LR2021 experienced a hybrid Get Grounded program day earlier this month.
They began the day learning about Rochester’s deep, but complicated history with Dana Miller, Deputy Commissioner of the city’s Neighborhood & Business Development. Dana, was previously on the board of Leadership Rochester having served as our longest tenured Board Chair. Dana took the class on a journey through Rochester’s past, highlighting its tremendous growth in the 1800s and took them through to modern times.
Caitlin Meives, Senior Preservationist for the Landmark Society, also met the class via Zoom to take a deeper look into the city’s past, highlighting a number of accomplishments, but also exposing the inequities many people of color faced along the way.
Dana Miller, City of Rochester 
Caitlin Meives, Landmark Society of Rochester 
Lisa Boron, Greentopia
The class then met in-person for the first time, for a couple tours downtown. Lisa Baron of Greentopia met class members in High Falls to showcase some of the history surrounding High Falls, while Caitlin Meives took the class on a walking tour of the historic Corn Hill area shedding light on both the positive and negative effects of urban renewal in the city’s oldest neighborhood and how deeply redlining changed its landscape.
After lunch they met back up on Zoom where they were joined by Stephanie Townsend of ROC the Future to discuss the digital divide and the detrimental effects it has, especially on those living within the city of Rochester.
Dr. Joel Hoomans, Director of the Strategic Leadership Program at Roberts Wesleyan College finished the day with the group to talk about servant leadership and the power of being effective followers.
We’re now looking ahead to Education Day, which is set to be our first fully in-person class of the 2021 program year.
Corn Hill Tour 
High Falls Tours 
Triphammer at High Falls 
Team 1 Tour of Pointe de Rennes Bridge at High Falls