Transformative Talks Recap: Open for Whom?
In the COVID-19 era, the primary conversation around Open Streets has been centered around space for people to engage in recreational activities or framed around seizing the “opportunity” to remove cars from public spaces. However, conversations and actions that do not take a justice-centered approach will inevitably inflict harm on those that are already marginalized and those most impacted by COVID-19- Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), people with disabilities, and the unhoused. Often, another missing component to the Open Streets conversation is the reality that just being out in public spaces can be a risk for BIPOC individuals whose bodies are often targets of violence perpetrated by law enforcement or white supremacists. We are reminded of this again during this time as we demand justice for Ahmaud Arbery. May he rest in peace and power.
During the May 2020 Untokening Transformative Talk, our community engaged in a justice-focused conversation about Open Streets and emphasized the importance of focusing on the people, not infrastructure. Our co-facilitators were Lynda Lopez (Chicago) and Marcela Guerrero Casas (Capetown, South Africa). The following insightful highlights, that can be applied in the COVID-19 era and beyond, were provided by our co-facilitators and community panelists.