In May 2021, I was inducted into the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) College of Fellows. Being named a Fellow of the CIP is the highest award that the Institute can give to a planner. I am grateful to my nominator and to all those who submitted letters of endorsement. I was asked by the CIP to prepare a short video about what the new designation of Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Planners (FCIP) means to me.
was aired at the CIP Annual General Meeting (AGM) online on June 24th. Here is what I said:
Hello and thanks for the honour and privilege of being initiated into the CIP College of Fellows. Congratulations to my 2021 fellow inductee Kelley Moore. Being initiated into the CIP College of Fellows is a formidable recognition and is one that I don’t take lightly, especially as someone who seeks to influence and change systems. So, I’m taking this as an opportunity to use my voice and newfound privilege as a CIP Fellow to encourage us all as planners to do better; to reflect upon our accountability to this planet and to one another as human beings; to lean in, and work to eliminate historical and ongoing injustices experienced by Indigenous, Black, and other racialized groups, and by the wide spectrum of people who are institutionally discriminated against. I’m grateful for this new honour, and now, more than ever, I’m eager to reflect upon the emotional and the ethical implications of the planning profession, to more deeply connect with those who will join me on the next stage of my career journey, to educate one another, and to take action together in building a more equitable, just and joyful future. Thank you.
