News Center
Atlanta — Jul 30, 2026
(ATLANTA – July 30, 2026) The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) unveiled today the names of 16 program participants selected to participate in its newly redeveloped 2026 Community Centered Design (CCD) program. The Community Centered Design class runs from August through October.
This is the fourth class of the immersive program where participants will examine the space between community building, arts and cultural work, and urban planning. This evolution will situate an intimate cohort of artists, organizers, local officials, and planners from across the 11-county region through 3 intensive, in-person co-designing sessions with carefully chosen community organizations. The four prospective community-based organizations were vetted for serving underrepresented populations through their previous work with the ARC programs such as the Community Development Assistance Program, Livable Centers Initiative, and City Agriculture Plan programs.
CCD class participants will explore community issues described by the following Community Based Organizations (CBOs), and collectively decide which project(s) to pursue:
Another change for this year – the program’s community-engaged artists chosen to lead the co-design process are alumni of past CCD classes, poised with the skills and experience to share their knowledge and practice. These artist-facilitators are Jasmine Carter, Gavin Bernard, Symone Gaskin, and Aysha Pennerman.
“I was drawn to CCD because it formalizes the kind of work I’ve already been building—using storytelling, design, and lived experience as tools for community engagement and systems change,” said Jasmine Carter. “As a lead artist, I’m excited to create work that doesn’t just represent the community but is shaped in a way that feels honest, useful, and participatory. This role also gives me the opportunity to deepen my practice by working alongside planners, residents, and creatives to build something that has both cultural and structural impact.”
CCD is a component of ARC’s Culture and Creative Placemaking Strategic Plan, which provides a blueprint for integrating arts and culture into ARC’s planning work to help build a thriving and healthy region. The program is co-facilitated by Roshani Thakore, Director or Community Engagement and Culture, and Rosten Woo, a Los Angeles-based artist, designer, writer, and educator. Woo produces civic-scale artworks and works as a collaborator and consultant to a variety of grassroots, non-profit organizations, and local governments such as Los Angeles Poverty Department, the Black Workers Center, as well as the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County. He is also the co-founder and former executive director of the Center for Urban Pedagogy, a New York-based non-profit organization and winner of a national design award for institution achievement.
CCD Class of 2026:
For more about the Community Centered program, visit ARC’s Community Centered Design Class page.
The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the official planning agency for the 11-county Atlanta Region, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties as well as the City of Atlanta and 74 other cities. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s mission is to foster thriving communities for all within the Atlanta region through collaborative, data-informed planning and investments.
Contact Name: Sheryl Merritt
Contact Phone: 470-757-3799
Contact Email: [email protected]
ARC’s Strategic Partners are committed to fostering collaborative regional approaches that improve quality of life in metro Atlanta. Their support elevates ARC leadership programs, research and events throughout the year. Learn more.
