Ujima Wednesdays | Reimagining Urbanism: BlackSpace's Vision for Public Life

Liberation Study Hall: 

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Schools of 1964, the Boston Ujima Project proudly presents "Liberation Study Hall," a year-long exploration of historical figures, schools of thought, experiments and sites that have contributed to shaping our contemporary movements and global landscape.

Building Black Worlds Workshop Series:

How does race structure American cities? Over the past decade, a growing body of scholarship has reframed the conversation around centuries of disenfranchisement and race-based environmental and structural violence. At the same time, in cities across the globe, Black people are building worlds unto themselves, enriching and challenging fields like urban planning and development. Join us this month at Ujima Wednesdays as we learn from scholars and practitioners who are fighting against structural injustice in housing, culture, climate and policy to build Black worlds.

Workshop Description:

BlackSpace is a collective of urbanists, architects, policymakers, artists, and advocates co-creating spaces that affirm and amplify Black presence in public spaces. In this workshop, Kenyatta will reflect on the BlackSpace Manifesto, discuss the significance of independent Black spaces, and share how BlackSpace has used their principles to build their autonomy. If you have time before our time together please check out the Manifesto and come with 1-2 principles that really resonate with you.

Facilitator Bio:

Kenyatta McLean (she/her) is an urban planner and strategist interested in neighborhood resource distribution and heritage conservation. She is a founding member and Co-Managing Director of BlackSpace where she focuses on our collective visioning, programmatic strategy and implementation. She has worked with organizations to deepen their understandings of spatial narratives with curated conversations and to develop projects centered in racial justice. 

As an economic development practitioner, she developed strategies, engagement plans, and commercial corridor focused programming for multiple city-led neighborhood plans in New York City. Additionally, she advised and managed multiple commercial revitalization grants for nonprofits focused on low-to-moderate income commercial corridors across New York City. Kenyatta earned her BA in Afro-American Studies and Political Science from UCLA. She holds a Master degree in City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she researched the power of narratives within historic preservation. Her favorite Black spaces include a good beauty supply and an auntie's kitchen table with old family photos.