Urban Limitrophe – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, we're headed to Tangier, Morocco. My co-host Naziha Nasrin and I speak with Amine Houari of Think Tanger, a non-profit cultural agency shaping Tangier's development through art, research, and collaboration. Together, we discuss crucial topics such as creative insurgency, planning in suburban contexts in Toronto (Scarborough) and Tangier (Bir Chifa), multicultural approaches to community development, and insights for other cultural planning organizations. Additionally, we offer advice for Western cities planning for diverse cultural contexts.

Key insights from the episode include:

• Planning in multicultural cities and suburbs 
• The importance of people-centred practices to urban/suburban development
• Think Tanger's StudioCity program and how it promotes dialogue, arts, city-building, and neighbourhood pride in Tangier
• The foundational elements of Think Tanger's approach to fostering a more inclusive and engaged community
• Exploring the colonial history of Tangier and its impact on the city's culture and built environment
• How Think Tanger uses publications like their magazine MAKAN and their store KIOSK alongside residency programs to support the decolonization of arts and culture in the city
• Crafting inclusive approaches that resonate with the unique cultural and historical context of a city
• Strengthening cultural programming and development through strategic collaborations and financial support
• Inclusive approaches to cultural planning

Guest: Amine Houari of Think Tanger

Co-Hosts: Naziha Nasrin of plazaPOPS

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. 

About Urban Limitrophe:

Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes and references and guest details. 

Instagram & Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe 

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://shorturl.at/dKQV9

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com 

Credits: 

Music and editing by Imany Lambropoulos

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos

Join me, along with my co-hosts Joycelyn and Erin, as we dive into an insightful conversation with Lanrick Bennett Jr., Toronto's Bicycle Mayor, and the Executive Director of Charlie's FreeWheels. We explore his tenure as a bike mayor and the expansive network of BYCS-appointed mayors, stretching from India to Uganda and beyond.

In this episode, we discuss crucial topics such as Vision Zero and efforts to reduce vehicular-related fatalities in Toronto. We delve into designing inclusive cycling infrastructure and offer advice for those looking to cycle in the city and who want to get involved in making their streets safer for all.

Key insights from the episode include:

• Understanding the significance of inclusive cycling infrastructure
• Exploring how Shaw St has evolved into Toronto's cycling haven
• The importance of political will in creating safer streets
• Ways to actively contribute to advocating for safer streets in your community
• Insights from international transit advocates on Toronto's cycling infrastructure
• What it takes to ensure safer streets for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers alike
• The global network of Bicycle Mayors and their impact on urban development
• And much more

Guest: Lanrick Bennett Jr., Bicycle Mayor of Toronto & Executive Director of Charlie’s FreeWheels

Co-Hosts: Joycelyn Guan and Erin

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. 

About Urban Limitrophe:

• Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes and references and guest details. 
• Instagram & Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe 
• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://shorturl.at/dKQV9
• Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com 

Credits: 

• Music by Imany Lambropoulos
• Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos

In this episode, my co-host Hannah Ahamedi and I chatted with Milly Kakungulu, the Education Department Lead at Justice Defenders Uganda. Through our discussion, we learned more about how the Justice Defenders (formerly known as the African Prisons Project) are defending the defenceless by educating prisoners on how to provide legal services for themselves and others. 

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• the importance of a people-centred approach to justice,
• the different challenges that prisoners face with getting access to justice in the current legal system,  
• the Justice Defenders model (education, training, practice) and the various opportunities that Justice Defenders provides participants,
• how prisoners have leveraged the education Justice Defenders' has provided them to transform their own lives and influence policies that improve justice within their communities at various government levels,
• the Reach Alliance (@reachallianceto ) and how our research project inspired Hannah and I to create this episode,
• and much more!

Guest: Milly Kakungulu, Education Department Lead at Justice Defenders

• Website: https://www.justice-defenders.org/

Co-Host: Hannah Ahamedi

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. 

About Urban Limitrophe:

Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes and references and guest details. 

Instagram & Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe 

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com 

Credits: 

Music by Imany Lambropoulos

Editing by Hannah Ahamedi

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos.

In this episode, I chat again with Roxana Escobar Ñañez. Roxana is pursuing her Ph.D. in Human Geography at the University of Toronto and she was recently one of five special guests on the 12th episode of the podcast. Given her unique research interests, after our last conversation, I decided to invite her to the show again to dive deeper into her work examining 'the places Afro-Peruvian women hold in Lima’s sonic landscapes' and Black womanhood in Latin America and to get a better understanding about how these themes of music, Blackness, and cities emerge in the diaspora. What started off as a discussion of her research turned into a vivid exploration of Lima's history through the lens of Afro-Peruvian music, food, culture, and most importantly Black joy and resilience. 

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• the project of mestizaje and the origins of criollo music and culture in Peru,
• what are sonic landscapes and how Afro-Peruvian women, in particular, are essential to shaping Lima's vibrant soundscape and unique cultural identity,
• the key characteristics of Afro-Peruvian music, 
• additional resources and artists to help you learn more about Afro-Peruvian culture and its impact in Peru,
• the importance of highlighting Black joy when researching Black histories and geographies,
• and much more!

