Voices of Impact
A Film by the California Planning Roundtable
Summary: Released on April 19, 2022, this film shares voices of individuals impacted by housing and land use policies enacted by federal, state and local governments and their successful community efforts for positive impact.
The civil unrest and demonstrations sparked by George Floyd’s 2020 murder reignited our awareness of the deep-rooted injustices that people of color experience in America’s cities and towns. Since then, the public dialogue has grown. People are engaged in an honest desire to understand systemic discrimination that denies communities of color equal access to housing, public services, and quality of life. As planners, we acknowledge that our profession has contributed to these struggles. This video features the stories of six individuals who have been impacted by conditions in their neighborhoods that may be traceable to urban planning decisions.
The California Planning Roundtable (CPR), a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing planning practice and influence through innovation and leadership, identified this concern as one meriting deeper investigation - an investigation focused on listening to the stories of people in California who grew up or live in diverse communities of color. Through this investigation, Roundtable members sought to understand the consequences of past planning decisions and to help planners and decision-makers ensure that their policies and practices do not perpetuate past and present inequities.
This film features the unique stories of six individuals. They eloquently identify the injustices and share solutions to improve their quality of life and other communities who have also suffered unjustly because of intentional harm or neglect as well as efforts to make things right through emerging practices of equitable planning.
CPR sought to identify individuals from throughout the state to capture the full diversity of communities and these six stories are just the start. It is CPR’s hope to continue this project by conducting additional interviews/conversations in the future to capture many more stories and viewpoints from around the state. We also hope other communities and institutions will also be inspired to center their goals and work around those who have historically been under-represented and unseen, particularly in places of economic opportunity and wealth.
Watch Voices of Impact
Full Interviews
Press Release – April 19, 2022