I spent the past seven months writing—from proposal to manuscript—what may become my first book. It is a different kind of manuscript than what I have written in the past, and my approach to it was also further afield from my previous academic work. I drew from a combination of approaches based on meticulous
I frequently speak about empathy in action, when I am invited to speak about equity, diversity, and inclusion in different contexts, including planning, post-secondary education, governance, research, and systems change. What can empathy in action look like? Empathy in action can involve: building a critical awareness of dominant culture and its impact on our
Spring is a good season for renewal and reconnection with nature, and with each other, In Real Life (IRL). As the snow melts and the ice thaws, and we find surprises underneath—detritus and hibernating plants to learn from [1]— I generate new thoughts and ideas for business and personal renewal too. This winter felt
I am often asked by urban planning students for career advice. Here are my top recommendations: 1. Become a lifelong learner Building career resilience facilitates work security and requires a commitment to lifelong learning. Be open to learning new skills, new experiences, and to fostering rich and purposeful relationships. 2. Figure out what matters
About one year ago, a couple of colleagues from across the country reached out to me. We agreed to meet the next month for an hour-and-a-half, and then the month after that, and voilà! Our Community of Practice is born. Etienne C. Wenger with colleagues Beverley Wenger-Traynor and William M. Snyder have referred to
When it comes to wrestling with uncertainty, planners are pros. Just this past week, with the advent of the Omicron variant, and my current home, Kingston, Ontario reaching the highest case rate of COVID-19 in the country, due to Omicron spread, I was reminded about the importance of being nimble to navigate the everchanging landscape.
Over the past year, I have been invited to facilitate some truly difficult conversations. These conversations, whether inspired or called on by an organization’s members and staff, by residents, or by educators, have been a first step towards desired systems changes. Along the way, I was engaged to design training on how to integrate equity
News of the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on my family in India and the USA and on my friends across Canada are part of my weekly newsfeed. Too often, the news is heartbreaking, and we seek out moments of joy. However, there are times when the extended provincial lockdown in Ontario and the
Over the past few weeks, several colleagues and I have been reflecting upon our experiences of workplace microaggressions [1] and of discrimination in public engagement processes. Sometimes we get stuck in the undertow of the ongoing and recent waves of anti-Asian violence and racism in our communities, only to be pulled out by our own
The belief that “practice makes perfect” is only partially true. Practice [1], and the repetition that is a part of it, over time, may translate into exactness and precision in the repetition. It may even lead to one achieving such a high degree of mastery that it can invite improvisation and the ability to think
