Part III: Reflections on the Role of a Planner - Skills, and Passion.

My name is George Brandt. I recently earned a Master of Urban and Regional Planning? (MURP) degree from Portland State University (PSU). Throughout my whole life I have been interested in travel, maps, city design, transportation networks, transit, and how to make the built environment better for people that do not or cannot use automobiles.

For one of my classes at PSU we were asked to write an essay addressing our thoughts about what we were learning about becoming a professional planner. This three part post is an update to that essay. This is the final part; a discussion is about skills and passion.

?In conclusion...

What are your skills and passions? How can you merge what you're good at and what you're passionate about so that your planning work is fulfilling and impactful? Are there additional skills you will need to make an impact?

My passion in planning is still rooted in the idea that all elementary, middle, and high schools should have complete pedestrian and bicycling infrastructure within a one mile of the individual school.

As for my skillset, I can bring my research skills, talent of linking complex concepts together along with my deep foundational knowledge in social and political structures of the planning profession. I use this to help create new ideas that pay attention to DEI, access to housing, employment, transit, and active lifestyles to make our cities work for all members of society regardless of station or position in life. I see myself as someone that can identify creative solutions for expensive problems, and my next task is to learn more about building and land use codes.

In closing, there are a couple statements and concepts that struck a chord:

Kindness is a behavior; justice is a principle.

Justice involves a commitment to impartiality; and kindness is caring.

“I do think we should bring an ethic of kindness and care to justice work. Though justice should be the most fun and beautiful thing – thing, meaning activity or pursuit.” - Anonymous.