From hundreds of colorful miniature toys, gadgets and non-descript items, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students fashioned several sustainable communities, per instructions of urban planning specialist Gerardo Sandoval, PhD.
Sandoval, an associate professor in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon, spoke to the introduction to sociology class of Darcy Schmidgall, instructor in the Department of Sociology, during his visit to campus on Friday, April 19.
Connie Frey Spurlock, PhD, SIUE Successful Communities Collaborative faculty director and associate professor in the Department of Sociology, brought Sandoval to the University to share his knowledge and insights on developing and planning sustainable communities, especially in Latino and marginalized neighborhoods. Sandoval’s visit was also a preface to the Earth Day 2019 activities at SIUE planned for Monday-Thursday, April 22-25.
“Sustainable communities benefit everyone, but it is important to engage minority communities,” said Sandoval. “In the history of this country, it has been the opposite. Neighborhoods emphasized and upheld segregation and inequities.”
“Minority groups have not been a part of building and planning their neighborhoods,” he continued. “When they built the freeways, they went down the roads of communities of color. I’m saying the planning process needs to be reshaped by interests in these communities and have these communities participate in shaping their neighborhoods.”
As Rylee Hodges-Stone, a sophomore majoring in biological education, was helping to build a small-scale community, she thought about what is significant to her.
“Education and diversity are important to me,” said Hodges-Stone, of New Baden. “When I go to Fairview Heights or St. Louis and experience diversity, it makes me feel good. I want diversity to be normalized for the young children in our ‘town.’”
Sandoval also presented, “Equity and Sustainability: Participatory Outreach Methods in Teaching and Researching Sustainability” to a general audience.
“Sustainability has a link to social justice and environmental racism,” said Sandoval. “We need to re-evaluate how we do things.”
Sandoval’s research focuses on the roles of immigrants in community regeneration, the urban planning interventions of governments in low-income immigrant communities and the transnational relationships that exist within immigrant neighborhoods. Sandoval’s books include Immigrants and the Revitalization of Los Angeles: Development and Change in MacArthur Park and Biking Justice and Urban Transformation: Biking for All?
Photos:
Gerardo Sandoval, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon.
Sandoval spoke to Darcy Schmidgall’s introduction to sociology class during his visit to campus on Friday, April 19. Sophomore Kristofer Griffin (seated) expresses his delight with the miniature sustainable community. To Griffin’s right is freshman Chi Fong Ko. Also looking on are sophomore Jesse Thielemier and junior Caittlynn Depew.