Last month, Downtown San José welcomed 120 civic leaders, nonprofit organizations, philanthropies, planners, and community builders from across the country for Civic Commons Studio #11. They stayed in Downtown San Jose hotels and experienced all that downtown has to offer. The gathering brought together representatives from cities including Detroit, Memphis, Philadelphia, Akron, Charlotte, Camden, Cincinnati, Lexington, Macon, Minneapolis–Saint Paul, and San José to explore a simple but powerful question: 

How do we create public spaces where everyone feels they belong? 

I was honored to serve on the local host committee alongside an incredible group of partners, including the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, Veggielution, the San Jose Downtown Association, and many other city leaders who helped showcase this special place that we call home. Bringing this gathering to San José was a tremendous team effort, and I remain deeply grateful to Reimagining the Civic Commons for choosing to invest in our community. 

That investment has been much more than a conference. 

Through Reimagining the Civic Commons, San José has received monetary support from the organization for projects that strengthen some of Downtown's most important public spaces. Those investments have helped advance activation and improvements at Arena Green through the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, support community-driven placemaking and public realm enhancements on San Pedro Street, and expand the impact of Veggielution's work at SoFA Pocket Park, where urban agriculture, entrepreneurship, food access, and community building come together in one place. 

The convening itself was organized through Reimagining the Civic Commons, a national initiative focused on strengthening communities through investments in parks, trails, libraries, community centers, and other shared public spaces. For nearly a decade, cities across the country have used this network to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing urban communities. 

This year's theme was "Diverse Cultures, Common Ground." It could not have been a more fitting theme for San José. 

As one of the most diverse large cities in the United States, San José is home to people from every corner of the globe. Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths, but it also presents an important challenge: How do we create places that bring people together across different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences? 

The answer, in many ways, is our civic commons. It's our public spaces.  

Throughout the week, participants explored Downtown San José: Arena Green, the Guadalupe River Trail, San Pedro Square, the SoFA District/Pocket Park, St. James Park, and other spaces that help shape civic life in our city. Along the way, they learned how San José is using placemaking, parks, public art, entrepreneurship, and even major events such as the FIFA World Cup to create lasting civic value. 

One of the things I appreciated most was the opportunity to see San José through the eyes of visitors. 

When you work in a place every day, it can be easy to focus on what still needs improvement. Hosting leaders from across the country was a reminder of how much progress has already been made. Visitors repeatedly commented on Downtown's energy, the strength of our partnerships, the diversity of our community, the quality and richness of our food, and the willingness of organizations here to collaborate toward shared goals. 

That spirit of collaboration is one of the reasons Reimagining the Civic Commons selected San José in the first place. The initiative specifically recognized the partnerships that have emerged between nonprofit organizations, local government, businesses, neighborhood leaders, and residents to reimagine underutilized public spaces and transform them into welcoming places for everyone. 

Perhaps the biggest lesson from the week is that great public spaces do more than beautify a city. 

They create opportunities for people to meet neighbors, start businesses, celebrate culture, enjoy nature, and participate in civic life. They help transform a collection of pedestrian malls and streets into a community. 

In a world that often feels increasingly divided, shared public spaces remain one of the few places where people from different backgrounds can come together around common experiences. 

That is the power of a civic commons. It's one of Downtown's greatest comparative advantages. And it is one of the reasons I remain optimistic about the future of Downtown San José.  

Ps. Major shout out to Reimagining the Civic Commons and to the San Jose Host Committee for convening a successful studio, namely: Jason Su, Fred Buzo, Shawn Gerth, Lou Jimenez, Natasha Lamperti, Ash Namdar, Rebekah Ross, Andrea Flores Shelton, and Wilson Tam.  

In Community,
Michael Lomio