disabled people.

Panel Discussion @ 6:15 PM | Film Screening @ 7:00 PM | Post-Show Q&A with Director Salome Chasnoff

ACCESSIBILITY • ASL interpretation is available upon request. Please use this form to request accessibility services at least two weeks prior to the performance.

Presented in partnership with the MU Disability Film Festival & MU Learning Institute.

A candid portrait of a father who survived the Holocaust by hiding in a hole in a forest for six months, and a young Jewish activist—his son—who comes to terms with his father’s traumatic history.

Panel Discussion @ 6:15 PM | Film Screening @ 7:00 PM | Post-Show Q&A with Director Steve Brand

In partnership with the MU Holocaust & Genocide Conference.

A panel discussion featuring local, state and national reporters sharing their experiences and observations from the 2024 election and what they see going forward.

Colby Itkowitz
National Politics Reporter
The Washington Post

Brett Sholtis
Investigative Reporter, Democracy
LNP | LancasterOnline

Carter Walker
Pennsylvania Reporter
VotebeatUS

Katie Bernard
Reporter
Philadelphia Inquirer

The mission of the Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund is to support, protect, and expand local journalism in and for Lancaster County by promoting investigative and public interest journalism and media literacy. These efforts will ensure the people of Lancaster County continue to be informed, engaged, and empowered by independent local journalism. https://lancjournalismfund.org/