Greetings Planners!

A few weeks ago we launched a new series on campus: the PLanning Art and Community Engagement Initiative, in association with James Rojas. Over the course of this year we’ll be partnering with community organizations to help them lead uncommonly inclusive public outreach meetings. Rojas has led hundred of meetings nationwide, and brings an innovative method that uses brightly colored manipulatives to help community members build their visions of the built environment.

Am proud to announce that our partnership with James Rojas has already netted some excellent opportunities to help community groups with urban planning related issues.

Check out the list of events below for workshops and other opportunities.

Please RSVP via email to enzminge@usc.edu if you are interested in attending any!

1) CicLAvia: Living Streets
Event: CicLAvia Sunday! Living Streets and James Rojas will turn Paseo Luis Olvera into a living street of bike lanes, art installations, and fun planning activities.
Date: Sunday, October 7, 2012
Time: 9-3:00 p.m.
Location:  Paseo Luis Olvera (between Spring and Main, adjacent to the Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles church)

Feel free to drop-in anytime! No formal duties, just fun stuff.

2) Montebello Housing Development Corporation
Event:  Workshop to teach young Latino leaders about urban planning. These are teens that MHDC has identified as community leaders, and whom it wants to train to be engaged and effective community members.
Date: Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Time:  5-7p
Location: MHDC 1619 Paramount Blvd., Montebello, CA 90640
Duties: Interact with students during the workshop, ask questions, answer questions, be knowledgeable, be enthusiastic.

Nina Idemudia ’14 will be coordinating up a meet-up + carpool out to Montebello (East Los Angeles)

3) Pacoima Beautiful
Event: Peoples’ Urban Planning workshop for Spanish speaking adults. These are community members who want to become more involved in their community, but lack any formal training.
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2012
Time: 6:15pm-7:30/45
Location: Pacoima Library, 13605 Van Nuys Boulevard, Pacoima, CA 91331
Duties: Interact with folks during the workshop, ask questions, answer questions, be knowledgeable, be enthusiastic.

Peter Enzminger ’13 will be coordinating up a meet-up + carpool up to Pacoima (San Fernando Valley)

4) Railvolution
Event: The Railvolution Conference is a national event, at which James Rojas will set up a model of the entire City of Los Angeles.
Date: Sunday Oct 14. (Conference runs Oct 14-17)
Time: Morning, TBA
Location: Loews Hollywood Hotel, 1755 N. Highland Avenue 90028
Duties: Help James set up model on Sunday morning. Then mingle and chat with folks as they approach the model. We are currently in the process of arranging for student volunteers to have free registration at the conference–more details to follow! This could be a great networking opportunity in exchange for a few hours of volunteering.

5) This is a slightly different event, and of note for anyone interested in getting involved with community organizing in Los Angeles.
Client: South East Asian Community Action (SEACA)
Event: Helping SEACA mobilize residents in Chinatown and surrounding areas to testify at an upcoming public meeting. Participants will have a brief training beforehand provided by SEACA. The public meeting concerns a City Planning Commission vote to adopt the Cornfields Arroyo Seco Specific Plan (CASP). SEACA believes the plan as-is will provide insufficient affordable housing and other community benefits. Ability to speak Cantonese or Spanish a plus.
Date: Saturday Oct 6
Time: Noon-4/TBA
Note: While the CASP plan is a controversial and potentially landmark planning document in the City of Los Angeles, ASPD does not officially endorse or object to its pending adoption by the City Planning Commission.

– Peter Enzminger, 2nd Year MPL: Concentration: Economic Development