Submit Ideas for Improving Cincy Here

(I plan on running for Cincinnati City Council in the near future. Feel free to give me ideas on how to make Cincinnati a better place!)

Random Ideations

Business card idea (more iterations coming soon)

A Visualization Exercise

What Is Rethink Cincy?

Rethink Cincy! encompasses my efforts to give Cincinnati a playful makeover. My initiative includes 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

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!

Premise Potpourri

Pothole Ideas

More Random Ideations

More Visualizations: University Integration

What if Rethink Cincy! partnered with a university to offer a civics class?

Another Visualization Exercise

That’s right—I’m being a d-bag and quoting myself. (These are visualization exercises meant to illustrate what it would look like if I was actually quoted.)

The LOST ITEMS Code

I keep seeing lost items strewn about Hyde Park. People are nice and place them in prominent places. I was wondering, what if we came up with some visual code to convey certain things about the lost items? Mocked this up as a potential idea for that.