Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring, the podcast that explores the fascinating world of urban planning. In this episode, we are joined by Maria Patiño Gutierrez, Director of Policy and Research at Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE), a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles, California that works to build power and community leadership to create equitable policies and systems that benefit working-class communities of color. SAJE's work focuses on housing justice, equitable development, and community organizing, and they have been at the forefront of many important campaigns and initiatives in the LA area. We discuss SAJE's approach to community organizing and advocacy, including their use of popular education and leadership development to build power among marginalized communities. We also delve into some of the challenges and successes that SAJE has experienced in their work, including their efforts to fight against gentrification and displacement in the rapidly-changing LA landscape. Join us for an inspiring conversation about the importance of community-led organizing and the role of non-profits in shaping the future of our cities. SAJE Website Donate to SAJE! Instagram Twitter Facebook Fareless Report: https://www.saje.net/the-road-to-equity-the-case-for-fareless-transit-in-los-angeles/ The SAJE Blog: https://www.saje.net/news/blog/   Other coalitions UNIDAD (United Neighbors In Defense Against Displacement)-LA People's Plan Public Land Campaign ACT-LA United to House LA

Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring, the podcast that explores the fascinating world of urban planning. In this episode, we sit down with Ryy Dickerson, an urban planner from Providence, Rhode Island who recently wrote his thesis entitled "Grief Urbanism: Placemaking, Surrealism, and Freedom Inside Protest Camps." Ryy's work explores the role of protest camps and other temporary urban interventions in creating new spaces of community and resistance within the city. We discuss the inspirations for Ryy's thesis and the ways in which grief and other strong emotions can be used to create new forms of urban space. We also explore the challenges and opportunities in which these interventions can be used to advance broader social and political goals. Join us for a fascinating conversation about the power of urban interventions and the role of planning in shaping the city of the future.

Happy National Bike Month and welcome back to "Urban Planning is Not Boring," the podcast that explores the fascinating world of urban planning. In this episode, we are joined by representatives from three non-profit organizations based in Los Angeles, California: Eli Kaufman from Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (BikeLA), John Yi from Los Angeles Walks, and Lena Williams, from People for Mobility. These three groups are part of a larger group called "Our Streets Action Committee."   In this interview, representatives from Los Angeles Walks, BikeLA, and People for Mobility Justice share their insights on the challenges of advocating for safe and accessible streets in Los Angeles. The guests also discuss their collaboration as part of the Our Streets Action Committee, and how they work together to advocate for better infrastructure and policies that support safe and equitable transportation options for all individuals. They share their vision for a future Los Angeles that is truly accessible to everyone, regardless of their mode of transportation.   Join us for an insightful and inspiring conversation with representatives from Los Angeles Walks, BikeLA, and People for Mobility Justice, on "Our Streets Action Committee: Advocating for Safe and Accessible Streets in Los Angeles" on Urban Planning is Not Boring. And take a look at their websites and social media for all of the events they will be hosting for National Bike Month!!   About Our Streets Action Committee: We are a coalition of community-based nonprofits committed to creating a Los Angeles where everyone can move by foot, bike, wheel, or car with dignity and safety. Through public education and grassroots mobilization, we urge Los Angeles City leaders to deliver safe, equitable, and sustainable transportation and infrastructure - our streets and sidewalks - Los Angeles deserves.   Member organizations: Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (BikeLA): BikeLA is a membership-based nonprofit organization that works to make all communities in LA County healthy, safe, and fun places to ride a bike through advocacy, education, and outreach. BikeLA envisions a Los Angeles County that is a great place for everyday, year-round bicycling. People live in healthier, more vibrant communities, where the air is cleaner and streets are both quieter and safer for everyone. More women, families and children ride their bikes, and appreciate opportunities to enjoy their neighborhoods and their city. All people, of varying cultures and backgrounds, can ride their bikes everywhere, safely and conveniently.   Los Angeles Walks: LA Walks mission is to activate and mobilize historically disinvested communities in Los Angeles to transform their streets into safe, accessible and vibrant environments for people who walk. For us, a walkable LA is a just LA. Through grassroots organizing and knowledge sharing, communities are enabled to recognize their collective power and provided with the resources and tools necessary to transform their streets.   People for Mobility Justice: As a Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) collective, we seed critical consciousness about mobility justice across all communities. As educators, we act as bridges that connect community expertise with urban planning and policy advocacy through professional development activities with a range of audiences. As facilitators, we create safe learning environments where diverse, rooted communities can come together to build consciousness around mobility justice. As advocates, we build champions for mobility justice within transportation equity policy and planning.  

