BlackSpace Urbanist Collective

Our collective brings together planners, architects, artists, and designers as Black urbanists. We created the BlackSpace Manifesto to practice new ways of protecting and creating Black spaces in the built environment. Through customized learning, published content, neighborhood strategy, and urbanist experiences, BlackSpace co-creates spaces for new ideas, critical connections, and design excellence that acknowledge, affirm and amplify the lives of Black folks nationally.

This campaign is a space for our supporters to contribute to our operational needs as we build.

In 2020, BlackSpace took a “Chrysalis Year” to focus on our operational sustainability goals and, despite 2020 taking us for a wild ride, we met nearly all of our milestones! Now, we’re looking to our broad community of support to help us exceed our final push of $87,000 towards our total $400,000 Chrysalis goal ($250,000 represented in this campaign). 

2020 BlackSpace Community Accomplishments:

• Submitted our 501(c)3 application and received official non-profit status! 
• Doubled our affiliate cities to now include Atlanta and Indianapolis! 
• Designed and packaged our Manifesto-based thought leadership into a suite of customized learning workshops and neighborhood strategy services! 
• Shared our story and work with folx at The World Around, ioby and Fast Company.
• Hired our first Managing Co-Directors, Emma Osore and Kenyattta McLean!

Hold up, wait a minute…

• We are so close to our last Chrysalis goal! We’ve raised $312,221 last year from institutional grants and individuals and need a last push from our community to help us reach our last $87,000 so we are set up to grow our reach and re-establish our community programming in 2021 (see our plans below)!

2021 BlackSpace Community Goals

• Launch a new pilot program to link Black urbanists with values-based Black neighborhood strategy projects. 
• Grow our global community engagement by 1,000+ people at two national convenings.
• Add new affiliate(s) to build our published content and local urbanist experiences.
• Co-develop the Brownsville Heritage House’s neighborhood history exhibition and tour.
• Scale staff from part to full time.

Come through!

Our interests are rooted in connecting the social, environmental, and cultural causes that can together Manifest the future! We continue to push forward toward our vision of a present and future where Black people, Black spaces, and Black culture matter and thrive.