Tag Archives: Duke

Scenes from Embedded Planning is the Future at Duke

Scenes from Duke University from my 4/10 guest talk, “Embedded Planning is the Future.” The invited lecture was delivered in partnership with the undergraduate group Duke Our Urban Future and Duke Urban Studies.

This is chapter 3 in the #EmbeddedPlanning story.

We begin in medias res amidst my high stakes confrontation with unnamed powerholding figureheads suspicious of Embedded Planning because it subverted top-down control. I retrace my steps and epiphanies as a zoning enforcement planner to create Embedded Planning in South Central LA’s Florence-Firestone community. Drawing from personal experiences, I reflect on the challenges and benefits of street-level planning in the face of power. I then present case studies of others doing Embedded Planning coast to coast — and beyond!

When you hear planners today talk about “meeting people where they are,” know that we’ve long called it Embedded Planning praxis. And now we’re a worldwide movement.

Photos by AJ Adovor & Avery Smedley of Duke OUF and Dr. Ashley Hernandez of UNC Chapel Hill Carolina Planning. Thank you, Duke urban planners, for inviting me to speak on your campus!

Embedded Planning is the Future at Duke with a UNC Big Up

Infographic by a UNC Chapel Hill Urban Planning student

Here’s an alternative flyer designed by Duke’s neighbor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Shout out to the urban planning student in Dr. Ashley Hernandez’s class who dreamed up this remix!

I love the subtle rivalry at play here ha. But for real, my virtual talk in Dr. Hernandez’s UNC class “Diversity & Inequality in Cities” in 2023 led to our in-person event at Duke on April 10, 2025. See how Embedded Planning praxis brings us together?

Students, planners, and community: if you’re in Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill on 4/10 come through.

Also can we do flyers like this for UCLA Luskin / USC Price events?!

Embedded Planning is the Future at Duke University

Infographic courtesy of Duke’s undergraduate student group, Our Urban Future

On April 10th, I’m at Duke University with Our Urban Future for the invited public talk, “Embedded Planning is the Future.” I consider this Chapter 3 in the Embedded Planning speaking series. We’ll discuss Embedded Planning’s trajectory — including origins, challenges, and benefits — and examine why this praxis is the future of planning.

After the talk, we’ll hold an extended Q & A to discuss my work on Middle Housing (Casita Coalition), Community Empowerment (Florence-Firestone Community Organization), and Urban Planning Education (Cal Poly Pomona Urban & Regional Planning).

Open to students, planners, and community — if you’re in Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill come through!

Big thanks to Duke’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability for sponsoring our event.