Forward Cities President & CEO and the Co-Director of the PLACE Builders fellowship program, Fay Horwitt reflects on the journey and impact of the inaugural PLACE Builders cohort. Read more about PLACE Builders and its origins in our previous story, PLACE Builders: The Seed Planted by Pava LaPere.
As I reflect on this transformative journey with our inaugural PLACE Builders Fellowship cohort, I am filled with gratitude and pride. In this fall season, with its themes of vibrant colors and an appreciation of harvesting all things good, it feels fitting to celebrate the seeds we’ve sown and the bountiful connections that have blossomed in more beautiful ways than we could ever have imagined when we envisioned this program.
Signage at the Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship at Johns Hopkins honoring Pava.
Developed as a partnership between EcoMap and Forward Cities, The PLACE Builders Fellowship was born out of a desire to honor the legacy of Pava LaPere, who devoted herself to breaking down barriers in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. PLACE, which stands for Pava LaPere Award for Cultivating Ecosystems, was our way of carrying her torch forward. We sought fellows whose work reflects a deep-rooted love of place and a commitment to fostering equitable ecosystems in their communities. I had the great privilege of collaborating with EcoMap’s Director of Business Development - and close friend of Pava - Kevin Carter on the design and coordination of the fellowship.
Throughout the program, the fellows - from eight distinct regions across the country - engaged in weekly virtual sessions, each one addressing a crucial aspect of ecosystem building, from equity and inclusion to funding and sustainability - and many more. These sessions, led by a remarkable lineup of national ecosystem building practitioners, provided practical tools, inspiring conversations, and a space to challenge the norms we often encounter in our work.
The mentorship phase was especially profound, with each fellow matched with a mentor whose insights and experience helped them refine their community projects. Whether through project canvases, community-weaving frameworks, or personal experience, the mentors shared invaluable guidance, showing how place-based projects can grow through deliberate design and support. I am deeply grateful to each mentor for their commitment.
"I am deeply moved by the commitment our fellows have shown to creating lasting change."
Fay Horwitt
One of the most inspiring parts of the fellowship was seeing our fellows tackle pilot projects designed to serve their unique communities. In St. Louis, Baltimore, Rocky Mountain, and beyond, they actively sought to develop pilots that tackled barriers to entrepreneurship, explored the role of storytelling in ecosystem work, and reimagined access to resources with an eye on equity. Their projects are a testament to the potential of place-based innovation when nurtured within a supportive community.
Fellows Arsh Haque (left) and Charlyn Moss (right) attend the final in-person convening in Durham, NC.
Our final convening in Durham was a culmination of the learning, reflection, and bonds formed over these months. In the last in-person convening of the cohort, the fellows shared their journeys and project pitches, receiving feedback from each other and connecting with the broader work of Forward Cities and our local partners. It was not only a celebration of what they had accomplished but a grounding moment of solidarity, as they reflected on the deeper meaning of becoming part of an interconnected community of ecosystem builders across the nation.
In honoring Pava’s legacy, I often wonder how she might have felt witnessing this gathering of brilliant minds and servant hearts. I believe she would have been as proud as we are of this cohort’s resilience, creativity, and determination. It’s humbling to realize how much they and we - collectively - have accomplished, and I am deeply moved by the commitment our fellows have shown to creating lasting change.
It is important to also lift up the fact that this work also could not have been possible without Forward Cities’ Senior Director of Programs, Magalie Yacinthe, who provided active support at every stage of the program, enriching our fellows' journey every step of the way. A special shout out also goes to Forward Cities’ Director of Marketing & Communications, Nutishia Lee for the amazing storytelling and to the members of the EcoMap team for their collaboration with social media and public relations.
There could not have been a more fitting way to get a true, full sense of the potential long-term impact of the work than having one of the participants express exactly what participating in the first PLACE Builders cohort personally means to him. Kevin and I had such a humbling experience when, recently, we were invited to share the story and impact of the fellowship with other ecosystem building practitioners at the International Business Incubator Association e.Builders Forum in Kansas City, hosted in partnership with SourceLink and ThirdEye Network. We had the pleasure of co-presenting with fellow Justus Cornelius Pugh who eloquently shared his personal reflections on the fellowship and the impact that the learnings, perspectives, and relationships mean for his career journey. Kevin and I beamed with pride, deeply touched by Justus’ narrative - as well as the tangible growth that could be clearly observed since the early days of the cohort.
Fellow Justus Cornelius Pugh presents his project at the Durham convening.
We were also able to share a newly produced video that features all the fellows sharing about the three-month program from their own unique perspectives. We will remain forever touched by these amazing, emergent leaders. To our fellows, thank you for allowing us to be a part of your journeys. We, undoubtedly, learned just as much from you as you did from us; and we love seeing the way you continue to lean in to connect with and support one another in tangible ways.
None of this would have been possible without the generous support of over 100 individual and organizational donors who committed funds that we were able to pass on directly to the fellows to honor their time commitment and provide seed funding for their projects. A huge thanks to Kevin for leading this amazing fundraising effort. Looking forward, Forward Cities is actively exploring ways that PLACE Builders can be sustained going forward and continue as a space for ecosystem leaders to grow, connect, and drive impact. Our vision is to expand into a national action-learning network, inviting even more fellows to join us in cultivating equitable ecosystems across the country.
We invite you to follow our journey on social media and get in touch with our team to stay updated on future cohorts and impact stories. Together, we are harvesting a connected community, one that thrives on shared purpose and a love of place—a fitting tribute to Pava and to the self-labeled ‘Pava Rangers’ who are carrying forward her vision.
Would you be interested in helping us seed future PLACE Builder cohorts - as a fellow, presenter, mentor, or funder? Click here to get connected and receive future program updates.
Inspired by the legacy of Pava LaPere, forever Chief Ecosystem Officer and Co-Founder of EcoMap Technologies, as a tribute to her legacy of fighting for equal access to opportunity, the PLACE (Pava LaPere Award for Cultivating Ecosystems) Builders fellowship aims to catalyze more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems by providing intensive training, peer support, and community pilots to eight selected fellows.