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Spring 2022 Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE
  • Message from the Chair
  • March is Women's History Month!
  • Save the Date 3/31: WPD Virtual Networking Event
  • What's Changed for Women & Planning?
  • Podcast: Women's History Month! 
  • Spotlight: Sara Copeland 2022 FAICP Inductee
  • NPC22 Preview!
  • Opportunities: Grants and more!
  • Volunteer opportunities
  • Follow us on social media!

FROM THE CHAIR


Hello Friends!

As we make our way into 2022, it is my hope that we can begin to find new ways to stay connected to one another, to reconnect, or connect for the first time with other women planners in our field. It has been a long two years and I know I am ready to see new and familiar faces again! This is my eighth year on this Executive Committee and fourth year as Chair, I am truly honored, humbled, and sad to say this will be my last year with the Division. With my term limit coming to a close at the end of 2022, I will be moving on as Past-Chair, but will always remain committed as a strong advocate for this Division and all women planners. 

It will be an amazing reflection to look back and see all that this Division and Exec members have achieved these past 8 years, and not to mention the 43 that we’ve been an organization! What I have always hoped to achieve as a planner is to have a career that is filled with meaning, accomplishment, and impact; to leave a lasting impression both in work and advocacy and become a compelling female planner that other female planners can look to for inspiration. As a female planner, I’ve always made it my mission to keep opening doors and opportunities for all women planners and then purposefully reach back to the next generation and bring them through those doors with me. I strive to create and expect a welcoming and inclusive planning profession, while also establishing myself as a powerful advocate for women and girls. I hope to be bold enough to continue to speak up, break down barriers, and make planning accessible to all. I’ve marched, I’ve advocated, I’ve spoken up and worked from within organizations to create positive change and I plan on continuing to do that until equity is achieved for women in this field and beyond. And, above all else, I invite all others to come on this journey with me!

Spring is a very exciting time for our Division! In March we celebrate Women’s History Month and then in April and May we provide amazing programming for the National Planning Conference. Our Division has a lot in store to help support, celebrate, and uplift women planners in numerous ways including additional programming, networking events, our annual reception and business meeting, and member highlights! Please join us for one or all of these upcoming engagement opportunities and we look forward to seeing you there!

All my best,
Corrin Wendell, AICP
Chair, WPD 

MARCH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH!

In 1776, Abigail Adams wrote her husband, future President John Adams, who was then a delegate to the Second Continental Congress: 

Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors….If particular attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no Voice or Representation.

That rebellion would not come until almost 100 years later, when Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton founded the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869.  They met with Sojourner Truth, who spoke about equal rights for Black women in 1851.  Carrie Chapman Catt assumed leadership of the NWSA, resulting in winning women the right to vote in 1920.  
The following is a short list of women’s accomplishments since 1920:
  • 1955 - Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white male on a bus in Montgomery, AL, launching the civil rights movement
  • 1966 - Betty Friedan founded the National Organization for Women (NOW)
  • 1981 - Sandra Day O’Connor  - 1st female to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court
  • 2007 - Nancy Pelosi  - 1st female speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
  • 2016 - Hillary Clinton  - 1st female presidential nominee
  • 2021 - Kamala Harris – 1st female Black Asian-American Vice President of the United States
  • 2022 - Ketanji Brown Jackson – 1st Black female to be nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In our role as planners, how much have you learned about the “mothers” of urban planning:  Jane Addams, founder of Hull House; Elisabeth May Herlihy, the first woman to join the American City Planning Institute; Catherine Bauer Wurster, promotor of affordable housing; Jane Jacobs, author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities; Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring; or Sherry Arnstein and the Ladder of Citizen Participation?   Leslie Kern, author of Feminist City, says that cities were made by and for men, confirmed by our knowledge of the “fathers” who planned our cities dating back to William Penn and Pierre L’Enfante. 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 28% of the labor force were women in 1950.  By 2020, that number had grown to 47%.  Many women now occupy urban and rural planner roles and greatly influence how modern communities are designed to be inclusive spaces for all. 

Women’s History Month had its beginnings in the declaration of International Women’s Day on March 8, 1911.  The Education Task Force in Sonoma County, CA initiated a Women’s History Week in 1978.  Since 1980, the National Women’s History Alliance has worked to promote women’s history through education, empowerment, equality and inclusion.  Countless women in the United States and across the world work in their sphere of influence to educate, support and elevate women to achieve their dreams, whether personal or professional.  Women’s History Month is about remembering and celebrating those on whose shoulders we stand as we move forward and support each other in the work we do.
 

SAVE THE DATE!

