Planning for Inclusive Communities

Urban planning concerns itself with the design and uses of space (or land) that focus on the physical form, economic functions, and social impacts of the built and natural environments in cities, towns, and places in our communities. Although it is a formal profession and most local governments have planning departments, it is also a multi-faceted endeavor that involves the entire community and happens at many levels (from transportation to housing, the environment to economic development to local, regional, and state planning) and can include everyone from local residents and organizations to elected officials, when done well. Because it includes social, physical, political, and environmental elements, it is a very important discipline that has shaped our past and its tools and practices also help determine what our communities will be in the future.

The essays, questions, and exercises below will help participants understand the important role that planning has had on the past and present inequities in Richmond (and other cities) as well as the impact

the discipline can have on advancing racial equity in the future.

Discussion Questions

Read through the following questions and answer them based off what you learned from the readings:

1. Ebony talks about the physical differences she sees in the built and natural environments between the Long Island community where she grew up and neighboring white communities. What physical differences or lines of demarcation did you see in your community growing up or your current community?

2. Maritza explores what can be done from a city planning perspective to support racial equity. What are the city planning efforts going on in your community? Are there opportunities to learn or be engaged? What areas in your community were impacted by urban renewal and highway construction?

3. Reflect on the values presented by Michael Smith (respect of elders; solidarity in the pursuit of joy; trust and love of your neighbor; and the determination for collective liberation). How are those present in your life? Your work or community? What can you do to embody them or bring them alive in your life? Work?

4. Reflecting on the essays and interviews in this section, what in your opinion are some key elements of creating more equitable cities? What do we need to do to make cities and communities more inclusive?”

Exercises

Take a drive through your community and/or from your community to or through a lower-income neighborhood - where are the dividing lines of race and class? What changes do you see in the built and natural environment?

Find and review the master plan in your community. Go to your local government page and look for the planning department or google “Master Plan” or “Comprehensive Plan” for your city. What are the big goals for your community?

Find the communities that have been redlined or had a highway go through them in your community. What was the neighborhood called? What highway went through it? When? How many businesses or homes were destroyed? People displaced?

Identify 1-2 community development corporations, grassroots organizations, or churches doing good work in historically excluded communities. What work are they doing? Is there a way for you to support it?

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Introduction

Message from the Authors

The Richmond Racial Equity Essays launched in 2021 with the goal of promoting thought leadership and public dialogue toward advancing racial equity in Richmond, Virginia, but also as a multi-media model for other cities grappling...

Section I

Introduction

Planning for Inclusive Communities

Section II

Introduction

Section III

Building Sustainable and Affordable Housing

Housing is a basic need around which our health and stability is built, our neighborhoods are centered and housing (through homeownership) is a cornerstone for wealth building. Thus access to...

Section III

Ensuring Education Equity
The quality of one’s education has a significant impact on both their access to opportunity and life outcomes. Yet, many Black and Brown children lack the access to a quality education within....

Section IV

Section III

Section IV

Advancing Economic Empowerment

The link between capitalism and systemic racism has been with us even before the founding of the United States, as using people for profit is one of our country’s original sins. The compounding...

Section V

Section III

Section IV

Shifting Power and Reimagining Partnerships

Central among our ongoing reckoning with racial justice is the question of how power is shifted and shared through partnerships. Historically marginalized communities...

Section VI

Section VIII

Section VII

Lifting Up Latino Leadership and Language Access

Latinos will soon be a majority in many cities across the U.S., yet the numbers of Latino leaders continue to lag across sectors as compared with other groups. This inequitable distribution of power...

Section VII

Section VIII

Section VII

Creating Community, Healing, and Justice

In the journey to dismantle structures of white supremacy there must be attention paid to community rebuilding and healing. Trauma from racism has negatively impacted Black and Brown people, and...

Section VIII

Building a Healthy Environment

Most U.S. localities are legally tasked to make decisions that protect the health, safety and general welfare of its inhabitants. While environmental health should be provided for all populations, communities...

Section IX

Section VIII

Summary

Thank you for reading, watching, and listening to the content from the Richmond Racial Equity Essays. We hope this guide helped you delve deeper into the material and furthered your learning and...

Planning for Inclusive Communities

Featured Essays and Media

Discussion Questions

Read through the following questions and answer them based off what you learned from the readings:

Exercises

Examples

One Pittsburgh

Hill Homecoming Project

Domino Park

Starr Hill Small Area Plan

The JXN Project

Reconnect Jackson Ward

Additional Resources

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Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

Section I

Introduction

Introduction

Section II

Introduction

Section III

Section III

Section III

Section III

Section IV

Section III

Section IV

Section V

Section III

Section IV

Section VI

Section VIII

Section VII

Section VII

Section VIII

Section VII

Section VIII

Section VIII

Section VIII

Section IX

Section IX

Section VIII

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