The conversation centered on one question: what is culture, and how do you bring it to the cities and communities you serve? The answers were expansive. Many participants were genuinely surprised by how vast, how rich, and how diverse the arts and culture community is right here in our region. And that was the point. You cannot engage what you do not know exists.

We then headed to the Barnum Museum, where Kathy Maher and John Swing did what they do best. Kathy told the story of Barnum in a way that goes far beyond the circus. She gave the class context. She connected history to economic development, to place-making, to the story of Bridgeport itself. If you have never heard Kathy tell that story, put it on your list.

We closed the day at Housatonic Community College, where Jennifer Kaye Reynolds, Executive Director and Curator of Art, gave us a full tour of the gallery and campus. Here is something most people do not know: HCC holds the largest art collection of any community college on the East Coast and ranks second in the nation. There is art everywhere you turn on that campus. Beautiful, diverse, and accessible. There is even art that is interactive, mobile, and meant to be touched. Because that is the point. Art is not always meant to hang on a wall behind a rope. Sometimes it moves. Sometimes it moves you. And that experience alone shifts your perspective on what art actually is and who it is for. It is right here in downtown Bridgeport, and honestly, everyone should go.

Understanding culture is not optional for leaders. It is essential. The communities we serve are diverse, layered, and rich with history. When we take time to understand that, to sit with it, ask questions, and listen, we lead with more respect, more intention, and more impact. That is what makes us not just effective leaders, but good ones.