keynote speakers BRING HISTORIC PERSPECTIVES AND INSPIRATION
There will always be a DIVIDING LINE Marking the Time "Before" and "AFTER" the pandemic.
The 2021 Sociable City Virtual Summit brings bookend speakers deeply involved with the beginning of COVID from Seattle to DC.
Other speakers tackle some of the contemporary trends in society, including diversity, inclusivity and equity and opportunities for revitalizing nightlife and the social economy.
A Return to the Pandemic's Epicenter: What the Future Holds for Seattle
Dow Constantine, King County Executive was the closing 2020 Summit speaker. He gave a call to action to preserve small music venues that nurture stadium-level talent. Attendees will recall his prescient remarks on how nightlife—and life as we know it—would change because of the pandemic.
Constantine returns a year later to welcome 2021 Summit attendees, a bookend to his 2020 closing session. Find out how Seattle is working diligently to turn the lights back on for music and social spaces.
Listen to Dow Constantine's closing session at the 2020 Summit
REFLECTIONS ON THE PRE- AND POST-COVID SOCIAL ECONOMY
Six thought leaders share their insights before and after the pandemic started about the top challenges and opportunities for nightlife and the social economy.
Listen to interviews filmed at the 2020 Sociable City Summit in Seattle. A follow-up interview in November 2020 with each provides a six month status and sets the focus for a live discussion panel with all six on how to prepare for an uncertain future.
Philip Kolvin, 2020 Summit closing keynote speaker, will moderate the discussion.
Diversity and Inclusion Specialist, Kimberly Reed Keynote on Tuesday, April 27
Diversity and Inclusion engagement solutions strategist and expert Kimberly Reed has developed a distinguished reputation as having one of the most distinct and powerful award winning voices on the lecture circuit. Her infectious energy, lioness tone and inspiring sincerity engages audiences on topics ranging from diversity and inclusion innovation, organizational leadership, entrepreneurial leadership, personal and professional development, transformative thinking and resiliency living without limits. She will draw from the lessons in her book Optimists Always Win!: Moving from Defeat to Life's C-Suite to set a tone of inspiration, aspiration and motivation for the event as we #ReimagineSociability.
Global Nighttime Recovery Plan: Pioneer of a Movement Shares Insights and Future Direction
Every movement needs inspiration. While the younger generation sought a vibrant nightlife, an older generation wanted a peaceful night's sleep. This led to conflict and pressures that stifled the creative sector.
Many cities sought an answer, but it was only when Mirik Milan from Amsterdam emerged in the media that the term, "night mayor" was born.
When the pandemic started, Mirik Milan launched into action. He brought together more than 130 practitioners, academics, public health experts, advocates and industry representatives from more than 70 cities all over the world to develop a Global Nighttime Recovery Plan.
Listen to an interview with Mirik in preparation for the Summit.
AUSTIN
MINNEAPOLIS
new york
THE SOCIABLE CITY SHOWCASE will take you inside seven cities where nightlife has been profoundly impacted by the pandemic. You will get the inside scoop on how each city pivoted to support daylife and nightlife with unique lessons they learned for future planning.
Don't miss this special feature premiering at the 2021 Summit.
TORONTO
pittsBurgh
SACRAMENTO
seattle
City Showcase Panelists
Each city will be represented in a closing general session panel discussion on the future of sociability, social venues and districts in a post-pandemic world. They will share lessons learned, strategies implemented and plans for what "could be" in creating a safe and vibrant nightlife and social economy.
Muriel Bowser, Mayor of Washington, DC, has taken on COVID-19, racial justice, and First Amendment demonstrations in 2020. As the closing speaker for the 2021 Sociable City Virtual Summit, Mayor Bowser will reflect on the adversity faced by the city’s social economy, as well as the relief and advocacy initiatives she has led through the District’s Office of Nightlife and Culture to sustain hospitality businesses and help get them to the other side of the pandemic.
Washington, DC will mark a return to an In Real Life (IRL) experience for RHI’s 2022 Sociable City Summit. Mayor Bowser will share with Summit attendees the combination of daylife and nightlife that can only be experienced in the nation’s capital.
