Lighting a Path Forward:
2025 MPC Annual Event
Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) invites you for an afternoon of dialogue, celebration and collective action at our annual convening: “Lighting a Path Forward.”
Our current moment of political upheaval and change demands bold new ideas and approaches. The Chicago region is uniquely positioned to be an epicenter of policy innovation that advances an ambitious new growth agenda. MPC invites leaders and partners like you to join us for an afternoon of reimagining what regional growth can be, who should benefit from it, and how we can help Chicagoland light a path forward. Please join us to hear unique insights on how civil society can work together to grow our economy—across the built environment and many other dimensions—by more fully confronting racial and gender inequities holding us all back and lowering the costs of raising a family and running a business.
Be part of this energizing afternoon of thought leadership, celebration and commitment to building a stronger, more just region in Chicagoland and beyond.
Tickets and sponsorship opportunities available now – tickets coming soon!
Join Us
At our annual event, two remarkable individuals will share their unique insights on how civil society can work together to grow our economy.
Keynote Speaker
Ai-jen Poo is a next-generation labor leader, award-winning organizer, author, and a leading voice in the women’s movement. She is the president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the Executive Director of Caring Across Generations. Poo is a nationally recognized expert on the care economy and is the author of the celebrated book The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Boom in a Changing America. Follow her at @aijenp on Instagram and @aijenpoo on X.
Champions of Change Honoree
Christy George is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Intersect Illinois, a public-private partnership focused on global business development for the State of Illinois. She oversees all aspects of the organization, including marketing, sales, financing, and personnel.
Most recently, George served as Executive Director of the Chicago 2024 Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention. In this role, she oversaw the Host Committee’s successful fundraising and civic engagement efforts, and served as the primary liaison between the Democratic National Convention Committee, the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois to create a world-class experience for all convention attendees and residents. Before leading the Host Committee, she served as First Assistant Deputy Governor for Budget & Economy in Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s office.