S
cholars and practitioners of urban planning need to rethink the field’s futures at this important historical juncture: some might call it a moment of truth when there is little left to hide. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed many cracks, contradictions, and inequalities that have always existed but are now more visible. This also includes the global vaccine apartheid that is ongoing as I write these words. Moreover, this is a time when the violence through which U.S. imperialism has exercised power worldwide is increasingly exposed. Protests in the summer of 2020, which spread all over the United States like fire through a long-dried haystack, showed Americans and the whole world that racialized violence and police brutality are real. They also revealed that such brutality is spatially facilitated in American apartheid—a condition that planning has been far from innocent in creating and maintaining. I think this reckoning is particularly important in the United States, the belly of the beast, where there might have been more of an illusion about planning innocence.
What’s a Rich Text element?
Moreover, this is a time when the violence through which U.S. imperialism has exercised power worldwide is increasingly exposed. Protests in the summer of 2020, which spread all over the United States like fire through a long-dried haystack, showed Americans and the whole world that racialized violence and police brutality are real. They also revealed that such brutality is spatially facilitated in American apartheid—a condition that planning has been far from innocent in creating and maintaining. I think this reckoning is particularly important in the United States, the belly of the beast, where there might have been more of an illusion about planning innocence.
- Moreover, this is a time when the violence through which U.S. imperialism has exercised power worldwide is increasingly exposed.
- Protests in the summer of 2020, which spread all over the United States like fire through a long-dried haystack, showed Americans and the whole world that racialized violence and police brutality are real.
- They also revealed that such brutality is spatially facilitated in American apartheid—a condition that planning has been far from innocent in creating and maintaining.
- I think this reckoning is particularly important in the United States, the belly of the beast, where there might have been more of an illusion about planning innocence.
What’s a Rich Text element?
Moreover, this is a time when the violence through which U.S. imperialism has exercised power worldwide is increasingly exposed. Protests in the summer of 2020, which spread all over the United States like fire through a long-dried haystack, showed Americans and the whole world that racialized violence and police brutality are real. They also revealed that such brutality is spatially facilitated in American apartheid—a condition that planning has been far from innocent in creating and maintaining. I think this reckoning is particularly important in the United States, the belly of the beast, where there might have been more of an illusion about planning innocence.
- Moreover, this is a time when the violence through which U.S. imperialism has exercised power worldwide is increasingly exposed.
- Protests in the summer of 2020, which spread all over the United States like fire through a long-dried haystack, showed Americans and the whole world that racialized violence and police brutality are real.
- They also revealed that such brutality is spatially facilitated in American apartheid—a condition that planning has been far from innocent in creating and maintaining. I think this reckoning is particularly important in the United States, the belly of the beast, where there might have been more of an illusion about planning innocence.
What’s a Rich Text element?
Moreover, this is a time when the violence through which U.S. imperialism has exercised power worldwide is increasingly exposed. Protests in the summer of 2020, which spread all over the United States like fire through a long-dried haystack, showed Americans and the whole world that racialized violence and police brutality are real. They also revealed that such brutality is spatially facilitated in American apartheid—a condition that planning has been far from innocent in creating and maintaining. I think this reckoning is particularly important in the United States, the belly of the beast, where there might have been more of an illusion about planning innocence.
What’s a Rich Text element?
Moreover, this is a time when the violence through which U.S. imperialism has exercised power worldwide is increasingly exposed. Protests in the summer of 2020, which spread all over the United States like fire through a long-dried haystack, showed Americans and the whole world that racialized violence and police brutality are real. They also revealed that such brutality is spatially facilitated in American apartheid—a condition that planning has been far from innocent in creating and maintaining. I think this reckoning is particularly important in the United States, the belly of the beast, where there might have been more of an illusion about planning innocence.
What’s a Rich Text element?
Static and dynamic content editing
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
How to customize formatting for each rich text
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
O
n September 26, 2017 the University of Toronto campus erupted after a racist incident at one of its affiliated Colleges. The incident took place over lunch when Senior Fellow of the elite Massey College Michael Marrus (emeritus historian of the Holocaust) gestured at the College ‘Master’ before uttering to a Black woman Junior Fellow: “You know this is your master, eh? Do you feel the lash?” The context for the incident is key. Junior Fellows at Massey, who are also graduate students at the University of Toronto, have been organizing to address systemic racism and transform their college for some time. Efforts specifically directed at changing the name of the head of the college and dropping ‘Master’ have been underway since last year.
A media frenzy no doubt encouraged a quick response from the college to a letter and list of demands issued by Junior Fellows. The word ‘master’ has been taken out of circulation and Professor Marrus has stepped down. Yet more than a week later, the temperature on campus rises to a simmer rather than cools.
Last week’s reprehensible ‘laughing at lashing’ incident was followed by an event on campus this week where three white men, including the head of Massey College, would debate the existence of social inequality. In response to criticism, organizers later added a white woman to the lineup. Still the event was disrupted by a group of well-organized, mostly Black students, who tried to explain to a hostile audience the inequity built into its design. The students also drew connections between incidents, with one sign reading ‘#you are not our master.’
The Junior Fellows’ exhaustion, having all this land on their laps in the academic rush hour of funding deadlines and new courses, is palpable. Black faculty’s immediate response was to send a letter to the head of the college in strong support of the junior fellows and their demands. In addition, Black faculty and staff have been working overtime, supporting students, dealing with media and administrators, and a newly tense campus climate. Indigenous staff and faculty—also on unpaid overtime—pulled together and penned a special letter of solidarity with the Junior Fellows and with Black Faculty. It is time for the rest of us to step up.
I helped write and organize the faculty solidarity letter that was (unintentionally) made public last week. I come from a German Jewish family that mostly survived the Holocaust and feel I honor the struggles and courage of my ancestors when I am accountable to the calling of antiracism. Antiracism entails intolerance of all its forms, not only the kinds that hit closest to home.
Racism not only surfaces within, but sculpts the experience of everyday life in the University. Racism works by keeping many things out: particular bodies from lecture halls, but also particular ideas, histories, and authors from pedagogies. Racism also works by what is kept inside the institution, and sadly this includes white supremacy.
When we listen to the accounts of those most impacted by racism rather than defensively dismiss them, we can see the pervasiveness of violence. We can see that for Professor Marrus’ ‘joke’ to provoke humor rather than pain and rage, our Black colleagues would first need to feel liberty, equity and basic safety where they work.
Thankfully, the commitment to make change is strong among a large and growing campus community. We welcome new members with open arms.
