  |  |  |  |  |  |
Civic engagement
The GLUE coalition is composed of post-boomer urbanists located in the "rustbelt," who support a collaborative approach to promote the power, aid in the positive transformation, and address the shared challenges of similarly-storied older industrial cities situated in the Great Lakes mega-region.GLUE's mission is: • To bolster regional identity amongst older industrial urban centers in the American Great Lakes region by connecting the people who love them to each other;• To advocate for policies that promote sustainable and equitable growth for Great Lakes cities;• To serve as a gateway of engagement for city-lovers who seek to participate in revitalization conversations and efforts;• To facilitate inter-city and cross-sector conversations among the change agents around the region to empower their work and the propagation of their good ideas; and• To turn curious, casual city devotees into empowered, engaged change agents. GLUE's activities rely on a few "first principles:" urbanism, regionalism, storytelling, and network-building. GLUE's on- and off-line activities fall into four main program areas:(1) Promote the concept of mega-regionalism and the importance of urban revitalization. (2) Develop a community of individuals and organizations who would benefit from participation in a mega-regional network focused on urban change. (3) Develop tools, share resources, and facilitate conversations that empower change agents to engage in the network, and to engage better in their communities. (4) Advocate for policies that promote healthier and more prosperous futures for Great Lakes cities.
