A Voice at the Table

HONOR History
In the spirit of Sankofa,* we must fully acknowledge and learn
from the past to build a strong future. Our present existence is a
manifestation of history—one that cannot be erased. As planners
and designers within the United States, this considers acknowledging
how both the theory and practice within the profession has been
built through a culture of uniformity and dominance that historically
and to this day perpetuates a system of excluding underrepresented
people, voices, and cultures in the design of our cities. If we choose
to uphold dominant design standards, we are choosing to ignore the
ugly truths of our past, thus creating fragmented visioning and the
continuation of ongoing inequalities in future space.
The lived experience of Black and brown communities teaches us
that history and the legacy of traumas are never buried. An equitable
future is one where history and culture are not erased. It is a future
where society builds strength and resilience through honoring,
reconciling, and healing from past successes and struggles to
develop more informed and innovative solutions moving forward.
*Sankofa — a term from the Akan tribe of West Africa, meaning that we must
consider our roots and history in order to move forward
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