Hundreds of people experienced the strengths-based, whole-system Appreciative Inquiry process first-hand during the Feb. 17-19 CoreChange Summit in Cincinnati.

The CoreChange Summit explored the task of “igniting our strengths to invent the new American city.”

Kimya Moyo, a Cincinnati teacher, says she found the focus on strengths and gifts to be the most energizing part of the experience.

“The focus on strengths and gifts, is so simple, so natural, so real,” she says.

“We’ve got to move out this old way of thinking, develop this new mindset and that’s what’s energizing, is this makes so much sense for so many of the people because it gives people voices, it empowers them,” says Kimya.

David Ostrowski, a musician who has lived in almost every neighbourhood in the city, was involved in an arts-focused small group during the summit. As a youth, he says having a lot of older people in the group and learning about the city’s arts diversity was eye-opening.

“Now all these preconceptions I have about what I do to make a living are completely flipped, so the way I go about my life I believe will be changed,” he says.

Through the AI process, David says he learned the importance of working together to make change happen. With a personal desire to start a non-profit, he says he now knows what it takes to get something like that started, from the ideation to implementation.

Leslie Stevenson, an AmeriCorps VISTA member serving at Gabriel’s Place, says she was led to AmeriCorps after identifying her strengths. She was a part of the summit group working to design a strengths-based city.

She says she believes as individuals, neighbourhoods and the city utilize and actualize their strengths people live more fulfilled lives.

Summit participants were encouraged to take the VIA Inventory of Strengths Survey, which has a classification of six virtues and 24 character strengths.

Leslie says she has completed a couple other strengths-based assessments, and feels the VIA survey is more global and provides language for communities to use when discussing how to improve.

Jonathan Gagai, a research professional and Cincinnati resident, was also involved in the strengths-based city group. Moving forward, he says he plans to be involved with the group’s work and meeting with community councils to convey the message of how to build strengths within neighbourhoods at all ages.

He notes the idea is to recognize people for what they possess within themselves and discover how to help people work collaboratively and strengthen their lives, “contributing to their health, their prosperity, and their inner peace.”

“There’s an appreciation there that takes place, and I think it best happens through recognizing strengths,” says Jonathan.

AI thought leader and Case Western Reserve University professor David Cooperrider co-facilitated the summit, leading participants through AI’s “4-D” cycle.

The summit took place in the grand ballroom of the Millennium Hotel on Fifth Street West in Cincinnati.

To learn more about CoreChange visit this link. You can also follow the @corechangecincy and 
@cincysummit Twitter accounts, as well as like CoreChange on Facebook.

Axiom News is storying the CoreChange effort in Cincinnati, including people’s commitment to this, possibilities they see and what can be expected. To share your story, or provide feedback on this story, contact the newsroom at 705-741-4421 or e-mail jennifer(at)axiomnews.ca.