Justin Garrett Moore calls for greater diversity in the planning process and believes youth internships can promote their access to the professions.

“To change that, [Justin Garrett] Moore tells The Root, it’s crucial to build a pipeline of diverse talent. Moore recalled his own entry into the field when, at age 14, he was hired as an intern for CSO Architects in Indianapolis. While designing a gymnasium for Moore’s high school, CSO was asked to hire two summer interns from the school. Two decades later, both of those interns—black men from an underperforming inner-city public high school—have careers in the planning and design professions. ‘Someone really should replicate that on a much larger scale,’ said Moore.

The dynamics of community meetings are also important. ‘We need to ask, who is at the table?’ said Moore. ‘Who is heading the table, and facilitating the discussion?’ And, more importantly: ‘Who is calling the meeting in the first place?’” – Charles D. Ellison, The Root

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Urban Planning Can’t Happen Without Black People in the Room—Yet It Does, The Root