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My Black Space
My Black Space — hosted by Paul Bauknight Jr., urbanist, designer, educator, spatial justice activist, and founder and president of the Center for Transformative Urban Design— features candid conversations about spatial justice, community empowerment, and the lived experiences of people in urban spaces. We'll delve into how design and policy intersect with race, culture, and equity.
My Black Space
Who Gets to Shape Neighborhoods with Jamil Ford Sr.
What does it mean to design for liberation... not just aesthetics?
In this episode of My Black Space, host Paul Bauknight sits down with acclaimed architect and developer Jamil Ford Sr., founder of Mobilize Design & Architecture (MDA), to explore how design intersects with equity, land, and legacy in Black communities.
Together, they unpack the challenges and opportunities of community-rooted development, the role of Black architects as cultural stewards, and why design must go beyond buildings to create systems of care, ownership, and voice.
Jamil shares real stories from two of his most powerful projects:
- A mixed-use development in North Minneapolis designed to address affordable housing and food access in historically disinvested areas
- The Hennepin County Social Services Center, where deep community engagement shaped every design decision despite major site constraints