Respond to three short essay questions (750 words each) that require a critical reflection on the readings and videos, as well as on your own ideas and position. You are welcome to conduct additional original research to better support your responses.
1. You decided to take this virtual field trip based on certain ideas you had about the topic Black experiences with planning in Canada. In which ways have the readings and video confirmed or challenged the perceptions you had about planning’s relationship with Black communities in this country? Why? What are some similarities and differences between your own experience with planning and the experience of Black communities in Canada?
2. a) Thinking about the planning work Black communities and organizations have historically done and continue to do today, what are two planning challenges are they trying to address? b) What are the historical legacies of racism and current anti-Black racist practices that have harmed these communities and that continue to impact their well-being? c) And what are two examples of planning approaches and/or tools that Black communities and organizations are using to achieve their goals?
3) In light of what you have learned in this assignment, what is one question that you will bring forward during the field trip week to better understand the experiences of Black populations in the places we visit? What knowledge, skills, and perspectives do you bring to the collective work your team will carry out? And more broadly, how might this awareness shape your future planning practice?