This year is the 50th anniversary of the construction of the I-95 highway through Wilmington which permanently changed the character of Delaware's largest city.
More than a thousand households were forced to sell their homes, and 20+ vibrant city blocks were bull-dozed to make way for the new interstate, seen as the way of the future.
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Why did the powers that be think it was a good idea for I-95 to happen the way it did in Wilmington?
We welcome as our speaker, Sarah Lester, resident of Wilmington's Cool Springs neighborhood and head of West Side Grows, a coalition aimed at improving the quality of life of neighborhoods adjacent to and West of I-95.
Sarah Lester is Cornerstone West CDC’s Director. She is responsible for overseeing Cornerstone West CDC’s housing and community economic development programs, including West Side Grows Together.
Sarah has cross-sector experience growing businesses and coordinating networks, events, and resources to strengthen communities. A native Delawarean, Sarah spent several years in Rhode Island working for a food hub where she managed all aspects of the farmers’ market program, before returning to the Mid-Atlantic region for graduate school in Public Administration. Sarah is passionate about bikes, farmers markets, and the West Side of Wilmington, and she is committed to working with her neighbors to drive positive change.
Nathan Field is a Wilmington native who returned to his hometown after a decade in the Middle East and DC. A history major at UD, and co-founder of the WHS, he hopes to generate renewed civic interest in Wilmington's future through promoting greater understanding of the key issues in the city's history.
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Nathan will be presenting notable findings from his research, and facilitating discussions about significant events in Wilmington historyÂ