Guest: Roxana Escobar Ñañez

• Twitter: @RoxanaEscobarN
• Instagram: @Roxanaescobar14
• Email: roxana.escobar[at]mail.utoronto.ca

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. 

About Urban Limitrophe:

Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes and references and guest details. 

Instagram & Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe 

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos. 

Music by Imany Lambropoulos

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com

This special episode of Urban Limitrophe is brought to you in collaboration with the Graduate Geography & Planning Student Society (GGAPSS) in celebration of Black History/Black Futures Month!

In this episode, I speak with Roxana Escobar Ñañez (PhD Human Geography), Brianna Lane (MSc Physical Geography), Priscilla Ankomah-Hackman (MSc Planning), Jane O'Brien Davis (MSc Planning), and Bola Oshinusi (PhD Planning) to explore why they got interested in geography and planning, and their advice for other aspiring geographers and planners looking to study in this field.

In this episode, you'll learn about each guests':

• research interests and upcoming projects,
• reasons for studying at the University of Toronto,
• hopes for having more diversity in their respective field,
• advice for other emerging geographers and planners,
• and much more!

Collaborator: Graduate Geography & Planning Student Society (GGAPSS) 

• Twitter: @GGAPSS_UT
• Instagram: @ggapss
• Website: ggapss.wordpress.com/
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/ggapss/about/

Guests (visit the podcast website for contact details):

• Roxana Escobar Ñañez (PhD Human Geography)
• Brianna Lane (MSc Physical Geography)
• Priscilla Ankomah-Hackman (MSc Planning)
• Jane O'Brien Davis (MSc Planning)
• Bola Oshinusi (PhD Planning)

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. 

About Urban Limitrophe:

Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes and references and guest details. 

Instagram & Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe 

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos. 

Music by Imany Lambropoulos

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com

In this episode, I speak with Abigail Moriah, a registered urban planner and founder of the Black Planning Project. Through this initiative, Abigail and her team, collect and share the stories of Black urban planning professionals and students to highlight their important work and encourage more diverse voices to enter the profession. Most importantly, through its various mentorship opportunities and research endeavours, the Black Planning Project builds the relationships and community ties necessary to ensure that urban planning and hopefully the city-building sector makes room for new perspectives and ideas.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• why it is essential to encourage spaces where urban planners can discuss racial injustices in planning,
• about some of the experiences and injustices that Black planners face in their profession,
• about resources and advice for emerging urban planners of colour to help them navigate the field,
• the importance of including diverse voices in the urban planning profession,
• and much more!

Guest: Abigail Moriah, The Black Planning Project / BPUA / MIIPOC

• Facebook: facebook.com/BlackPlanningProject
• Twitter: @planning_black
• Instagram: @blackplanningproject
• Website: www.blackplanningproject.com/

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. 

The School of Cities "convenes urban-focused researchers, educators, students, practitioners and the general public to explore and address complex urban challenges, with the aim of making cities and urban regions more sustainable, prosperous, inclusive and just". To learn more about the School of Cities visit www.schoolofcities.utoronto.ca. 

To learn more about the Department of Geography and Planning and the different undergraduate and graduate programs available please visit www.geography.utoronto.ca.

About Urban Limitrophe:

Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes and references and guest details. 

Instagram & Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe 

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos. 

Editing by Hannah Ahamedi

Music by Imany Lambropoulos

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com

In this episode, I speak with Carolina Larrazábal, the co-founder and design director at BuildX Studio. BuildX Studio is an innovative award-winning architectural studio based in Nairobi, which is the first architecture, engineering or construction company in Africa to become B Corp™ certified. The team at BuildX Studio is on a mission to build radically better buildings, and back in July 2021 I got to speak with Carolina to learn more about how her team is building dignified circular affordable housing in Kenya and how through their relationships and partnerships with other organizations such as their sister branch BuildHer, their work focuses on embedding equity, diversity and sustainability in every stage of the development process.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• what is dignified affordable housing and what considerations go into creating it,
• Mass timber/Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and why BuildX thinks that it is the future of building materials in this region and beyond,
• BuildX's Circular Cooperative Affordable Housing Project,
• their efforts to build 10,000 affordable homes by 2030,
• how they hope that their affordable homes will provide a pathway to homeownership for low-income sectors of the population,
• and much more!

Guest: Carolina Larrazábal

• Instagram: @buildxstudio
• Twitter: @buildxstudio 
• Youtube: BuildX Studio
• Website: www.buildxstudio.com

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. 

The School of Cities "convenes urban-focused researchers, educators, students, practitioners and the general public to explore and address complex urban challenges, with the aim of making cities and urban regions more sustainable, prosperous, inclusive and just". To learn more about the School of Cities visit www.schoolofcities.utoronto.ca. 

