The first season of SUP GW? is brought to you by fall 2020 semester’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion class. This class explored how equity, justice, diversity, and inclusion can be implemented within parks and urban planning. Three groups of students chose thought leaders who specialized in an area of equity planning and interviewed them on current issues and best practices to achieve equitable and just parks that are inclusive of diverse communities. Check out the premiere season of this podcast to hear six conversations discussing parks and how they can increase justice, diversity, inclusion, and equity! Listen to the intro HERE!

1. Park Equity and Aging Populations: How to Make Parks Inclusive and Accessible for Elderly Community Members with Madeline Brozen

2. Cultural Competency In Parks Programming And Design: Understanding Park Users And Their Needs with Kyra Gmoser-Daskalakis and Britta McOmber

3. Charrette As A Framework Of Equitable Community Engagement with Holly Madill

4. Cultural Competency And Park Equity: Renaming Parks And Building Inclusivity with Maija Spencer

5. Recreational Programming For Older Adults to Improve Quality of Life with Bates McKinney

6. Creative Placemaking And Building Community Power In Parks with Mathew Clarke

This very special season of the SUP GW? podcast is brought to you by Alex Davis with the help of four Sustainable Urban Planning program graduate students: Arielle Lofton, Courtney Carothers, Kristopher Drummund, and Ugonna Njeze. Spring 2022 alum Alex connected these students with alumni and leaders in the field to discuss the black experience and urban planning. This season captures unique perspectives of Black planners and those that are planning adjacent, working in the fields of community engagement and climate science. Aiming to amplify these voices and experiences, these conversations highlight how these leaders are impacting their field and provide insight into how they work with communities of color. Students and interviewees alike reflect on personal experiences, resources, best practices, and culture in the context of urban planning. Tune in and learn from these rich discussions in honor of Black History Month and all year round! 

1. The Power of Listening - Equitable and Ethical Placemaking with Desiree D. Powell

2. Supporting Minority Communities and Inspiring Women of Color in the Age of Climate Change with Allie Thompson

3. Stay tuned for more episodes to be released soon!

See below for a list of guests we've had on the podcast previously. Explore their organizations, affiliations, and past projects and check out their bios and more resources in the episode show notes!

• Madeline Brozen

  • Deputy Director at UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

• Mathew Clarke

  • Executive Director at Design Trust for Public Space

• Kyra Gmoser-Daskalkis

  • Researcher UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

• Holly Madill

  • Director of the National Charrette Institute

• Bates McKinney

  • Senior Recreation Coordinator at Spartanburg County Parks

• Britta McOmber

  • Geospatial Data Specialist at Cognizant

• Desiree D. Powell

  • Urban Planner + Place Creator at DRBTS, LLC

• Maija Spencer

  • Senior Community Engagement Coordinator at Portland Parks & Recreation 

• Allie Thompson

  • Project Lead at The Climate Service