For our second episode, we explore how the movement of Black people is policed in urban settings by government agencies that go well beyond police departments. This episode looks at the perceptions of transit infrastructure and how it connects to other issues, including increased land values and gentrification. We also discuss how the self-agency of communities is quite different from the professional practice of community engagement that has been traditionally employed by local government agencies because it is a challenge to the status quo. 

Can we reprioritize the policies and practices of transportation planning, and urban planning in general to meet the spatial and movements needs of Black communities? Or will that cause these systems to collapse? What are the tools we can use to authenticity building partnerships with residents in a transformative way?

We speak with Dr. Destiny Thomas and Naraji Smith to hear about their lived experiences, and the transformational work they continue to do.  We will hear how to build inclusive approaches to building community self-determination as it relates to transportation and it's intersectionality to other issues we face in the urban environment. These interviews were recorded in August 2020 and September 2020