Continuing the Conversation
The relationship of social justice, equity, and racism with the planning profession.

The Planning + Urban Design (P+UD) group at GRAEF believes that planning for stronger communities requires broad, candid discussion. We have such conversations every day with our clients, colleagues, and partners.

This article recognizes the relationship of social justice, equity, and racism with the planning profession. The text below is excerpted from recommendations for planners published February 2020 by the American Planning Association Wisconsin Chapter’s Equity and Diversity Committee. We believe that the following statements from APA-WI provide a solid path for expanding conversations with our clients, colleagues, and partners. For more information, the full Equity and Diversity Action Plan can be found here.

Improved Community Engagement

We will provide tools and training that planners can use to hear and elevate the voices of historically marginalized and disadvantaged residents.

  1. Encourage planners to develop relationships and partnerships with leaders and groups that can help draw underrepresented residents into planning processes.
  2. Identify and promote other community engagement methods that are effective at finding and elevating the voices of marginalized residents.
  3. Use the APA-WI Equity Network for Peer Training.
Boardwalk-Hand Render

© GRAEF Photo by Joe Porter, PLA

Informed Leadership

Informed leadership is crucial to the achievement of diversity and equity goals. We will provide tools and training that planners and others can use to help community leaders hear, understand, and respond to the experience and needs of marginalized people in their community and region.

  1. Collect and share a variety of stories that explain why equity and inclusivity matter and how public policy has been a cause of inequity and can be a solution to address problems.
  2. Help people learn how to talk about equity and implicit bias.
  3. Promote Plan Commissioner attendance at APA-WI conferences
  4. Work with the Center for Land Use Education (CLUE) [and similar groups] to provide training for plan commissioners and other local leaders that incorporate equity and inclusivity issues.
  5. Encourage diverse appointments to commissions and committees.
  6. Use the APA-WI Equity Network to connect local leaders interested in equity.
Bee Branch-Dubuque IA-perspective-rendered

© GRAEF Photo by Joe Porter, PLA

Improved Public Policy

We will provide tools and training that planners can use to hear and elevate the voices of historically marginalized and disadvantaged residents.

  1. Encourage planners to develop relationships and partnerships with leaders and groups that can help draw underrepresented residents into planning processes.
  2. Identify and promote other community engagement methods that are effective at finding and elevating the voices of marginalized residents.
  3. Use the APA-WI Equity Network for Peer Training.

Diversity and Equity in the Planning Profession

We will work to ensure that the planning profession in Wisconsin reflects the diversity of residents in our communities and we will seek equity in wages and access to leadership roles. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are cornerstones of the planning profession when working in communities we serve. It is critical that we continue to advance these ideals, not only within our work, but within the profession itself. As an organization, APA-WI can directly support equity and diversity of planning practitioners through the following actions.

  1. Use scholarships to attract diverse scholars entering the profession.
  2. Promote the use of youth councils in planning projects.
  3. Encourage planners to visit classrooms and provide facilitation tools and ideas.
  4. Support AASPIRE [and similar groups] best practices for internships and learning opportunities within the profession.
  5. Promote diversity in the hiring of staff and consultants.

Ready to continue the conversation?

GRAEF’s Planning + Urban Design Group looks forward to discussing these ideas and identifying objectives and actions with each of our clients, communities, and colleagues. Please let us know your thoughts and if you would like to continue the conversation. You can reach us at planning.urbandesign@graef-usa.com.