What Is Rethink Cincy?

Rethink Cincy! encompasses my efforts to give Cincinnati a playful makeover. My initiatives include four main tenets:

1) Community First, Always: Empowering neighborhoods like Hyde Park via grassroots initiatives, local events, small business support, and inclusive civic engagement.

2) Mental Health Is Public Health: Championing mental health awareness, access, and destigmatization as essential components of a healthier, more compassionate city.

3) Designing a Better Cincinnati: Using design thinking to creatively solve everyday city challenges, from infrastructure to public services, with innovation, empathy, and community input at the core.

4) The City That Works... and Plays: Reimagining public spaces, transportation, and local culture to make Cincinnati more livable, joyful, and connected—whether you're commuting, creating, or enjoying Graeter's in the park.

Want to join me in my efforts? Get involved by simply emailing me at ben116@mail.harvard.edu

Word Scramble

Kinda clunky, but this sort of thing could be fun for a newspaper or magazine feature. These are things Cincinnatians lament.

Another Word Search

Word Search

Crossword Puzzle

I’d love to make a few of these to publish in local publications for Rethink Cincy! publicity.

The Flag of Cincinnati

Red C: Stands for Cincinnati
Blue waves: Represent the Ohio River
Buckeye leaves: Symbolize the state of Ohio
City seal: Includes symbols for commerce, wisdom, justice, and authority

I wonder how one might redesign this flag today?

Real Ideas from Real People!—Submissions from My Business Card Prompt

“I’d love to have a more walkable city/suburbs with a robust subway/public transit system replacing most car routes.”

— Anonymous

“I don’t think people should get public assistance without being required to provide service to the communities.”

— Anonymous

“Politicians should be working on race relations. Marginalized people should have a way to earn income. And food banks should have satellite offices in strategic locations throughout the city to make it easier for all those in need to get food, possibly at Community Centers.”

— Anonymous

“The racial divide in Cincinnati and elsewhere is something we seem to get further and further away from solving. My views are of course coming from my general white privilege. I think we have a lot of empty, ineffective ideas about this. We need to have harder conversations.”

— Anonymous

“Small businesses are what give cities character. 48-hour business permit rule – streamline licensing so most small businesses can open in under 2 days. Low-cost micro-retail spaces in vacant storefronts ($300–$600/month starter leases). Food truck and pop-up freedom zones downtown and in neighborhoods. Tax incentives for locally owned businesses, not just large developers. Homeschool co-op resource centers in libraries and community centers. Public access labs/workshops (science labs, woodworking, robotics). Homeschool sports leagues that partner with city parks. Educational micro-grants for alternative education programs. Legalize backyard chickens, bees, and small livestock in more neighborhoods. Expand urban gardens and edible landscapes in parks. Allow small neighborhood farm stands without heavy permits. Support local dairy and raw milk access through state partnerships. Convert vacant lots into community farms or orchards. Expand mental health response teams alongside police. Crack down on repeat violent offenders while prioritizing prevention. Expand mountain bike and hiking trails. More river access for kayaking and paddleboarding. Create urban adventure parks (skateparks, climbing walls, pump tracks). Build scenic overlooks and park improvements.”

— Anonymous

“Cincinnati can improve by continuing to invest in safer and more reliable public transportation, making it easier for residents to commute without depending heavily on cars.”

— Anonymous

“I’m just a firm believer in investing in the youth and community programs. And more quality across neighborhoods. I’ve noticed that Cincinnati is growing, but I believe that growth needs to work for everyone... not just a few select neighborhoods.”

— Anonymous

Time for some ideas submitted by Cincinnatians!

Submit Ideas for Improving Cincy Here

The Constitution of the United States of America

I just finished reading the entire Constitution! Such a fascinating read.

A Visualization Exercise

Museum Image

I am a Gallery Attendant at the Cincinnati Art Museum. This fascinates me…

What Am I?

One of the questions I get asked most is, “What are you politically?”

The honest answer is that I don’t fit neatly into a single box. Over the years, I’ve voted for Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and Independents depending on the candidate, the issue, and the moment. I tend to have a libertarian streak—I value individual freedom, personal responsibility, free expression, and a healthy skepticism of unnecessary bureaucracy.

At the same time, I believe government has an important role to play in creating strong communities, maintaining public infrastructure, supporting public health, and ensuring that everyone has a fair opportunity to succeed. Rather than approaching problems through a rigid partisan lens, I try to evaluate ideas based on whether they will actually improve life for Cincinnati residents.

In a city where the entire council is currently Democratic, having someone who thinks independently, asks different questions, and is willing to challenge assumptions, can bring valuable perspective to the conversation. Diverse viewpoints lead to better decision-making, and a council that includes independent-minded voices is ultimately better equipped to serve the entire city.

Mental Illness Destigmatization Efforts

While working at Index Analytics LLC (giving Medicare.gov a major overhaul) and the National Alliance On Mental Illness (giving speeches on mental health), I coordinated a donation of $2,500 from Index to NAMI in order to help destigmatize mental illness. I love both organizations!

Why I Would Love to Be on City Council

1. To Bring Design Thinking to City Government

I want to join Cincinnati City Council because my background in design has taught me how to solve complex problems by focusing on people first. I believe city government can benefit from the same user-centered approach that designers use to improve products, services, and experiences.

2. To Strengthen Neighborhood Voices

I believe the people who live in Cincinnati's neighborhoods should have a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect them. I want to help create stronger connections between residents and City Hall so that community input becomes an essential part of policymaking.

