Alex Epstein is a co-founder of the Urban Creators, a North-Philadelphia based non-profit transform blighted inner-city landscapes into dynamic safe-spaces that cultivate connectivity, self-sufficiency, and innovation.

In 2009, Alex moved to North Philadelphia to attend Temple University, but was warned never to leave campus because the surrounding neighborhoods were “too dirty and dangerous”. Deeply disturbed by this disconnect, Alex ventured out to learn the narratives of the community for himself.

In 2010, Alex teamed up with a diverse group of students, artists, entrepreneurs, hustlers, and creators of all kinds in North Philly to establish the Urban Creators. Motivated by their differences, they set out to transform a 2-acre garbage dump into “Life Do Grow” Farm, and since then, have transformed nearly 4 acres of vacant land into a thriving network of community gardens, safe public spaces, and hubs for hyper-local entrepreneurship. Through their REGENERATION program, they employ formerly incarcerated youth, and engage them as pioneers in the revitalization of their own communities. This group represents the impact of young people willing to step outside their comfort zones to create something far larger than the sum of their individual parts, and together, they are inspiring a generation of young leaders and Urban Creators.