The Just Space Podcast is back for a new season! Co-hosts Amal Barre, Dr. Eka Permanasari, and Dr. Dian Nostikasari invite you to reconnect in this special episode.

We reflect on key milestones, from Amal’s Walking in Place film project, to Dian’s work in environmental justice, and Eka’s climate resilience planning. Together, we explore the big questions shaping our future, diving into lessons learned and the evolving power of storytelling.

Since 2023, our mission has been clear: to amplify underrepresented voices and spark transformative conversations about the built environment and our collective future. Our ongoing commitment to collective sensemaking has been deeply shaped by the global challenges of displacement, climate change, and systemic inequality, issues that continue to fuel our work.

Tune in now and join us on this journey!

In this reflection episode, the Just Space Podcast co-hosts revisit key conversations and themes from past episodes. We reflect on lessons learned and share how our work continues to evolve. Dian dives into her ongoing collaborative work with youth, using GIS tools to uncover neighborhood histories and engage in horizontal land marking exercises—mapping and developing stories about the places that matter to them. Together, we explore growth, grapple with persistent challenges, and discuss possibilities.

Visit Walking My Bricks to learn about the youth-led neighborhood walking tours discussed in this episode: https://www.walkmybricks.org/.

In this episode of Just Space, we speak with Dr. Nicole Foster, a planning professor and community-based cultural practitioner based in Ashland, Wisconsin. We explore how Nicole's past in community theater in the Bronx has shaped her practice and teaching, particularly the impact it has had on her approach to co-creating narratives and experiences with communities. Reflecting with Nicole has served as a reminder of how often smaller communities are overlooked in the fields of planning and economic development.