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A Legacy of Place-Based Change Monday, May 17, 2010
The entire CreateHere team was saddened to hear of the loss of Jack Lupton on Sunday afternoon. Though most of us never had the opportunity to meet him, he laid the groundwork for all of our efforts today. Among Mr. Lupton’s passions was a reverence for place-based change and a belief that citizens could shape their own collective destiny. As such, he created a legacy that lives on today in Chattanooga, a city we lovingly call home and which we recognize as a center for civic engagement regionally.
As students of Chattanooga’s history, we know that Mr. Lupton played a catalytic role in helping the city’s residents regain a sense of civic pride. He was pivotal in a movement to build unprecedented networks of connectivity across disciplines, breaking down institutional walls—and we are still served well by that spirit of neighborliness.
Hearing of Mr. Lupton’s passing reminded us of an interview between himself and Bill Dedman of the Chattanooga Times, conducted in 1986. His words ring as true today as they did some 25 year ago. On this day, in honor of Mr. Lupton, we pledge not to make the biggest mistake of all. We ask that you do the same. Pledge to renew the Chattanooga Way, learn from a leader, get out, shake something up, and do something.
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