“Communities are like cloth and the cloth is whole in some parts and tattered in others but if you pull one of the threads, you pull the whole thing with it.”

The statement by internationally renowned architect, David Lewis, FAIA, founder of Urban Design Associates, reflects his approach to urban design, and his sentiment strikes me as especially relevant today. Pulling on a thread creates a tension that can divide fabric or tie a button securely. Pulling on a thread can weave cloth or rend it apart. I liken this to our world right now as communities are being pulled in ways never felt before, facing challenges never experienced before, and the tension is palpable.

However, despite the tremendous pressures, many communities are responding by creating opportunities and demonstrating a willingness to think differently about the essential business of government.

To support them, we are providing much needed, fact-based, non-partisan education through our Summer Workshop Series. The participation in our series reflects the desire of public officials and municipal staff to continually hone their skills and participate in professional development.

Local Government Academy remains steadfast in our commitment to Promote Excellence in Local Government. In challenging times, we must work as a team to strengthen the fabric of our community and be considerate of each thread that weaves us together. I leave you with one last quote from David Lewis: “Become first a human being, forget your labels, leave them at the door, and come in and join the team and as a team, work with citizens to resolve the most urgent problems in our society. And most of all work to enfranchise the unenfranchised and disenfranchised.”

David Lewis was a Distinguished Teaching Professor of Urban Studies, School of Architecture, Carnegie Mellon University, and head of the Fifth Year Studio. In 1964 he founded Urban Design Associates (UDA) a Pittsburgh urban design firm. Professor Lewis passed away on June 30, 2020 and we offer our heartfelt condolences to his family including our longstanding Academy Board member, Ms. An Lewis. To learn more about Professor Lewis, see Urban Design Associates: The David Lewis Legacy.

– Joy