Shaping Public Memory: Lessons from Columbus, LA, and NYC

Date: June 11, 2026
Time: 6:00 pm–8:00 pm
Cost: Free
Location: The Greene Space, 44 Charlton Street

Doors open at 6:00 pm. Program begins at 6:30 pm.

For generations, commemorative elements in public spaces have taken the form of monumental arches, obelisks, and statues—historically shaped by those with power or political influence, and the narratives they choose to elevate. Today, designers, artists, and community partners are finding new ways to honor overlooked histories, reckon with contested legacies, and create spaces where communities can see themselves reflected.

In this second program of a three-part series, representatives from three transformative projects will provide presentations about their work—from a proposed memorial on a brownfield site in Los Angeles, to a reimagined civic plaza in Columbus, to a powerful commemoration of those wrongfully accused in New York City—followed by a moderated conversation and Q&A.

Lane Addonizio

Lane Addonizio is an urban planner, writer, and historian with expertise in parks and public space, urban history, cultural resource management, and community engagement. She served as the Principal Planner on the Capital Projects team at the Central Park Conservancy for 20 years prior to starting her practice as an independent consultant. At the Conservancy, she oversaw analysis and historic research for Park-wide planning and collaborated with the Chief Landscape Architect on the development and management of restoration and reconstruction projects.

Addonizio is the author of the Report on the Public Use of Central Park, the most comprehensive study of the Park’s use in its more than 150-year history, and a co-author of the Plan for Play: A Framework for Rebuilding and Managing Central Park’s Playgrounds, both of which were published by the Conservancy in 2011. She has written extensively about the Park’s history and the historical context for its creation, and is presently engaged by the Conservancy to develop the nomination of the Park as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Isabel Castilla

Isabel Castilla is an Associate Partner at Field Operations, where she leads the design and delivery of large-scale, transformative public realm projects. Trained in both architecture and landscape architecture, she brings a multidisciplinary approach that combines creative design with a strong focus on detail and technical execution. She has led major projects, including multiple sections of the High Line, the vision plan for the renovation of Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, the framework plan and implementation of The Underline in Miami, and the renovation of Miami Beach’s historic Lincoln Road. Castilla also serves as a Landscape Architect Commissioner for New York City’s Public Design Commission.

Kimberly Danielle

Kimberly Danielle is a passionate social justice leader with nearly 20 years of experience advocating for equity and inclusion. She has expertise in trauma-informed social justice, mental health, and social-emotional support. She uses creative and holistic approaches to address complex human problems in organizations. She is also adept at building strong relationships with stakeholders, respectfully challenging norms, navigating complex political environments, and fostering understanding across diverse groups to create more inclusive systems.

Danielle supports several youth and young adult-focused resilience and creative initiatives. She also served as one of the founding members and facilitators for the Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Board-funded Black Community Ambassadors Support Program, which focuses on mental wellness for Black helpers. Danielle uses creative outlets, including visual arts, writing, and media projects to dispel stigmas and build power through narrative (re)creation.

Cindy Donis

Cindy Donis is the Youth Organizing Director and Water Organizer with East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice. She organizes community members on Tongva Territory (or so-called South East Los Angeles) to fight the impacts of environmental racism and advocate for better conditions with the goal of fostering self-determination. As a daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, she has always valued her roots and history of struggle and carries both into every aspect of her work with integrity.

Adriana García So

Adriana García So is a Project Manager for the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust (LANLT), where she facilitates community-driven planning for parks and implements multi-benefit green infrastructure projects with local partner organizations. Trained in community organizing and landscape architecture, she approaches her work with an understanding of inclusivity and aims to center environmental justice through community-driven projects and crafted spaces focused on user experience. Prior to joining LANLT, García So worked for private practice landscape architecture firms in Los Angeles and has 10 years of professional practice experience. She holds a bachelor of science in Landscape Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona and is a licensed landscape architect.

Amanda Golden

Amanda Golden is the Managing Principal and Co-Founder of Designing Local, a cultural strategist, urban planner, curator, and creative placemaker with deep expertise in culturally responsive public art and equitable community engagement. Since 2014, she has championed the belief that public art must authentically reflect its community. Golden is passionate about designing inclusive processes that amplify underrepresented voices and navigate complex cultural dialogues, ensuring projects are rooted in a shared vision defined by many.

Golden has overseen more than 50 public art and cultural plans in 22 different states, directed numerous complex public art commissions, and authored innovative funding policies that have been adopted as city policy. Her leadership on the Mellon Foundation-funded Reimagining Columbus project, which navigated a complex public dialogue about the future of the city's Christopher Columbus statue, stands out as a career-defining achievement and one of her proudest accomplishments.

John Reddick

John T. Reddick is an architectural preservationist, historian, and Harlem resident. Currently, he serves on the board of the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn and is engaged by the Central Park Conservancy as a consultant on community engagement projects. His knowledge of Harlem’s culture and architecture has served to advance several public art and open space projects in that community, including the Ralph Ellison Memorial, Harriet Tubman Square, and the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Circle, as well as New York’s LGBT Memorial and Monument in Hudson River Park. At present, under a grant from the Mellon Foundation, Reddick is engaged with the Conservancy in advancing public discussion around the history of Seneca Village, a predominantly African American pre-Park community.

He recently curated an exhibition at the Society of Illustrators drawn from his personal collection. He also curated and served as the discussion leader for the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum’s 10-part Harlem Focus Series, which explored innovative contemporary design found in Harlem or executed by its design professionals. Reddick's love of architecture and African American history have been conveyed through tours, articles, and lectures he’s provided for the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, MoMA, The New York Historical, and other institutions. Reddick received his bachelor of science in Architecture from Ohio State University and a master of architecture from Yale University.

The Central Park Conservancy and Urban Design Forum have partnered on a three-part event series exploring how commemoration takes shape in New York City’s public parks—from early ideas to public review and long-term stewardship. The series is part of a broader Central Park Conservancy initiative, supported by the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project, focused on creating a meaningful and lasting commemoration of Seneca Village within Central Park.

About the Central Park Conservancy

The Central Park Conservancy is a private, nonprofit organization that manages Central Park and is responsible for raising the Park's annual operating budget. The Conservancy’s staff is responsible for all aspects of the Park’s care, from day-to-day maintenance and operations to continued restoration and rebuilding projects. Additionally, the Conservancy operates the Park’s visitor centers, provides public programs, and serves as a resource for other NYC parks and for public-private partnerships around the world.

About Urban Design Forum

Urban Design Forum connects and inspires New Yorkers to design, build, and care for a better city. We are a member-powered organization of 1,200+ civic leaders committed to a more just future for our city. We believe the built environment—our neighborhoods, buildings, public spaces, and infrastructure—shapes our city’s health, culture, and economy. We bring together New Yorkers of diverse backgrounds and experiences to learn, debate, and design a vibrant city for all.

About the Seneca Village Commemoration Project

This event is part of Seneca Village: Toward a Permanent Commemoration, an ongoing program series funded by the Mellon Foundation. The program series will culminate in a permanent commemoration of Seneca Village in Central Park, guided by community input.