It’s no secret that Uptown is innovative, booming, energized, and dynamic—a place where young talent wants to be.
Uptown Consortium, Inc. (UCI) is focused on sustaining and creating a place where talent wants to live, work and play. That’s why UCI created Uptown Cincinnati’s Talent Kitchen Cabinet (TKC), a group of young people who provide input and insights that are informing UCI’s planning and development for the future. UCI recently convened a 2nd TKC cohort, consisting of nine University of Cincinnati students with diverse backgrounds and interests.
UCI recently asked TKC members to weigh in on how they believe Uptown can keep and attract young talent. The members were asked to answer questions ranging from creating a sense of place and transportation enhancements to community amenities, the perfect atmosphere and the importance of a bike network. Individual responses were compiled into a video.
Overall, feedback and comments from all TKC meetings are being used to inform the work and developments of UCI moving forward. “We are so impressed with the valuable insights shared by the Talent Kitchen Cabinet that can be used to inform UCI’s plans moving forward,” Brooke Rapp, Director of Community Development of UCI said. “This cohort of students is providing a connection that is hugely important to us, which is why we’re so appreciative of their honest feedback.”
Following are a few of the TKC cohort participants and the questions they fielded – in order of appearance in the video:
MicKenzi Addy: how important are locally-owned businesses and start-ups to help create a sense of place in Uptown Cincinnati?
Raphael Hicks: what appeals to you about the Crown, Cincinnati’s first-ever urban trail loop?
Taylor Allgood: how would transportation enhance Uptown Cincinnati?
Julian Hill: describe what a perfect community atmosphere is for you after graduation?
Aprilynne Gable: name an amenity that would attract you or your friends to work in Uptown Cincinnati?
For more information about this TKC cohort, please read more here.
UCI established its TKC at the beginning of the 2019-2020 academic year. Read more here about the inaugural TKC group, and how the feedback and comments from all TKC meetings is being used to inform UCI’s work.