2015 Kansas YP Summit

Drawing on the community’s support and the success of last year’s summit, the 2015 Kansas YP Summit is poised to be bigger and better than ever! The theme of the 6th annual Kansas YP Summit is “Your Community, Your Vision!” Last year, the summit asked attendees to “Dream Big” and this year attendees will be inspired to get involved and be the change agent in transforming their communities! Jason Roberts with Team Better Block is headlining the 2015 YP Summit as the keynote speaker. All community leaders and residents have a vision for what they want their community to be. Maybe it’s bike lanes, or a better transit system, or more outdoor cafes. Arts activist Jason Roberts had a similar vision, and he took it upon himself to make it happen. Enter the Better Block Project, a community-driven temporary takeover of blighted blocks. This one-time phenomenon in Southern Dallas has since grown into an international movement, and Roberts is at the forefront of it all. Roberts is the founder of the Oak Cliff Transit Authority, originator of the Better Block Project, co-founder of the Art Conspiracy and Bike Friendly Oak Cliff, and recent candidate for US Congress. In 2006, Jason formed the non-profit organization, Oak Cliff Transit Authority, to revive the Dallas streetcar system, and later spearheaded the city’s effort in garnering a $23 Million dollar TIGER stimulus grant from the FTA to help reintroduce a modern streetcar system to Dallas. In 2010, Jason organized a series of “Better Block” projects, taking depressed blocks with vacant properties in Southern Dallas and converting them into temporary walkable districts with pop-up businesses, bike lanes, cafe seating, and landscaping. The project has now become an international movement and has been featured in the New York Times, Dwell magazine, and on NPR. Roberts has spoken at TEDx Austin and Oklahoma and is the recipient of the Champions of Change award in Washington DC for work in Transportation Innovations. With his experience helping communities from across the nation revitalize dilapidated areas, Jason Roberts is the perfect individual to help young professionals from Kansas plan and ultimately realize their vision for their community! There will 20 unique breakout sessions offered ranging from Collective Community Impact to Lean Communication by experts from the local community and across the state as well. A pre-summit social will be held on Wednesday, April 22nd at Rolling Hills Zoo from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; it will offer a chance for Salina young professionals to network and socialize with peers from across the state.