Episode 12: An Exploration of Black Excellence in Future Geographers and Planners at the University of Toronto (Feat. GGAPSS)
This special episode of Urban Limitrophe is brought to you in collaboration with the Graduate Geography & Planning Student Society (GGAPSS) in celebration of Black History/Black Futures Month! In this episode, I speak with Roxana Escobar Ñañez (PhD Human Geography), Brianna Lane (MSc Physical Geography), Priscilla Ankomah-Hackman (MSc Planning), Jane O'Brien Davis (MSc Planning), and Bola Oshinusi (PhD Planning) to explore why they got interested in geography and planning, and their advice for other aspiring geographers and planners looking to study in this field.
In this episode, you'll learn about each guests':
- research interests and upcoming projects,
- reasons for studying at the University of Toronto,
- hopes for having more diversity in their respective field,
- advice for other emerging geographers and planners,
- and much more!
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Episode 11: How the Black Planning Project is Diversifying Urban Planning One Story at a Time
In this episode, I speak with Abigail Moriah, a registered urban planner and founder of the Black Planning Project. Through this initiative, Abigail and her team, collect and share the stories of Black urban planning professionals and students to highlight their important work and encourage more diverse voices to enter the profession. Most importantly, through its various mentorship opportunities and research endeavours, the Black Planning Project builds the relationships and the community ties necessary to make sure that urban planning and hopefully the city building sector overall makes room for new perspectives and ideas.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- why it is essential to encourage spaces where urban planners can discuss racial injustices in planning,
- about some of the experiences and injustices that Black planners face in their profession,
- about resources and advice for emerging urban planners of colour to help them navigate the field,
- the importance of including diverse voices in the urban planning profession,
- and much more!
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Episode 10: How BuildX Studio is Creating Dignified Circular Affordable Housing Across Kenya
In this episode, I speak with Carolina Larrazábal, the co-founder and design director at BuildX Studio. BuildX Studio is an innovative award-winning architectural studio based in Nairobi, which is the first architecture, engineering or construction company in Africa to become B Corp™ certified. The team at BuildX Studio is on a mission to build radically better buildings. In our conversation, Carolina explains how her team is building dignified circular affordable housing in Kenya and how through their partnerships (i.e. with their sister branch BuildHer) and design process, their work embeds equity, diversity and sustainability in every stage of the development process.
In this episode, you'll learn about:
- what is dignified affordable housing and what considerations go into creating it,
- Mass timber/Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and why BuildX thinks that it is the future of building materials in this region and beyond,
- BuildX's Circular Cooperative Affordable Housing Project,
- BuildX's efforts to build 10,000 affordable homes by 2030,
- how BuildX hopes that their affordable homes will provide a pathway to homeownership for low-income sectors of the population,
- and much more!
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Episode 9: How the Dikan Center is Building the First Photo Library in Ghana
In this episode, I speak with Paul Ninson, a photographer, and filmmaker about the importance of visual storytelling and how after collecting over 30,000 books on photography and film, he is in the beginning stages of building The Dikan Center. The center will be the first visual storytelling library in Ghana. The Dikan Center will train not only the next generation of storytellers but build a community hub that welcomes locals and newcomers alike to learn about, celebrate, and create African stories and flip the dominant, negative narrative about life on the continent.
In this episode, you'll learn about:
- Paul's vision for the center and the programming it will provide,
- the upcoming photography exhibition,
- how he collected over 30,000 books to start the Dikan Center,
- how the center will be an incubator for talent as well as community,
- opportunities to get involved with getting the center built and learning/teaching about visual storytelling,
- and much more!
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A Look Back on Year 1 of Urban Limitrophe!
Today marks 1 year since the podcast launched! Since the first episode, there have been 8 episodes of Urban Limitrophe spanning 7 countries (2 in the diaspora and 5 on the African continent) each celebrating the interesting projects that the guests had to share. Read on for some updates about what some of the past guests have been working on, a sneak peek for guests to come in 2022, and some other bonus content!
Episode Updates
Surf Ghana
In December 2021, I spoke with Sandy, the founder of Surf Ghana, about the organization's fundraiser to build Accra's first skatepark. Since the episode has aired they have successfully built the park and have even begun hosting events and activities like DJ workshops!
To stay up to date about the park, you can follow the Freedom Skatepark's journey on Instagram @freedomskateparkgh.
To learn more about the project and listen to the episode click here.
McNulty Consulting
To learn more about the project and listen to the episode click here.
The Abibiman Project
Since we last chatted in March 2021, Rachel of The Abibiman Project has been hard at work growing her initiative by hosting pop-ups across Toronto to share her delicious African dishes, spices, teas, and treats. Her hard work has not gone unnoticed and Rachel has been recognized by Kostuch Media Ltd.'s (KML) Foodservice and Hospitality Magazine for being a Top 30 Under 30 in her industry!
To read the announcement and learn more click here and here!
To learn more about the project and listen to the episode click here.
The Hope Raisers Initiative
In the fourth episode of the podcast, I met with Daniel Onyango of the Hope Raisers Initiative, about how their Future Yetu (Our Future) program is breaking down barriers between the public and public policymakers, and how the organization is using digital storytelling as a tool for addressing climate change. Since the episode aired, they've released the Korogocho Climate Adaptation Manifesto that they had been developing when we last spoke.
To read the manifesto and learn more about the project click here.
To learn more and listen to the episode click here.
Gbobètô
In June 2021, I chatted with Naomi, the founder of the with Gbobètô, about their Projet Énergie verte (Green Energy Project) and how they're turning local waste into biomass briquettes that act as a source of sustainable and affordable energy in areas with poor electricity access in Bénin. Since the episode aired they have launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise 15,000 Euros to expand the project and begin mass-producing their biomass briquettes.
To donate and learn more about their fundraiser please click here!
To learn more about the project and listen to the episode click here.
Upcoming Podcast Guests
- The Dikan Center (Accra, Ghana)
- Ushahidi (Nairobi, Kenya)
- BuildXStudio (Nairobi, Kenya)
- BuildHer (Nairobi, Kenya)
- The Black Planning Project (Toronto, Canada)
- Mapping Black Futures Now (Toronto, Canada)
- Le Centre d'Art Waza (Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo)
- and more!
Guest Music Recommendations
After each interview, I ask the podcast guests for a song from an African artist that they enjoy. To hear some of the tunes that past guests have shared, check out the playlist below! To learn who picked what songs, you can visit each guest's profile on the podcast's Instagram profile: @urbanlimitrophe.
Thank You!
I wanted to give a big thank you to the show's guests, listeners, and supporters (you know who you are!) for helping Urban Limitrophe's first-year start off with a bang! And of course, thank you to the sponsors who have supported the various episodes released this year: