In Pursuit of Equitable Development: Lessons from Washington, Detroit, and Boston

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The GSD is pleased to present a series of talks and webinars broadcast to our audiences via Zoom.

*This lecture will be ONLINE ONLY. For security reasons, virtual attendees must register. Scroll down to find complete instructions for how to register.

Event Description

Equitable development, a relatively new concept in planning and community development, aims to help low-income neighborhoods and communities of color become places that provide economic opportunities, affordable living, and cultural expression for all residents. It is built on the principle that current residents will play a central role in shaping the projects, programs, and policies that affect them and their community. 

However lofty its goals, achieving equitable development is complicated and challenging, particularly in this time of social and economic turmoilIn this half-day virtual symposium, leading practitioners and scholars from three cities, Washington, DC, Detroit, and Boston, will explore efforts to bring equitable development to their communities and outline how they are responding to current challenges. The presentations and discussions will help students, scholars, community leaders, public officials, and others identify innovative strategies and successful approaches to advancing social justice in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. 

Join the conversation on Twitter with #EquitableDevelopment.

Co-sponsored by the Joint Center for Housing Studiesthe GSD Department of Urban Planning and Designand the Loeb Fellowship

View the symposium agenda here.

Speakers will include: 

  • Darnell Adams, EDM ’00, Vice President of Program Implementation, Invest Detroit 
  • Maureen Anway, Associate, Neighborhoods, Invest Detroit 
  • Diane Clark, Associate Director of Real Estate Development, Nuestra Communidad 
    Development Corporation 
  • Sheldon Clark, Board Member, Douglass Community Land Trust 
  • Kimberly Driggins, LF ’16, Executive Director, Washington Housing Conservancy; 2015-2016 Loeb Fellow 
  • Angie M. Gates, Director, District of Columbia, Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment 
  • Marc Norman, LF ’15, Associate Professor of Practice in Urban and Regional Planning, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan; 2014-2015 Loeb Fellow 
  • Vaughn PerryEquitable Development Manager, Building Bridges Across the River 
  • Jermaine R. Ruffin, Development Director-West Region, Detroit Department of Housing and Revitalization  
  • Dana WhitesideDeputy Director for Community Economic Development, Boston Planning and Development Agency   
  • Alex Krieger, MCU ’77, Professor Emeritus in Practice of Urban Design, Interim Chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Design, GSD 
  • David Luberoff, MPA ’89, Deputy Director, Joint Center for Housing Studies  
  • Lily Song, RAE ’17, Lecturer in Urban Planning and Design, GSD 
  • Norman Stembridge, Co-Chair, Roxbury Strategic Master Plan Oversight Committee
  • Alexander von Hoffman, AM ’81, PHD ’86, Senior Research Fellow, Joint Center for Housing Studies; Lecturer in Urban Planning and Design, GSD 
  • Sarah Whiting, Dean and Josep Lluís Sert Professor of Architecture, GSD 

How to Join

Register to attend the lecture here. Once you have registered, you will be provided with a link to join the lecture via Zoom. This link will also be emailed to you.

The event will also be live streamed to the GSD’s YouTube page. Only viewers who are attending the lecture via Zoom will be able to submit questions for the Q+A.

Live captioning will be provided during this event. After the event has ended, a transcript will be available upon request.

Harvard University welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact the Public Programs Office at (617) 496-2414 or [email protected] in advance of your participation or visit. Requests for American Sign Language interpreters and/or CART providers should be made at least two weeks in advance. Please note that the University will make every effort to secure services, but that services are subject to availability.

#GSDEVENTS