We Descend from the River

For the final episode of Perspectives on Public Space, Sara Ivry speaks with Nate Storring, Co-Executive Director at Project for Public Spaces, a nonprofit organization that unlocks the power of public space to strengthen the well-being of communities around the world. Click here to access a transcript of this interview, annotated with freely accessible scholarship from JSTOR. 

How can we design public spaces that help people thrive and connect—with each other and with their environment? Sara Ivry speaks with Robin Mark, director of partnerships at SALT, Los Angeles-based design studio that prioritizes community, social justice, and the environment when working in public spaces. Click here to access a transcript of this interview, annotated with freely accessible scholarship from JSTOR.   

Sara Ivry speaks with Joshua Citarella, an artist, internet culture writer, and host of Doomscroll, a video podcast exploring online culture and politics in the 21st century. Click here to access a transcript of this interview, annotated with freely accessible scholarship from JSTOR. 

Sara Ivry speaks with Dr. Dannie Ritchie, MD, MPH, a physician, public health leader, and founder of Community Health Innovation of Rhode Island, about fostering food justice, social connectivity, and better health at a local community garden. Click here to access a transcript of this interview, annotated with freely accessible scholarship from JSTOR. 

Public spaces are often sites of commemoration of events in the nation's history. But which public is represented in and served by those spatialized celebrations? Sara Ivry speaks with Joy and Jo Banner, co-founders of The Descendants Project, an organization that works to eliminate the narrative violence of plantation tourism, champion the voice of the Black descendant community, and combat the health threats to residents in Louisiana's Cancer Alley. Click here to access a transcript of this interview, annotated with freely accessible scholarship from JSTOR. 

Most Americans agree on the value of preserving public lands. How did the idea of public lands come about, and how can we ensure they exist in the future? Sara Ivry speaks with John Leshy, emeritus professor of Law at the University of California, San Francisco and former Solicitor (General Counsel) of the US Department of the Interior. Click here to access a transcript of this interview, annotated with freely accessible scholarship from JSTOR.   

What is public space? How is it produced, and why is that production important for our social and political lives? Sara Ivry speaks with Setha Low, Distinguished Professor, Psychology, Anthropology, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Women's and Gender Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center. Click here to access a transcript of this interview, annotated with freely accessible scholarship from JSTOR.