There’s really nothing better than when we get messages from y’all, sharing innovative ideas you’ve brainstormed to improve our little Swan City. So, when reader + local creator Ahmad H. Taylor told us about his proposal “A-Z: Lakeland,” we knew we’d be remiss if we didn’t share about it.

Before we jump into what this project is about though, here’s a little background on Ahmad.

Meet "The Atlanta Illustrator." | Photo provided by Ahmad H. Taylor

Ahmad — also known as "The Atlanta Illustrator" — is a Lakeland-born artist, responsible for creating artwork around the city, like the Greetings from Lakeland mural at Boring Business Systems + the Lakeland Swans mural at the Urban Farm at Mass Market. According to Ahmad, he’s focusing his current efforts towards community revitalization through the arts to create a “revitalization renaissance.”

His proposal, A-Z: Lakeland, was born out of this idea of community revitalization following the ongoing effects of COVID-19 — on the communal ways of life + the economic system.

So, what is A-Z Lakeland, exactly? Keeping local talent local, the project is a “search + discovery” educational resource, to recapture the City’s K-8th grade students toward successful careers in the community, by 2030. Students become educated on the importance of community via an online scavenger hunt.

How would it work? To participate in the online scavenger hunt, students would login online to the built-out website at a local library (bringing extra foot traffic + business to the library), where they’d discover and investigate Lakeland’s history in order to find prizes associated with people/places/things, in the A-Z format.

What’s the impact for businesses? By educating children on the importance of community, they may incentivize to bolster the local economy. In turn, businesses could help bridge the gap between education, industry + community. If the proposal was implemented, businesses could also buy digital ad space, offering coupons + prizes, and students could rate their experiences at these places.

How can you help? In the current stage of Ahmad’s proposal, he’s looking for visionaries in Lakeland + Polk County that are connected enough to help move some things and give the proposal legs. If you’re looking to help, you can reach Ahmad by email.

Read the full proposal below. ⬇️

A-Z Lakeland Proposal

A to Z Lakeland on Scribd