Pub. 2 2021-2022 Issue 1

13 “Race, place, and equity—all these things are interconnected.” Congress passed the Fair Housing Act of 1968 to fight the practice of redlining, or putting services (financial or otherwise) out of reach for residents of certain areas based on race or ethnicity, but communities of color still feel the effects of redlining today. As Bullard pointed out, most of the middle-class wealth in this country is embedded in housing and home ownership, and redlining and racism stole much of that transformative wealth from past generations of minority Americans. Areas that were redlined also disproportionately suffer from negative environmental impacts — demonstrated by the fact that many of them also closely map to flood plains. In addition, the disproportionate effects of natural disasters on communities of color are widening the racial wealth gap. Bullard cited a 2018 study from Rice University and the University of Pittsburgh that found that damage caused by natural disasters and recovery efforts launched in their aftermaths have increased wealth inequality between races in the United States. FEMA aid is not equitably distributed across communities, and this is particularly true when it comes to infrastructure redevelopment, which impacts residents’ property appreciation and the viability of businesses. “It used to be a footnote and now it’s a headline,” Bullard said, encouraging architects to “expand your discipline’s contribution to justice.” And impacts of extreme weather events on communities that have historically been discriminated against are only going to grow worse as the impacts of climate change grow more severe. Being aware of these unjust phenomena is a starting point, but a lot of work remains. Breaking down silos It’s well-documented that the U.S. has a long history of city planners not consulting or interacting with the communities for whom they are planning. It’s essential that planners — and architects — tap into the wealth of knowledge in communities when aiding them in planning for their own future. “Communities need to be consulted and given parity,” Bullard said. It’s important that architects and planners not “parachute in knowing everything” but rather take cues from people with intimate knowledge of their own neighborhoods and living places. The health inequities in many underserved communities can also provide architects with opportunities to address them. “What are some things that we can do to respond to [health inequity] in a systemic way?” Dowdell asked Bullard, pointing out the stark differences in life expectancy between neighborhoods in northern Chicago, the city where she lives, and the South Side — a gap of about 30 years. “Grocery stores, parks, green space, access to health care — we have to dissect those social determinants and eliminate those factors that feed into those disparities,” Bullard said. Studies have shown that exposure to green spaces, not to mention their cleaner air, has had positive overall impacts on health. “This is not rocket science; it’s more political science,” he said. “We need to address those built environment disparities that generate those outcomes.” “We need to invest in opportunity and invest in infrastructure that says that all communities matter,” he continued. “We cannot allow black and brown communities to have asthma rates that are so dismal,” along with a host of other interconnected conditions that impact health and wellness. “It has to make you angry,” he said. “The time right now is the do-something time. It’s about bringing together the right kinds of discipline, the right kinds of commitment. It’s not just money; it’s also people.” “The racism of 100 years ago should not be the racism that is brought into the future.” b