We gather to incubate new ideas in placekeeping.
We unite across disciplines to share new ways to center Blackness in design and urban planning.
Collabs
We collaborate with organizations and vanguards in Black urbanism.
Pronunciation: ur•buh•nist
An advocate of or specialist in city planning
Our communal learning happens virtually and in-person at Black-owned establishments or sites of Black significance.
Juneteenth 2022
Chicago Architecture Biennial
Where There’s People There’s Power, a SUSU Lunch & Learn
Gatherings
Our original Urbanist Experiences, hosted by cousins and national organizers, inspire participants to radically unpack and re-imagine Black spaces.
2015 BlackSpace Brunches
In our first gatherings, we ate well, dreamed hard, shared honestly, and grew a collective vision of an interdisciplinary design and urban planning practice that we dubbed BlackSpace.
free [ space ]: Black Thriving with Lauren Hood
In this third of our 3-part free [space ] communal learning and gathering series, we sparked conversation between Emma Osore and Lauren A. Hood a native #Detroiter and #AfroUrbanist working at the intersection of Black aspiration and city change. Lauren talked about how she applies a reparations lens to place-based work – employing strategies of storytelling, visioning and relationship building to address the past harms, present needs, and future hopes & dreams in Chocolate Cities.
Imagining Black Utopias in the Afro-Now
This gathering uplifted the spirit of community liberation manifested by Juneteenth as an inspiration for infinite Black utopias in the present and future. We practiced “Black Rooting” with artist Tasha Dougé, “Re-Imagining” with Intelligent Mischief, “Rejoicing” with Black Womxn Flourish, and honored long-time community partner Cathie Wright-Lewis for her contributions to creating culture.