Knight Foundation recently hosted an interactive workshop to foster a greater sense of community in Akron with speaker Peter Kageyama. Over 200 people attended. To assist the effort, the team from The Civic Commons, a Knight-funded civic engagement platform, captured Akron residents’ sentiments prior to the workshop through a “nametag project”. During the workshop, the Commons put up its Mobile Engagement Studio and interviewed participants throughout the event about what might transform Akron and what they love about their city. You can check out the ongoing conversation here.  Participants had the opportunity brainstorm ideas to bring greater cohesion to the city. After each group presented their creative ideas, a plan to decorate city trash cans as basketball hoops took the $500 Knight Foundation prize.  The Civic Commons’ engagement complemented the workshop and helped to advanced the findings of the Soul of the Community study which helped develop ideas toward becoming a more lovable community where people want to put down roots and build careers and lives. The workshop galvanized and inspired those present to engage in developing and strengthening their city.