Generally speaking, many urban planners begin from the framework of white saviorism — the notion that white people know what’s best for community development in Black neighborhoods because their degree says so.
Lauren Hood, a lifelong Detroiter, activist and community developer, decided to flip that notion on its head with the creation of the Institute for AfroUrbanism (IAU), a think tank that aims to explore what Black people need to thrive and transform their communities.
But she first had to unlearn what she was taught during her studies, earning a master’s in community development — Black urbanism is far more than just struggle and trauma highlighted in academia.
“I'm having to unlearn some of the things that we learned in that program,” Hood explained. “But I don't think it was all bad. I think it teaches you how the ecosystem around revitalization efforts work, which is imperative if you want to have an impact in that ecosystem. But I think it teaches it from a framework that you’re saving people.
“I feel like I got a master's degree in gentrification,” she said, with a laugh.
