This free, virtual workshop will explore how local leaders can design for people of all ages in urban, suburban and rural communities by:

• Developing (and redeveloping) a housing stock that meets the needs of individuals throughout their life span to allow them to age in place

• Ensuring that communities are healthy and well-connected with safe streets and accessible transit

• Providing vibrant, multigenerational parks and public spaces that have the power to foster community interaction

• Recognizing the value of community engagement strategies that ensure all lived experiences are valued and contribute to the decision-making process

Through four core themes — Housing, Transportation, Public Spaces, and Community Engagement — the workshop will share innovative solutions and best practices to design places that benefit people of all ages and abilities.

The schedule and planned line-up for Day 1 and Day 2 are below. 

Workshop Hosts:

• Mike Watson, Director, AARP Livable Communities

• Rodney Harrell, Ph.D., AARP Public Policy Institute, Vice President, Family, Home and Community
   

Day 1: Wednesday, October 16

Keynote Address: Day 1

Mariia Zimmerman, Principal Assistant Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation

A livability leader with experience in both transportation and housing policy, Zimmerman will share how communities can leverage federal resources to design transportation systems that enhance safety, accessibility and equity at the local level for people of all ages.

Conversation: AARP Community Challenge Grantee Interview

Learn about an AARP Community Challenge-funded event inviting older residents to reimagine their neighborhood, which was divided decades ago by highway construction. 

• Moderator: Mike Watson, Director, AARP Livable Communities

• John Chin, Executive Director, Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation

Conversation: Local Leaders Taking Action

Learn how mayors are encouraging transformative change for safer streets through federal funding, such as the Reconnecting Communities and Safe Streets and Roads for All grant programs.  

• Moderator: Nancy LeaMond, Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer, AARP

• Cavalier Johnson, Mayor, City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Acquanetta Warren, Mayor, City of Fontana, California

Plenary Panel: Transportation

This panel will discuss the importance of designing inclusive transportation systems and streets that are accessible and safe for all users.

• Moderator: Tim Morstad is a director of AARP Government Affairs

• Grace Perdomo is an architect, urban designer, civic practice sector leader for Zyscovich Architects and board member of the Underline Conservancy

• Jonathon Stalls is a multidisciplinary artist and co-creator of Walk2Connect (now a program of America Walks) and the Pedestrian Dignity project. He is the author of WALK – Slow Down, Wake Up & Connect at 1-3 Miles Per Hour

Closing Keynote Address: Parks and Public Spaces

• Gil Penalosa, Founder, 8 80 Cities

A dynamic livability advocate and speaker, Penalosa will discuss how designing spaces to serve people of all ages and abilities can create vibrant, multigenerational places that have the power to strengthen a community. 

Day 1 Discussion Groups

The group titles and descriptions will be added closer to the workshop date.

 

Day 2: Thursday, October 17

Keynote Address: Day 2

• Rebekah Taussig, Author, Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body

 A disability advocate and storyteller, Taussig will discuss the need to think bigger and more critically about who has a seat at the table and the barriers that bar others from inclusion. 

Conversation: AARP Community Challenge Grantee Interview

Learn about an AARP Community Challenge-funded project featuring a "universal design" guidebook for residents.

• Moderator: Noel Bonam, State Director, AARP Maine

• Jason Lamoreau, Recreation Director and Older Adult Services Coordinator, Town of Bowdoinham, Maine

Plenary Panel: Housing

Learn how livability features, such as inclusive and universal design, are crucial in the development and redevelopment of the nation’s housing stock so people of all ages and abilities can age in place.

• Moderator: Samar Jha is a director of AARP Government Affairs

• Stephanie Terry, Mayor, City of Evansville, Indiana

Conversation: AARP Community Challenge Grantee Interview

Hear about the effectiveness and replicability of an ADU Design Competition that was funded by an AARP Community Challenge grant.

• Moderator: Mike Watson, Director, AARP Livable Communities

• Viviana Frank, FAIA, CEcD, Co-founder and Partner, Able City, and Founder, City Makery

Closing Conversation: Community Engagement

Learn how local leaders can equitably engage community members to ensure that all lived experiences are valued and contribute to the decision-making process. 

• Moderator: Tina Tran, State Director, AARP Texas

• Laura Poskin, Executive Director, Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh

• Tabitha Taylor, Age-Friendly Officer, City of Dallas, Texas
  

Day 2 Discussion Groups

The group titles and descriptions will be added closer to the workshop date.