City as Playground by Leadership Foundations
What if we reimagined our cities—not as battlegrounds of division, but as playgrounds of connection and possibility?
City as Playground invites you to see your urban environment in a whole new light. Through 19 thought-provoking essays and conversations, this collection draws on the wisdom of academics, practitioners, theologians, and leaders from diverse fields to inspire a collaborative vision for city renewal.
You’ll discover how embracing the metaphor of a playground can transform how we interact with our communities. This idea unlocks new paths to collaboration, fosters stronger neighborhoods, and equips us to confront challenges like polarization, inequality, and systemic strife in innovative ways.
Contributing authors to City As Playground include:
Dr. Dave Hillis, Leadership Foundations
Chelsea Langston Bombino, Fetzer Institute
Dr. Dale Irvin, Former President, New York Theological Seminary
Father James Martin, American Jesuit priest, writer, and editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine
Rev. Jen Bailey, Author and Founder and Executive Director of the Faith Matters Network
Romanita Hairston, CEO of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
Abhishek Gier, Founder and Executive Director of Catalyst Leadership Foundation in New Delhi
Rev. Dr. Mark Labberton, Former President of Fuller Theological Seminary
Dr. Randy White, Author and Founder, Center for Community Transformation, Leadership Foundation of Fresno
Dr. Luke Bretherton, Author, Theologian and Robert E. Cushman Distinguished Professor of Moral & Political Theology at Duke University
Father James Alison, Author, Priest and Public Theologian
Aaron Dorfman, Founder and Executive Director of A More Perfect Union: The Jewish Partnership For Democracy
Rev. Dr. Troy Jackson, Author and Co-Founder of UNDIVIDED, State Strategies Director, Faith in Action
Curtis Chang, Author and Founding Executive Director of Redeeming Babel
Kerry Alys Robinson, Founding Executive Director of Leadership Roundtable
Noel Castellanos, President, Camino Alliance, Former CEO of the Christian Community Development Association
Rev. Dr. Terry McGonigal, Retired Director of Church Engagement and Dean of Spiritual Life at Whitworth University
H. Spees, Former director of Housing and Homelessness Services, Fresno, CA
William “Blinky” Rodriguez, Executive Director, Champions In Service, Leadership Foundation of San Fernando and Greater Los Angeles
Whether you're a community leader, faith practitioner, academic, or simply someone passionate about urban change, City as Playground provides a bold roadmap for creating cities that reflect our shared humanity and reimagine possibilities for collective flourishing.