Building Equitable Cities Speaker Series
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has amplified existing socioeconomic inequities. Nowhere has this been more clear than in our cities. Throughout 2022, we, along with our community partners, will host quarterly talks related to addressing inequities and disrupting systemic bias in the establishment and development of cities, including how we can build back differently as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This series will:
- explore topics focused on how the use of inclusive interdisciplinary and equity best practices, and a focus on social determinants, not only highlights issues of disparity within cities, but is essential for removing barriers, increasing access and creating more equitable and sustainable spaces
- promote the integration of equity-related considerations into research, design, policy development and the practices that influence how individuals and communities interact, impact and are impacted by city spaces
- look at research, policy, practice and participation on, around and in city spaces through a multidisciplinary, equity, inclusion, accessibility and anti-racism/anti-oppression lens
Our goal with this series is to offer attendees the opportunity to:
- engage with community members, advocacy groups, researchers and equity practitioners to explore and discuss equity, accessibility and sustainability related topics relevant to the planning, growth and development of city spaces
- become better equipped to find and address issues of inequity in their areas of practice related to cities and placemaking
- learn about research focused on access and systemic bias in cities and placemaking
- explore frameworks to address inequities and disrupt systemic bias in the establishment and development of cities
This series is a part of our ongoing work to share diverse perspectives on issues of equity, inclusion and development. This is also an opportunity for imagining new social possibilities and new ways of thinking through the old challenges of access, sustainability and social justice.
Our Partners
We are excited to be collaborating with the City of Kitchener, YW Kitchener-Waterloo and YWCA Cambridge, to bring this speaker series to the community.
Upcoming Speakers
Jay Pitter
August 10th- Noon- 1:30 pm (online)
Predicated on the belief that there is enough space, joy and justice for all of us, this 1.5-hour participatory talk will unpack the definition, principles and precedents related to equitable community engagement. All participants will be provided with a worksheet inclusive of key participatory talk ideas, prompts for reflection and resources for continued professional development beyond the participatory talk.
About the Speaker:
Jay Pitter, MES, is an award-winning placemaker whose practice mitigates growing divides in cities across North America. She spearheads institutional city-building projects specializing in public space design and policy, forgotten densities, mobility equity, gender-responsive design, inclusive public engagement and healing fraught sites. What distinguishes Ms. Pitter is her multidisciplinary approach, located at the nexus of urban design and social equity, which translates community insights and aspirations into the built environment.
Past Speakers
Leilani Farha
Meet Leilani Farha, the former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing, central character in the award-winning documentary PUSH and co-host of the podcast PUSHBACK Talks. In this presentation, Leilani will explore the transformational nature of the human right to housing framework, and its implications for local governments like the City of Kitchener.
Leslie Kern
In our first session, Leslie Kern, author of Feminist City: Claiming Space in a Man-Made World, will examine how cities have long failed women by refusing to acknowledge gender differences in the ways people move, work, live, and play in urban environments. She contends that women have often been excluded or sidelined in planning, policymaking, and consultation processes regarding transit, housing, jobs, and safety; and will explore best and emerging innovative practices for improving safety from gender-based violence in our cities.
This session is free to attend, registration is required.
Keep the Conversation Going.
Talk more about these topics and more through Engage Kitchener portal. Engage Kitchener in an online forum for residents to offer feedback, share opinions and exchange ideas.
