Events: Confront the legacy of anti-Blackness in the built environment

Spend a day with Dr. Destiny Thomas and a diverse group of speakers at a virtual teach-in to confront the legacy of anti-Blackness in the built environment. Thomas, the founder and CEO of the Thrivance Group, is hosting the live 23-hour(!) event beginning Thursday at 9 am.

During several interactive sessions, participants will hear from strategists, planners, engineers, advocates, elected officials, social justice advocates, resident leaders, youth, journalists, and others on topics such as exclusionary practices in transportation planning, navigating microaggressive workspaces, preserving racial and cultural community identity, and more.

You must register in advance to take part in the real-time interactive components of the program.

Other (virtual) events from around the region:

Tuesday, June 16

Ride with confidence on DC’s trails: WABA is hosting a virtual session to teach new riders how to ride safely on trails. WABA’s Adult Education Coordinator Sydney Sotelo will discuss how to prepare for your ride and plan your route, proper etiquette to keep in mind on your journey, and more.

The class is free, and participants will also get a coupon for a free confident city cycling class. Get more info here.

Is meaningful police reform possible in DC?: Join professors Chris Myers Asch and George Derek Musgrove, the authors of Chocolate City: A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital, in a conversation to help Washingtonians understand—in the context of DC’s history—the murder of George Floyd and the protests that his killing has sparked across the globe.

The conversation is hosted by the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. It’s the first in an online series called “Race, Police, and Reform” which is designed to bring a historical context to current issues.

The event is on Tuesday at 7:30 pm. You can register here.

Thursday, June 18

How to make cities liveable post-pandemic: Some urban planners believe that the new novel coronavirus pandemic can change the way cities are designed in the future. On Thursday at 8 am, several industry professionals will convene to discuss the future of planning, architecture, green initiatives, and more.

Panelists include Camilla van Deurs, the chief city architect for the City of Copenhagen; Sripriya Sudhakar, the head of regeneration at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets; Elad Eisenstein, the head of cities and regeneration at Ramboll; Jacob Kurek, a partner at Henning Larsen Architects; Sarah Cary, the executive director at Enfield Council; and Tara Gbolade, a partner at Gbolade Design Studio.

You can register here.

Check out more urbanist events at ggwash.org/calendar. Do you have an event you’d like to see featured in the weekly events post? Submit it here!