Urban Limitrophe

Join me in this captivating episode of the podcast as I have an insightful conversation with Heba Elhanafy, an urban researcher from the Charter Cities Institute (CCI) Zambia. Together, we explore the fascinating world of charter city development and dive deep into the Planning Guidelines Report titled "Guided Organic Growth: An urban planning framework for charter cities." In this episode, you'll learn about: What are charter cities and why promoting good governance is at the heart of making them workThe benefits of taking an incremental approach to infrastructure development for more affordability and efficiency The importance of adapting urban policies and plans to the evolving needs of citizensAnd much more! Guest: Heba Elhanafy, Charter Cities Institute (CCI) Zambia Website: www.chartercitiesinstitute.orgTwitter: @hebaelhanafiInstagram: @hebaelhanafyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heba-elhanafy-918691a0 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 and editing by Imany Lambropoulos Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos

In this episode, I chat with Angela Oduor Lungati, the CEO of Ushahidi. Ushahdi is a mobile platform dubbed “Africa’s Gift to Silicon Valley” by the New York Times. Born out of a crisis, the open-source software enables virtually anyone with a cellphone or internet connection to efficiently crowd-source information, map it and share it with those the most in need and guide those who can provide aid. Ushahidi is a powerful planning and decision-making tool for communities and cities in the midst of an emergency and has been used by groups worldwide to track everything from COVID-19 recovery to police brutality and everything in between. In this episode, you'll learn about: Guest: Angela Oduor Lungati, CEO of Ushahidi www.ushahidi.com@AngieNicoleOD@Ushahidi@Ushahidigive.ushahidi.com 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 and editing by Imany Lambropoulos Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos

En novembre 2021, j'ai eu le plaisir de parler avec M. Patrick Mudekereza le Directeur Exécutif du Centre d'Art Waza. Le Centre d'Art Waza, situé à Lubumbashi, en République démocratique du Congo une ville désignée en 2015 par l'UNESCO, comme étant la Ville créative d'artisanat et des arts populaires. Ainsi, pendant notre discussion nous parlons par rapport de la créativité des Lushois, du rôle de l'art public dans la ville, les projets divers dirigés par le Centre et ce qui fait de Lubumbashi une Ville Créative. Dans cet épisode, vous découvrirez: Invité: Patrick Mudekereza www.centredartwaza.org@centredartwaza@centredartwaza Remerciements: Cet épisode est co-parrainé par l'Université de Toronto School of Cities et le Département de Geographie et de l'Aménagement Urban Limitrophe: Veuillez visitez www.urbanlimitrophe.com pour toutes les notes et références de l’émission et les détails sur les invités. @urbanlimitrophepodcast @urbanlimitrophe Assistance:

In this episode, my co-host Sami Ferwati and I chat with Salma Elbasty from CLUSTER (Cairo Lab for Urban Studies, Training and Environmental Research). CLUSTER undertakes a number of research, architecture, and arts-based urban initiatives with a special focus on analyzing urban informality and highlighting its role in our cities. During our discussion, we explore the impact of two of CLUSTER's major projects—the CAUL (Critical Arab Urban Lexicon) and their Creativity in Action toolkit—and how through their diverse programming they work with artists, artisans, academics, businesses, communities, and everyone else in between to bring their projects to life. In this episode, you'll learn about: Guest: Salma Elbasty, CLUSTER Website: www.clustercairo.orgTwitter: @clustercairoInstagram: @clustercairo Co-Host: Sami Ferwati 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 LambropoulosPodcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos

In this episode, my co-host Jane O'Brien Davis and I chat with Marion Anvango at Book Bunk. Book Bunk is "working to restore some of Nairobi's most iconic public libraries into sites of heritage, public art, collective memory, knowledge production, shared experiences, cultural leadership and information exchange." During our discussion, we explore their diverse series of programming that they offer in their public library branches. We also chat about Book Bunk's approach to restoring libraries to make them more inclusive and accessible and cultivate a sense of belonging for the local community. In this episode, you'll learn about: Guest: Marion Anvango, Book Bunk https://www.bookbunk.org/@thebookbunk@thebookbunk Co-Host: Jane O’Brien Davis linkedin.com/in/jane-o-brien-davis-772211197/ 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 Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos

