Next City | Contributing Writer
Gentrification Can't be the Theme of Rust Belt City Recovery my first feature for Next City describes the innovative work of PUSH Buffalo and anti-gentrification efforts in Buffalo, NY. The piece follows a new land trust effort that PUSH is helping to incubate, and explores the role of building power in community development. Other pieces for Next City include:
The Pop-Up Approach to Fighting Mass Incarceration, about the design firm Designing Justice + Designing Spaces, which seeks to end mass incarceration through architectural and policy interventions towards a restorative society.
"Don't Be a Dick" May be the Best Motto Yet for Urban Designers, showcasing a playful children's book-style guide to community-engaged design which encourages professionals to practice self-reflection, remain aware of power dynamics and stay focused on an ultimate goal of advancing racial, economic and social justice in every decision made.
How Community-Engaged Design is Changing Development, about the rise of designers and architects focused on community engagement to achieve equitable development
What Long-Distance Trains Teach us about Public Space in America, a piece describing my project about long-distance trains as underutilized cultural platforms
What Urban Planners Can Learn from Skaters and Itinerant Marching Bands, illustrating informal uses of public spaces and what the professionalized planning field can learn through deep listening and observation.