As the world is changing almost every day, it's becoming apparent how instrumental it is to have your voice heard. In particular, the Black voice is one that many are watching every single day waiting to spout out hateful things regarding the protests; basically, the nation is waiting for us to slip up just to break us down. It's disheartening at best but also encouraging as a Black planner planning for Black communities. Although I've been sorting through emotions for the last week and just pain, it's been AMAZING and extremely uplifting to see so many voices of BLACK PLANNERS really shine! Latino planners have shown out in support of our pain pretty vocal and present.. that's honestly what's been keeping me going. For that I thank you for the allyship and support - WE make so much noise when we're together it's phenomenal. I'm even more inspired + motivated to channel my hurt as I'm seeing and recognizing the amount of Black planners coming up in the field along with Latino planners that have recently graduated or are currently in a planning program - REPRESENTATION MATTERS!! And don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Here are some amazing BLACK planners I respect and are doing amazing things to make sure OUR voices are heard in planning - you should follow them and listen/watch what they post. We as planners have the power to completely shift the narrative previous planners created - are you in?
These are their Instagram handles:
@gigitheplanner
@blackandurban
@blackurbanist
@thestreetsareplanning
@thejaxsonmag
@mrfloridaboy29
@urbanplanninglife
Also, if you're a Black or Hispanic planner please reach out to Gisla Bush (@gigitheplanner) to have your voice amplified more on her podcast - The Urban Planner's Podcast! I was also recently interviewed by her for the latest podcast episode - you can listen to it here! You can listen on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and other podcast stations you may use. She's looking for Black + Brown planner voices to share their experiences and she's also one of the FIRST people I saw advocating for representation in the planning field. Our voices are needed more than ever right now and I truly believe now is the time for us push the agenda to recognize that RACE is the foundation of our profession and it's time to discuss the impacts it has had on the growth + progress of Black/Brown communities.
Stay safe wherever you are. Check on your Black coworkers, colleagues, and friends genuinely - most importantly, LISTEN AND HEAR their hurt, their trauma, and their voices in the midst of everything going on. A pandemic has been plaguing Black communities way before COVID-19 hit the scene and now it's finally being seen in full form... I'm all in for creating impact in our communities to thrive again, are you?
FOR GEORGE FLOYD - BREONNA TAYLOR - AHMAUD ARBERY - TRAYVON MARTIN -MIKE BROWN - TAMIR RICE - TONY MCDADE - ATIANNA JEFFERSON - SANDRA BLAND - PHILANDO CASTILE - BOTHAM JEAN - SEAN BELL - ERIC GARNER - JOHN CRAWFORD III - EZELL FORD - DANTE PARKER - MICHELLE CUSSEAUX - LAQUAN MCDONALD - GEORGE MANN - TANISHA ANDERSON - AKAI GURLEY - RUMAIN BRISBON - JERAME REID - MATTHEW AJIBADE - FRANK SMART - NATASHA MCKENNA - TONY ROBINSON - ANTHONY HILL - MYA HALL - PHILLIP WHITE - ERIC HARRIS - WALTER SCOTT - WILLIAM CHAPMAN II - FREDDIE BLUE - ALEXIA CHRISTIAN - BRENDON GLENN - VICTOR MANUEL LAROSA - JONATHAN SANDERS - JOSEPH MANN - SALVADO ELLSWOOD - ALBERT JOSEPH DAVIS - DARRIUS STEWART - BILLY RAY DAVIS - SAMUEL DUBOSE - MICHAEL SABBIE - BRIAN KEITH DAY - CHRISTIAN TAYLOR - TROY ROBINSON - ASSHAMS PHAROAH MANLEY - FELIX KUMI - KEITH HARRISON MCLEOD - JUNIOR PROSPER - LAMONTEZ JONES - PATERSON BROWN - DOMINIC HUTCHINSON - ANTHONY ASHFORD - MICHAEL LEE MARSHALL - ALONZO SMITH - TYREE CRAWFORD - INDIA KAGER - LA'VANTE BIGGS - JAMAR CLARK - RICHARD PERKINS - NATHANIEL HARRIS PICKETT - QUINTONIO LEGRIER - KEITH CHILDRESS JR - JANET WILSON - RANDY NELSON - ANTRONIE SCOTT - WENDELL CELESTINE - DAVID JOSEPH - CALVIN ROQUEMORE - BENNI LEE TIGNOR - MIGUEL ESPINAL - MICHAEL NOEL - KEVIN MATTHEWS - BETTIE JONES - DYZHAWN PERKINS - CHRISTOPHER DAVIS - MARCO LOUD - PETER GAINES - TORREY ROBINSON - DARIUS ROBINSON - KEVIN HICKS - MARY TRUXILLO - DEMARCUS SEMER - WILLIE TILLMAN - TERRILL THOMAS - SYLVILLE SMITH - ALTON STERLING - JORDAN EDWARDS - AARON BAILEY - RONELL FOSTER - STEPHON CLARK - ANTWON ROSE II - PAMELA TURNER - DOMINIQUE CLAYTON - CHRISTOPHER WHITFIELD - CHRISTOPHER MCCORVEY - ERIC REASON - MICHAEL LORENZO DEAN - TERENCE CRUTCHER - OSCAR GRANT - WALTER SCOTT - DAVID MCATEE - AND COUNTLESS OTHERS THAT WEREN'T CAUGHT ON CAMERA... 🖤✊🏾
every name listed above gave me chills while typing... I hope your heart is heavy as you read EVERY line of names because that's only a third of the real pain the Black community is feeling. I drop tears looking at the list myself.. but it's time to turn tears of depression into tears of motivation. Each one of these people deserved better and they got NOTHING. As a Black planner this list is all the motivation + inspiration I need to talk about race in our profession every chance I get because ignoring it is what got us here..
“If you don’t know your full-throttle history, the whole story of how you came to where you are, it’s kind of hard to put things together.” –Nipsey Hussle
yours truly..
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