REGISTER HERE

WE ASKED MEMBERS...WHAT'S CHANGED FOR WOMEN & PLANNING

Melanie Wilson, Executive Director; Chatham County – Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission
What's been the biggest change for women in planning?
"Very Little. There have been some improvements for women in planning, but this progress has been incremental and limited to the select privileged.  There have been more opportunities on the Transit and Transportation side of planning but not on the development side such as economic development. Women remain seemingly consigned to supporting roles especially in the urbanism movement."
Shubhra Govind
What's been the biggest change for women in planning (or planning for women) during your time as a planner?
"It has been inspirational to see more women in leadership positions locally, regionally and nationally."
Kathleen Walston Pagan, AICP
What's been the biggest change for women in planning (or planning for women) during your time as a planner?
"I was first introduced to the Division in the early 1990s by Mary Anne Bowie, FAICP.   I soon afterwards moved overseas with my family, returned after 3 years and joined the Division early in the 21st century.  Enjoyed working on the board for several years and truly appreciate the good work of the next generation!

First beginning university studies in 1975, I received both an architecture degree and my master’s degree in planning without ever studying with a woman professor, so I think the number of women faculty now in planning and the allied design arts is a great positive change.  In addition to providing women mentors for students, this will result in more research that focuses on women’s issues and will eliminate bias. Of course, the same change is true for elected leadership, and research has shown that boards with women make better decisions.  A win-win for, and with, women!”

PODCAST: WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

In honor of Women’s History Month, The Four Degrees to the Streets Podcast will release an episode dedicated to the authentic experiences of people who identify as women in public space and the built environment. Planners of all gender identities have a responsibility to create spaces that are safe and accessible for all users. Women are often underrepresented in the fields responsible for these conditions. Such as planning, architecture, and engineering. Hosts Nimo and Jas interviewed two fellow black women on how they engage with public space and their choices as they navigate the world every day. First, Melanie Brooks, an Oakland, CA native and current resident working in public administration. And Tabia Gamble, a transportation planner living in Baltimore city. The conversation includes a range of topics:
  • What transportation mode feels safe depending on the time of day or ridership volume
  • Considerations for personal safety and property when making routine trips due to increased crime during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Training tools and resources for practitioners, such as UN Women’s free online course titled Mainstreaming Gender Equality in Infrastructure
You don’t want to miss this conversation on intersectional feminism and planning for public spaces. Listen on all streaming platforms starting March 8, 2022. 
 
Four Degrees to the Streets is a podcast created by Nimotalai Azeez, a public administration professional, and Jasmine Jones-Bynes, a real estate and urban planning professional. Four Degrees to the Streets is designed to empower anyone curious about places and spaces, not just persons with professional degrees or backgrounds. We cover a host of topics, including transportation, health, housing, and the environment through the lens of racism, classism, and sexism. The podcast takes critical urban planning knowledge, policy, and how stuff works to give listeners the tools they need to overcome institutional barriers and implement change in their communities. 
 
If you are interested in joining the show as a guest or want to learn more about our podcast, please email us at fourdegreestothestreetspod@gmail.com.
 
Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @the4degreespod. Tune in every other Tuesday where Nimo and Jas keep it Four Degrees to the Streets.

WPD @ NPC22  

Are you attending NPC22? Don't miss these amazing opportunities to connect with the Women & Planning Division!

Division Reception
Save the date for our annual Division Reception on Saturday, April 30th from 5-7pm at the Fairweather Rooftop Bar 793 J St, in San Diego. Join the WPD for tacos, drinks, and networking. Ticket info to be announced soon!

Annual Business Meeting
Help map out the Division's priorities for the coming year. All are welcome! Sunday May 1st, 12-1 PM at the Marriot Marquis, room TBD. We will also be broadcasting live via Zoom. Register here for reminders!

Division Sponsored Sessions
Don't miss these sessions - live and virtual!

NPC2219029: Crossing the Line: Womxn, Planning, and Border Cities
Saturday April 30, 2022
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Role: Session Organizer and Speaker

NPC2219010: Navigating Public Discourse, Tools for Better Communications
Sunday May 1, 2022
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

NPC2218319: When Planning and Engineering Are One Team
Thursday May 19, 2022 (VIRTUAL)
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM

Volunteer!
WPD needs volunteers to help with NPC22 session logistics, our annual business meeting, and the reception. If you're interested or would like more information, please email women.apa@gmail.com with the subject line "NPC22 Volunteer."
 

NPC22 Online Registration Funding Opportunity- Apply Today!

WPD is awarding up to two Professional Contribution Grants in the amount of $400 each for members to attend NPC22 online. Applications are live 3/18- 4/10. Visit our Division's website or CLICK HERE to apply today!

 

Zoning Equity Survey

Your input is needed! APA is developing an Equity in Zoning Policy Guide and the Division has been asked to share this opportunity to weigh in on an important topic. The survey will be open through March 25, 2022 at the link below. 
https://form.jotform.com/220585600314043

 

WPD MERCHANDISE NOW AVAILABLE!

Need some swag for NPC22? We've got you covered! Visit our online shop and get your tee's, tanks, sweatshirts, mugs, stickers, and more! 

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS!

Attending NPC22 in San Diego? The Division needs volunteers to help at our Annual Business Meeting, Evening Reception, and at our Division sponsored sessions. 

Email us at women.apa@gmail.com and include "NPC22 Volunteer" in the subject line! 

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