To learn more about the Department of Geography and Planning and the different undergraduate and graduate programs available please visit www.geography.utoronto.ca.

About Urban Limitrophe:

Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes and references and guest details. 

Instagram & Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe 

Podcast concept, develepment, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos. 

Music by Imany Lambropoulos

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com

In this episode, I speak with Paul Ninson, a photographer, and filmmaker about the importance of visual storytelling and how after collecting over 30,000 books on photography and film, he is in the beginning stages of building The Dikan Center. The center will be the first visual storytelling library in Ghana. The Dikan Center will train not only the next generation of storytellers but build a community hub that welcomes locals and newcomers alike to learn about, celebrate, and create African stories and flip the dominant, negative narrative about life on the continent.  

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• Paul's vision for the center and the programming it will provide,
• the upcoming photography exhibition,
• how he collected over 30,000 books to start the Dikan Center,
• how the center will be an incubator for talent as well as community,
• opportunities to get involved with getting the center built and learning/teaching about visual storytelling,
• and much more!

Guest: Paul Ninson

• Facebook: facebook.com/dikancenter
• Twitter: @dikancenter
• Instagram: @dikancenter
• Website: https://www.dikancenter.org/

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. 

The School of Cities "convenes urban-focused researchers, educators, students, practitioners and the general public to explore and address complex urban challenges, with the aim of making cities and urban regions more sustainable, prosperous, inclusive and just". To learn more about the School of Cities visit www.schoolofcities.utoronto.ca. 

To learn more about the Department of Geography and Planning and the different undergraduate and graduate programs available please visit www.geography.utoronto.ca.

About Urban Limitrophe:

Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes and references and guest details. 

Instagram & Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe 

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos. 

Music by Imany Lambropoulos

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Melanie Samson, about the important role that waste reclaimers play in our cities, particularly in Johannesburg. Melanie works closely with the African Reclaimers Organization (ARO), a non-profit group that is fighting to get waste reclaimers the rights and recognition they deserve for their hard work and ensuring that their knowledge and perspectives are incorporated in the broader waste management system. 

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• why in some cities there can be no recycling without waste reclaimers,
• the precarious conditions and inequality waste reclaimers face when doing their work,
• the great strides that the African Reclaimers Organization (ARO) has made to get reclaimers the recognition they deserve,
• why reclaimers are much more effective and efficient at collecting waste than private companies,
• the steps people can take to support waste reclaimers work in their community,
• and much more!

Guest: Dr. Melanie Samson 

• Melanie's Email: melanies[at]uj.ac.za 
• ARO’s Facebook: facebook.com/africanreclaimers
• ARO’s Twitter: @africanreclaim
• ARO's Instagram: @africanreclaimers
• ARO’s Website: https://www.africanreclaimers.org/

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. “The School of Cities convenes urban-focused researchers, educators, students, practitioners and the general public to explore and address complex urban challenges, with the aim of making cities and urban regions more sustainable, prosperous, inclusive and just.” To learn more about their work visit www.schoolofcities.utoronto.ca.

More Urban Limitrophe:

Episode show notes and references: www.urbanlimitrophe.com

Instagram & Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe 

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos. 

Music by Imany Lambropoulos

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com.

In this episode, I speak with Liz Gomis, about the inspiration and process of developing OFF TO Magazine. OFF TO Magazine is a bilingual, biannual magazine available online and through print, that explores African Cities through the eyes of local citizens. Each issue centers around one African city and uses the experience of local journalists, writers, artists, architects, urban planners, historians, and more, to dispel some myths about the city and share why it is a region worth heading off to.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• how OFF TO Magazine lets the local citizens of each featured city guide the content of each issue,
• common misconceptions about Africa and how they negatively shape the rest of the world's understanding of its various cities, regions and people,
• why there needs to be a more holistic representation of African cities in popular media, 
• how the magazine connects Africans across the diaspora, 
• and much more!

Guest: Liz Gomis

• Instagram: @offtomag | @mizliz
• Facebook: facebook.com/offtomag
• Twitter: @offtomag
• Website: www.offtomag.com

This episode is sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and co-supported by the Department of Geography and Planning. “The School of Cities convenes urban-focused researchers, educators, students, practitioners and the general public to explore and address complex urban challenges, with the aim of making cities and urban regions more sustainable, prosperous, inclusive and just.” To learn more about their work visit www.schoolofcities.utoronto.ca.

This episode is also sponsored by Glowreel. Glowreel is a weekly newsletter, curated by women of colour and delivered straight to inboxes every Monday. Glowreel is here to highlight the stories and achievements of BIPOC women. The aim is to empower and inspire BIPOC women to celebrate their wins, discuss important issues impacting BIPOC women, and to encourage anyone who identifies as a BIPOC woman to blaze their own trail! To subscribe to the newsletter or submit a story please visit www.glowreel.co

More Urban Limitrophe:

Episode show notes and references: www.urbanlimitrophe.com

Instagram/Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe 

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos. 

Music by Imany Lambropoulos

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com.