WKSU News: Vanguard Conference highlights what Cleveland does right

Monday, June 10, 2013 Vanguard Conference highlights what Cleveland does right The event brings 40 young thinkers to Cleveland to discover what's working in a city that "punches above its weight" by WKSU's JEFF ST. CLAIR	Reporter / Host Jeff St. Clair

The Gateway District is one of Cleveland's hidden gems. The Vanguard Conference this week brings 40 young community leaders under 40 to study Cleveland's efforts at urban revitalization.

Courtesy of NextCity

Download (WKSU Only)

Discovering what makes Cleveland attractive is the goal of a group of young community leaders from around the country visiting the North Coast this week.

The Vanguard Conference brings 40 people under 40 to examine the city’s revitalization efforts and share what’s working here.

Organizer Diana Lind, who writes about urban renewal from Philadelphia, is surprised by what Cleveland has to offer young professionals.

LISTEN: Diana Lind on Cleveland's attractions

Other options:

Windows Media /

MP3 Download (0:27)

(Click image for larger view.)

Diana Lind is editor of NextCity, an online publication examining urban renewal and public policy. Her TED talk video looks at the impact of highways on city neighborhoods.

“Cleveland punches above its weight. For a city with a relatively small population, it has so many vibrant neighborhoods, committed institutions, and amazing architecture. It has a lot of strengths to build off of. There could be people coming to this year’s (Vanguard) conference that might be tempted to move to Cleveland or at the very least find ways to do business here.”

The Vanguard Conference runs through Wednesday.