Reflections from the Studio on Community
The Harwood Studio on Community was established in 2017 to create the time and space within the Institute necessary to explore new areas and innovate around complex civic challenges, and to be a space where individuals can spend time at the Institute to develop their own ideas and skills.
The following reflections come from Karina Burck, a senior at the Ohio State University who joined the Institute as a Studio Associate for fall 2025.
As I gained political consciousness, I struggled to understand how others lack empathy and disengage from the systems that shape our lives. Through public engagement courses, I learned that while you cannot force people to care, there are ways to draw people back into civic life. The Harwood Institute's community initiatives caught my eye, leading me to apply to the Institute. I wanted to put into practice the engagement theory I had learned at university.
This vision of change was tested through my work on community initiatives with The Harwood Institute. During the community conversations in North River, I saw people question the Institute, not trusting our intentions. I also saw large groups show up in areas projected to have minimal turnout, driven by curiosity and a desire to comment on new infrastructure developments. In both of these instances, I saw people who care about their community.
Growing up in a time when speed is valued, I, too, became an accelerationist. I thought one person could dismantle and rework the entire system, forgetting those who had gotten me to this point. A woman able to vote, attend university, and hold property in her name. Those changes didn’t come from individual efforts, but through collective action and time. I had let my desire for change isolate me from the network of fellow visionaries – past, future, and present – that my spirit carries. My time at the Institute helped me reconnect.
Building community relies on trust, shared values, and clear goals. I cannot expect to build a better world without the trust and participation of our community. We are meant to move forward together towards our shared aspirations, not those of authoritarian decision makers. Rapid change leaves people out of the process, leading to unsustainable outcomes. It is on those who want change to re-engage our communities and work towards a better shared future that includes all of us in the decision-making process.
Our democracy was not built for rapid changes. It was formulated to protect the people from a one-voice mentality because not everyone will agree on the same way of life, yet we all deserve to pursue happiness.
