Georgetown Global Cities Initiative

I am humbled to have received the Glenn Brown Award from the Washington Architectural Foundation and the Washington chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The award recognizes individuals who have raised public awareness of architecture’s benefits to society and have dedicated their work to enhancing the quality of life in Washington, D.C. Glenn Brown was an architect, civic activist, and the driving force behind the formation of the Senate Park Commission and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. He facilitated the implementation of the 1902 McMillan Commission Plan, restoring Pierre L’Enfant’s vision for a National Mall and reorganizing the city’s rail infrastructure by introducing Union Station. This award seeks to honor those who carry on his legacy of visionary civic engagement in advancing excellence in architecture and urban design. It is my absolute honor to receive this award! Glenn Brown’s legacy epitomizes the practice of civic imagination and design excellence. City-building is a deeply collaborative process; I share this award with the hundreds of professionals and thousands of civic stakeholders with whom I have had the privilege to partner. At this moment, I’m celebrating my 25th anniversary of living in Washington, DC. Our city remains one of the most dynamic communities actively innovating urban design and development.? Whether participatory engagement, equitable development, cross-sector partnerships, environmental sustainability, or architectural design excellence, we have accomplished much in the last 25 years but have much more to work on.? Onwards!

GU LATAM - Panel 4: Planning for Resilience: Inequality and Climate Change from Territories A huge thank you to our incredible panelists and moderator for addressing the urgent need for equitable urban planning in Latin America, the most unequal region in the world, as it faces the mounting challenges of climate change. Special thanks to: Robin King, Adjunct Professor, Landegger Program in International Business Diplomacy (IBD), Georgetown University.? Marisil Naborre, International Development Expert, Researcher at the Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS). Nora Libertun - Duren, Inclusive Cities Advocate, Housing and Urban Development Expert (IDB), and Urban Planning and Design Lecturer, Harvard University. Felipe Montoya Pino, Urban Resilience and Infrastructure Specialist, The World Bank Moderated by: Uwe S. Brandes, Faculty Director of the Urban & Regional Planning Program and the Georgetown Global Cities Initiative. This important dialogue explored strategies to build resilient cities and address the intersection of urban inequality and climate change across the region.

Last week, Sooin Choi and I had the honor of attending the 12th World Urban Forum in Cairo, Egypt, on behalf of the Georgetown Global Cities Initiative. As a graduate student of urban planning with a focus on Africa, it was powerful to witness firsthand the successes and challenges of a rapidly urbanizing city. With a population of over 22 million people,? Cairo is one of the most chaotic cities I have ever visited—a place where everything, everywhere, happens all at once. The forum brought these issues to center stage. A significant takeaway from African practitioners was the consensus that urban planning is failing the continent. Unique land governance and use systems, coupled with the urgent need for sustainable financing mechanisms, demand that planners be more nimble and adaptive. Many sessions also addressed the plight of the over 1.1 billion people living in informal settlements. In a world where so many are displaced by genocide, war, political persecution, climate disasters, famine, and inadequate services, cities must build systems to accommodate refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). This includes robust data collection and mapping, with initiatives like IDEAMAPS Network leading the way in this critical work. However, despite these dynamic conversations, it was striking to see the lack of critical engagement with our spatial backdrop of Cairo, Egypt. Local working-class residents repeatedly voiced concerns with us about the economic burden caused by the development of Egypt’s new capital. The multi-million-dollar urban renewal project has left many feeling frustrated and alienated by serious urban issues such as poor multi-modal transportation mobility, declining air quality, inadequate waste management, and housing shortages. The 12th World Urban Forum reinforced for me the complexity of urban challenges and the need for inclusive, localized solutions that empower residents rather than displace them. As urban planners, we must learn from each other’s successes and failures, fostering a future where cities work not just for investors and governments but for the people who call them home. Thank you to Uwe S. Brandes for your mentorship and for trusting us to represent the Georgetown Global Cities Initiative. You can read more about our experience here: https://lnkd.in/eScjfpUW!

GGCI was honored to host "The Invisible Class" documentary screening last Thursday. We had the Film Director Josh Hayes and the H3 Project Dr. Ami Angell join us for a thoughtful discussion around humanizing the stories of unhoused neighbors and the role/lack of role of our institutions to support them. Thank you to all those who came! Georgetown Urban & Regional Planning Program Georgetown University Georgetown University Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching & Service Uwe S. Brandes