8/05/2023

26:53

Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring!! In this episode, we are joined by Angela Brooks, the new national president of the American Planning Association National organization. We are SO excited to have her on the show (we were fangirling a little). In this interview, Brooks shares how she came to find planning, her insights on the most pressing challenges facing cities in terms of zoning and housing, and how she hopes cities can begin to address these challenges. We also touched on her personal passions, including road biking and triathlons, and how these acivities have helped shaped her approach to urban planning. And, of course, we couldn't let her go without asking her about her new role as the national president of the American Planning Assocation, her top priorities for the organization and for the field as a whole, and how young planners can get involved with APA!! Make sure to tune in! ---- About Angela Brooks Angela D. Brooks, FAICP, a Chicago resident, begins her term as president of the American Planning Association (APA), a 41,000-member organization committed to advancing better and more just communities through good planning. Brooks is the first Black female to be elected president of APA. She will serve two years as president, leading the 16-member APA Board of Directors in governing the association, setting strategic goals, and elevating the importance of planning across the U.S. This is a volunteer position. Brooks currently is director of the Illinois office of the Corporation for Supportive Housing and has dedicated her career to improving housing options and ensuring equitable access to safe and affordable housing. She was appointed by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to serve on the city's Zoning Board of Appeals. Additionally, Brooks is co-chairing a national partnership between APA and the National League of Cities called the Housing Supply Accelerator to improve how communities meet the housing needs of residents. Prior to her role at the Corporation for Supportive Housing, Brooks served as the development manager for the Chicago Housing Authority. Brooks is a native of Seattle and was a member of the City of Seattle Planning Commission. Brooks has been an active volunteer leader within APA since she began her planning studies. She has chaired APA's Housing and Community Development Division, served as a director on the board, vice president of programs for the Planning and the Black Community Division, and co-chaired the member-led update to APA's official Housing Policy Guide. She is a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners, the profession's highest honor bestowed upon a planner. She is a strong champion of HBCUs, having earned her bachelor's degree from Jackson State University. She earned her master's degree from the University of New Orleans. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the first intercollegiate historically African American sorority, and The Links, Incorporated. When not focusing on housing challenges, Brooks can be found enjoying her road bike, participating in triathlons, or rooting the Jackson State Tigers to victory.

Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring, the podcast that explores the fascinating world of urban planning. This episode, Sam and Nat sit down with Brittany Simmons, an urban planner and creative based in New York City, to discuss her journey into creating urban planning content and how it can help raise awareness about the importance of city planning. Brittany shares her insights on why she began creating content related to urban planning and how short-form content, such as TikTok videos, can be an effective tool in engaging a wider audience. She also shares her experience and practice in community engagement with her firm, highlighting the importance of involving communities in the planning process and how it can lead to more equitable and sustainable outcomes. Brittany also highlighted three groups to check out, including the New York Metro American Planning Association Diversity Committee (DivComm), Black Space Urbanist Collective, and the Congress for New Urbanism. About Brittany Simmons: Brittany Simmons is a NYC-based creative by nature and an urban planner by practice. She creates informative yet relatable video content on urban planning and design to raise awareness of the field and connect the dots of its wide-reaching, but often unnoticed origins.