By: Andy Alvarez --- Reflections from Open Engagement 2017 – JUSTICE It was my first time ever being in the Midwest and I was amazed at the type of city that Chicago is. This vast, diverse, and progressive metropolitan city has a completely different feel to my home...
By: Christopher Barahona --- Reflections from Open Engagement 2017 – JUSTICE In all honesty, I had a preconceived notion of what the Midwest was going to be like. That notion was of a city, Chicago, with a lack of diversity and lack of prominent cultural landmarks to see....
By: Omar Vargas --- Reflections from Open Engagement 2017 – JUSTICE This April, the Urban Futures Lab Fellows had the opportunity to present on our fellowship at Open Engagement, a conference in Chicago. Open Engagement is an annual artist-led conference dedicated to expanding the dialogue around socially engaged...
By: Shirley Ramirez --- Reflections from Open Engagement 2017 – JUSTICE “You are about to enter a space that is unjust.” A stern-faced man wearing an officer badge is standing outside the door with the sign. He says that we’re not allowed inside until exactly 2pm. As soon...
By: Christopher Barahona --- NVTIVE/ NON NVTIVE is a photo essay telling the narrative of water and its relationship to Los Angeles, understanding that water is central to the establishment of LA as a city. The essay also has undertones of personal reflection on what it means...
By: Shirley Ramirez --- With each module, Fellows dig into readings, exercises, site visits, and conversations around a theme. Module 3's theme = Los Angeles: The City in Context + History. For Module 3, each Fellow was asked to use photography to create a visual essay about...
By: Omar Vargas --- "We often miss aspects of Los Angeles from our cars or when passing by neighborhoods that make up the city's diverse history. Through walking, I began to see LA through different perspectives, as a daily commuter and a city native. Through my experience,...
By: Andy Alvarez --- With each module, Fellows dig into readings, exercises, conversations, and reflections around a theme. November/December's theme = Educational, Life and Career Pathways. When I was in Kindergarten, my teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I said a...
By: Christopher Barahona --- With each module, Fellows dig into readings, exercises, conversations, and reflections around a theme. November/December’s theme = Educational, Life and Career Pathways. During module 2 we looked at personal strategies for achieving our professional ambitions. This was a topic that really made me think...
By: Shirley Ramirez --- With each module, Fellows dig into readings, exercises, conversations, and reflections around a theme. November/December's theme = Educational, Life and Career Pathways. This past month’s module was actually very emotional for me. I grew up with a plan already in mind that I was...