“MUSE-ings: Planning While Black in a Pandemic” is a free virtual panel discussion with Black planners from four cities (Philly, Chicago, LA, Detroit) taking stock of this moment personally and professionally. Nina Idemudia, AICP, is bringing together these voices and the panel is comprised of three planners who will share their expertise, insights and experiences: Kristen Gordon, Economic Development Deputy for Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson in Los Angeles; Khalilah Burt Gaston, Founder & President at Guidepath Strategies in Detroit; and Dr. Matthew Miller, Provost Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design in Philadelphia. This conversation is part of a series by MUSE called Candid Covid Convos as a space for honest conversations about how planning & related fields can respond to today’s crises.

The program is free and takes place on Thursday, Jun 18, 2020, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM CDT. In lieu of a ticket cost, the registration link allows for donations for Black architecture & planning organizations which are in high stakes circumstances right now – from CDFIs to community organizing CBOs/RCOs and more – because of the COVID-driven recession. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/museings-planning-while-black-in-a-crisis-tickets-109656728226

Matthew Jordan Miller is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design Department of City and Regional Planning. His intellectual interests are economic development, placemaking and place-keeping, and visual/spatial analysis, particularly on and for Black/African diasporic communities. He is a photographer, storyteller, and geographer who approaches these topics using mixed methods for producing insights that he weaves into his essays, presentations, teachings, and research. Dr. Miller has worked through fellowships and consultancies at governmental agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the City of Stockton, the City of Los Angeles’ Economic and Workforce Development Department, and most recently the National Endowment for the Arts as a Panelist. He is working on his first book, based on his doctoral dissertation, exploring and theorizing around the geography of Black commerce, culture, and creativity in the United States. His intellectual work has been honored by the National Academy of the Sciences and the Association for Collegiate Schools in Planning. His civic work has been recognized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the California State Legislature. His artistic and cultural work has been featured in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, and the Philadelphia Tribune.

Register here

Thursday, May 28th at 10:00 AM

Pennsylvania downtowns are the economic, social, and cultural heart of many communities. Downtown buildings, businesses and activities often reflect a community’s history, values and economic core as well as the aspirations of local leaders and community members. Today, Pennsylvania downtowns are facing the daunting task of responding to the current economic havoc and planning for future challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of those efforts, there are many ways in which the application of a traditional downtown design ethic can be appropriately and thoughtfully integrated into recovery efforts.

Join the Pennsylvania Downtown Center and staff from the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office for a one-hour webinar to explore different ways your community can sensitively manage the changes we face as a result of the pandemic’s impact. Based upon the Main Street principles of Economic Vitality and Design, this webinar is focused on providing realistic and practical suggestions for communities of all shapes and sizes whether they are in the reaction, response, or recovery phase. Among topics to be covered will be messaging, vacancy management or prevention, Historic Architectural Review Board or Preservation Commission activities and more.

Speakers include:

• Mary Tate, Pennsylvania Downtown Center
• Cory Kegerise/PA SHPO Eastern Region Community Preservation Coordinator
• Bryan Van Sweden/PA SHPO Central Region Community Preservation Coordinator
• Bill Callahan/PA SHPO Western Region Community Preservation Coordinator

DVRPC has several planned webinars on COVID-19. Click here for the full list and more resources on COVID-19.

Adapting Streets for Safe Outdoor Social Distancing

Date: Friday, May 15, 2020
Time: 2:00 – 3:00 pm

Many towns and cities are adapting streets to offer more safe space for walking and biking during social distancing. Some places have removed street parking to increase available space for walking, and others have closed entire streets to vehicle traffic. Learn about these adaptations and get ideas to try in your community, now and in the future.

Host: Greg Krykewycz – Associate Director of Multimodal Planning
Registration

Best Practices for Facilitating Remote Meetings

Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm

DVRPC’s Office of Communications & Engagement will share some of the practices the Commission has adopted to move our regular convenings online. We’ll share tips for making working meetings with colleagues less painful, and what things we’re considering for online public meetings. Time permitting, participants will be asked to share their experiences with remote meetings.

Host: Alison Hastings – Manager, Office of Communications and Engagement
Registration

Bike Sharing, Bike Libraries and Bike Matching

Date: Friday, May 22, 2020
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm

With the uncertainties around reopening our region, it’s likely that more of us will rely on bicycling as a safe way to commute and recreate, but not everyone has access to their own bike. Join us as we discuss the new considerations for getting bicycles safely to those who don’t have their own bicycles.

Host: Liz Compitello – Manager, Local Initiatives and Betsy Mastaglio – Manager, Office of Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning
Registration

Tips for Successful Telework

Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Time: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Whether you’ve always had a telework program for your employees, you had to implement one quickly during the COVID-19 closings, or you’re still thinking about implementing one, this webinar will give you the basic info you need to get the most benefits from telework, at any stage of the game.

Host: Stacy Bartels – Manager, Office of Marketing and Commuter Services
Registration TBA

Webinars Coming Soon:

• New COVID-19 Practices for Emergency Responders
• The 5P’s that Aren’t Pandemic – Retail Strategies

When: October 17: 1-2pm

Registration: Implementing Active Transportation Policy

Hear from representatives from three locales in Pennsylvania about how they are implementing Complete Streets and Vision Zero policies. What kinds of infrastructure improvements are being made to increase walkability and bikeability? What types of destinations were considered when prioritizing the sequence of projects? What were some of the challenges they incurred and how might you avoid them? …and what you really want to know: How are the improvements being funded?