This project is the culmination of a semester’s work in applying my sociological education beyond academia to reach the many publics that live in cities and have a right to their future direction and development. Studying sociology has been a privilege that has helped me understand my life and experiences within the context of structural and cultural trends. The entries in this electronic magazine were intended for those of us who inhabit urban spaces, move along city streets, but, most importantly, have been left out from conversations shaping them thus far.
Typically, populist visions of urban planning have been limited to efforts of placemaking and DIY urbanism. I hope this project illuminates how we might influence various aspects of urban development and steer our communities as we see fit.
This installment’s feature piece, Transportation for Whom?, critically examines Baltimore’s transportation policy, calling for elected officials nationwide to support transit in the aftermath of COVID-19. On the issue of re-investing in our most vulnerable communities, Mindy Thompson Fullilove has spent most of her career exploring the tangible implications of misguided urban renewal policies on personal and community trauma. She offers a path forward in her book, Urban Alchemy: Restoring Joy in America’s Sorted-Out Cities, which is reviewed here.
Of recent relevance, this zine’s culture piece digs into fast-casual architecture—the horridly generic style of apartment building that has come to dominate the American landscape—and the urban planning policies that have led to its proliferation. Housing is much needed in today’s cities but municipal regulations surrounding new construction has resulted in tasteless developments that lack regional distinction.
Also of significance, I hope this zine illuminates that the COVID-19 pandemic has not signaled the decline of urban living—far from it. As this issue’s photo essay reveals, there is hope and an unparalleled sense of community that is derived from urban space.
A special thank you goes out to Professor Theo Greene and the “Imaginatorium” (Sociology 3325) for guidance and direction on this project.
And thank you to the reader, for embarking on this journey with an interest for a more sustainable way of living, You and Urban Planning.
All the Best,
Nick Suarez (Bowdoin College Class of 2021)