Placemaking Week

When we start to look at the design of the public realm “streets, parks, plazas” we see conditions that are creating greater divides and inequalities. This session will focus on including and empowering two large groups within all cities and communities that we intend to work with - women and children. Women make up 51-percent of the population in the United States, and 55-percent of public transit riders, but continue to be less represented in the shaping and management of our cities. Similarly, the number one cause of non-medical death among 5-19-year-olds is due to motor vehicle crashes, and yet their wellbeing is seldom considered while planning transportation infrastructure. Streets with fast-moving traffic and limited public space deny our children their independence, and the ability to get around, spend time outdoors and connect with nature and others. Intuitively, we know that a built environment that works for a child (especially a girl child) works for everyone. But as practitioners, advocates, and city leaders how can we shift the culture and create a new public space paradigm that prioritizes all voices, users, safety, and sustainability? In this session, Nidhi Gulati, Katrina Johnson-Zimmerman, Samantha Thomas, and Aminah Ricks will discuss why it is crucial that we engage women, children and their caregivers in shaping their cities; as well as innovative strategies and lessons learned through each of our work. In addition to short 10-minute presentations by the panelists, the session will include breakout activities, tasking small groups to co-create a list of tactics for civic participation. The workshop will conclude with small tables reporting out and compiling the ideas into a master list capturing the key guiding principles to ensure greater equality and support the cultural shift towards a more inclusive public realm planning and design paradigm.