For those of you just tuning in, I am PASSIONATE about urban planning. And I am even more passionate about people. More often than not, I can’t shut my brain off about finding the most effective way to help people. I find myself thinking these big, life thoughts at night time when all my other daily tasks are completed. So, here are some of the thoughts that keep my brain busy when I should be sleeping…

Some city planners take a “check the box” approach when it comes to community engagement. Maybe hold a few focus groups, ask them their thoughts, synthesis the information, formulate a plan, and then implement. We will get back to this thought later… This week’s topic amongst the fellows was advocacy. Advocating is complex. It is influencing other’s opinions and decisions. It involves systems and institutions. And most importantly, it involves people’s stories and lives.  It is a constant battle between accessibility and experience. In an ideal world, we would have people who have the experiences sitting at the table directing those life-changing decisions. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the world we live in—yet.

How do we ensure that those voices of experience are heard? Their voices hold credibility. They know what it is like to live in their shoes. So, we listen. We meet people. We build upon those relationships, and elevate people to be at the table. Everything important happens through relationships.

This brings me back to my first point. Planners often create communities, accommodate for growth, and revitalize neighborhoods. They are in the weeds of community building. Public engagement is vital to creating a sense of community. Planners need to do more than “check the box.” We need to sit, listen, gather feedback, and advocate. It is not just about holding a focus group at the beginning of a project to gather ideas, and then run with it. It is about listening to everyone’s unique set of experiences, facilitating a process in which the policies and plans reflect community identity, and including everyone’s voice at all stages.

At Huck House, I am building up, planning, and bringing awareness to Project Safe Place for youth in crisis. I have spent my last couple weeks researching and absorbing as much information as I can. It is so important to me to listen to our Columbus youth and help to provide services that they actually need.