In this episode, I chat with Adwoa Afful, the founder of Black Futures Now Toronto (BFN TO). BFN TO is collective that uses a mixture of storytelling, radical mapping, and a whole lot of creative talent, to develop a number of interactive ways of archiving, experiencing, and celebrating overlooked Black histories and geographies. During our talk, we explore their innovative Mapping Black Futures (MBF) story mapping project, and how in collaboration with Black nonbinary youth and women from across the Greater Toronto Area, they built a virtual community centre that highlights Black histories and placemaking. In this episode, you'll learn about: why it's important to map Black histories and Black geographies,what is counter/radical mapping and how it can be used as a tool for community building,how Black Futures Now Toronto developed their virtual community centre,the youth responsible for creating the content for the Mapping Black Futures project,and much more!Guest: Adwoa Afful, Black Futures Now Toronto Website: www.blackfuturesnow.to/Twitter: @BlackFuturesNowInstagram: @bfntorontobfntoronto[at]gmail.com 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 speak with Tatu Gatere, the co-founder and CEO of Buildher. Buildher is a non-profit based in Nairobi Kenya that is on a mission to promote gender equality within the construction industry through the provision of accredited construction, artisanry, and manufacturing skills to women that participate in their training program. Through their holistic approach to skills training and workforce development, Buildher is working hard to knock down biases and close the gender gap in the construction industry in Kenya and beyond. In this episode, you'll learn about: Buildher's holistic approach to training women in the construction and artisanry,why it's important for women to be involved in the construction/urban infrastructure sector, recommendations for integrating more women into the construction sector,the exciting projects (i.e. their new product line) that Buildher has in store,their upcoming podcast's and programming's focus on youth employability in Kenya,and much more! Guest: Tatu Gatere, CEO and Co-Founder of Buildher Website: https://www.buildher.org/ 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: @urbanlimitrophepodcast 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, 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 Reach Alliance (@reachallianceto ) and how our research project inspired Hannah and I to create this episode, Guest: Milly Kakungulu, Education Department Lead at Justice Defenders 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: mestizaje criollo Guest: Roxana Escobar Ñañez @RoxanaEscobarN @Roxanaescobar14 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': Collaborator: Graduate Geography & Planning Student Society (GGAPSS) Guests (visit the podcast website for contact details): 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 the community ties necessary to make sure that urban planning and hopefully the city building sector overall 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 Facebook: facebook.com/BlackPlanningProjectTwitter: @planning_blackInstagram: @blackplanningprojectWebsite: 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: Guest: Carolina Larrazábal Instagram: @buildxstudioTwitter: @buildxstudio Youtube: BuildX StudioWebsite: 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: Guest: Paul Ninson facebook.com/dikancenter@dikancenter@dikancenterhttps://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: Guest: Dr. Melanie Samson facebook.com/africanreclaimers@africanreclaim@africanreclaimershttps://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: Guest: Liz Gomis @offtomag@mizliz facebook.com/offtomag@offtomagwww.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.

In this episode, I discuss urban play spaces and child-friendly cities with Amowi Phillips from the Mmofra Foundation. The Mmofra Foundations is a non-profit based out of Accra, Ghana that transforms urban spaces and urban green spaces into creative labs where children and youth can play and learn while being exposed to art, culture, and nature. In this episode, you'll learn about: Guest: Amowi Phillips mmofraghana.org @mmofrafoundationfacebook.com/mmofra.foundation@mmofra_ghanalinkedin.com/company/mmofra-foundation/ This episode is sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities. “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: @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 discuss recycling and the importance of creating sustainable energy alternatives with Naomi Fagla Medegan, the founder of Gbobètô. Gbobètô is a non-profit based out of Porto-Novo, Benin that sees waste as a tool for social and sustainable development and through their various recycling programs works to make cities cleaner and communities empowered. In this episode, you'll learn about: Guest: Naomi Fagla Medegan https://gbobeto.org/@gbobeto @gbobetohttps://www.linkedin.com/company/gbobetoasso/ Music by Imany Lambropoulos More Urban Limitrophe: www.urbanlimitrophe.com@urbanlimitrophe

In this episode, I discuss a bit about community climate change adaptation and the importance of incorporating the youth voice in decision-making with Daniel Onyango, the founder of The Hope Raisers Initiative. The Hope Raisers Initiative uses arts, culture, and sports to amplify the youth voice in the neighbourhood of Korogocho in Nairobi, Kenya. Through the organization, community members get opportunities to creatively transform public spaces in their neighbourhood whether that is through music, murals, or matatus (i.e. buses). In this episode, you'll learn about: Guest: Daniel Onyango https://www.hoperaisersinitiative.com/@hoperaisers@raisershope Music by Imany Lambropoulos More Urban Limitrophe: www.urbanlimitrophe.com@urbanlimitrophe

In this episode, I discuss a bit about the role of the cultural appropriateness of food in tackling food insecurity and chat with Chef Rachel Adjei, the founder of The Abibiman Project. The Abibiman Project is an initiative started by Rachel in October 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, that uses African cuisine and ingredients to help promote social justice and reduce food insecurity in Toronto's black community. In this episode, we’ll touch on: Guest: Rachel Adjei http://www.theabibimanproject.com@theabibimanproject@raeadjei Music by Imany Lambropoulos More Urban Limitrophe: Episode show notes and references: www.urbanlimitrophe.com Instagram: @urbanlimitrophe Podcast concept and development by Alexandra Lambropoulos. Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com.

In this episode, I discuss the importance of public libraries in cities with Professor Lia Frederiksen. I also chat with Grant McNulty of McNulty Consulting the team behind iAfrika, a mobile-friendly platform that works with local libraries to help their communities create and distribute African language content. In this episode, you'll learn about: Guest: Grant McNulty https://www.mcnulty.co.za/https://iafrika.org/Expert: Lia Frederiksen http://www.liafrederiksen.org/ Music by Imany Lambropoulos More Urban Limitrophe: www.urbanlimitrophe.com@urbanlimitrophe