3. To Improve Mental Health Resources

Mental health has touched my life personally and professionally. I want to advocate for policies that expand access to mental health resources, reduce stigma, and recognize that mental health is a critical component of a healthy community.

4. To Make Government Easier to Navigate

Government should be accessible and understandable. I want to help simplify processes, improve communication, and make it easier for residents to access city services and find the information they need.

5. To Support Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy and contribute to the unique character of our neighborhoods. I want to help create an environment where entrepreneurs can succeed by reducing unnecessary barriers and encouraging innovation.

6. To Build a More Connected Cincinnati

I want to foster stronger relationships among neighborhoods, community organizations, businesses, and local institutions. By encouraging collaboration, I believe we can address challenges more effectively and create opportunities that benefit the entire city.

7. To Help Young People See a Future in Cincinnati

As an educator, I have worked with many talented students and young professionals. I want Cincinnati to be a place where people can build fulfilling careers, find affordable opportunities, and choose to stay and contribute to the community.

8. To Increase Civic Participation

I believe democracy is strongest when people are actively engaged. I want to encourage more residents to participate in local government, attend public meetings, share ideas, and feel empowered to shape the future of our city.

9. To Focus on Practical Solutions Over Partisanship

Local government should focus on solving problems rather than political divisions. I want to work collaboratively with people from different backgrounds and perspectives to find practical solutions that improve residents' everyday lives.

10. To Help Cincinnati Reach Its Full Potential

Cincinnati has incredible assets, talented people, and vibrant neighborhoods. I want to help build on those strengths and contribute to a future where our city is recognized as a leader in innovation, community engagement, quality of life, and opportunity for all residents.

Logo Iteration

This logo iteration really emphasizes the playful aspect of Rethink Cincy’s agenda. We’ll see how this logo and its accompanying branding evolve over time.

Book I'm Renting from My Local Library

Can’t wait to start reading!

Where I’d Fit on Cincinnati City Council

I’ve been spending more time paying attention to how Cincinnati City Council actually works. Not just who is on it, but how decisions get made, what perspectives are in the room, and what feels… missing.

This is not a campaign announcement. It is more like a thought experiment.

Where would I fit?

The Current Mix

Right now, council has a pretty clear set of roles covered.

There are people grounded in public safety.
People focused on housing and development.
People who understand budgets, policy, and the mechanics of government.
People deeply connected to neighborhoods and community work.

That is a strong foundation. It is serious, practical, and generally aligned.

But it also means something interesting.

A lot of people are solving problems within the same frameworks.

Where I’d Be Different

My background is not traditional politics. It is design, teaching, and systems thinking.

I spend my time asking questions like:

Why does this system exist in this form?
Who is it actually working for?
What would this look like if we redesigned it from scratch?

That mindset does not replace policy expertise. It complements it.

If current council has policy mechanics and community grounding, I would be bringing design thinking applied to government.

Not as a buzzword. As a method.

The “Mad Professor” Slot (Respectfully)

Every room benefits from at least one person who is willing to reframe the problem.

Not louder. Not more extreme. Just… different.

Someone who can say:

What if we are solving the wrong version of this issue?
What would a prototype of a better system look like?
How do we test ideas before locking them into policy?

That is the lane I naturally occupy as a teacher and designer.

And right now, that lane is not heavily represented.

What That Looks Like in Practice

This is not abstract. It would show up in very concrete ways:

Making Policy More Understandable
Government language is often inaccessible by default. I would push for clearer, more visual, more human ways of communicating decisions.

Prototyping Before Committing
Instead of debating ideas endlessly, test them. Pilot programs. Small experiments. Iterate based on real feedback.

Designing for Real People
Not theoretical residents. Actual humans with constraints, habits, and lived experiences. This is second nature in design, less so in policy.

Connecting Systems
Housing, transportation, safety, mental health. These are not separate problems. They are one system. I would consistently push conversations in that direction.

The Tone Shift

I am not interested in becoming a typical politician.

I am interested in bringing a slightly different energy into the room:

Curious instead of certain.

Creative instead of purely procedural.

Willing to question assumptions without being performative about it.

Still serious. Still grounded. Just… more exploratory.

Why It Might Actually Work

Cincinnati does not need nine people who think the same way.

It needs people who can challenge each other productively.

Right now, there is a lot of alignment, which creates stability. That matters.

But adding someone who approaches problems differently could make the whole system sharper.

Not by replacing what is there. By expanding it.

Closing Thought

If I were on council, I would not be the loudest voice or the most traditional one.

I would be the one asking slightly uncomfortable questions, sketching out alternative approaches, and trying to make city systems make more sense for the people actually living in them.

Which, in a city like Cincinnati, might be exactly the kind of weird that is useful.

Campaign Website Progress (Thus Far)

Here is a second pass at a campaign website.

A Poem I Wrote About Cincinnati

"Cincy Rinses Me" by Bennett Nestok

Speak to me via splashes
Potholes sunburnt, wet with sorrowful angst
Fill us in, why are you here?
To try that cinnamon… those noodles?

Are we meat to you or oyster crackers designed to be crumbled?

I don't know about you but I love it here
I'll stay for the time being

Dump hot sauce in those pavement cracks
Car tires can handle that spice
Even if they're from out of town
I seriously don't care what high school you attended

I care about you

Thank you for visiting.
Please, please stay
There’s plenty of weather to discuss

I Wonder What It's Like to Be a Superhero (Insert Musical Note Emoji Here)