The picket, the protest, the boycott: These are familiar forms of social activism. But what about the spaces we live, work, and play in? Can our neighborhoods, parks or streets themselves be tools for social change? Absolutely, argues Liz Ogbu, an acclaimed designer and architect. By incorporating community needs into our built environments, Ogbu says, we can create spaces that produce equality. Similarly, through work that examines the impacts of land use on different communities, Chicago artist Maria Gaspar reveals another way to approach spatial justice. In a conversation moderated by Susana L. Vasquez of the University of Chicago’s Office of Civic Engagement, Ogbu and Gaspar will discuss why spatial justice matters, how they incorporate it into their practices, and how we, as citizens, can advocate for it.

This program is presented in partnership with Court Theatre at the University of Chicago, the Chicago Architecture Biennial, and the Office of Civic Engagement.

Hyde Park Day is made possible through the generous support of Bank of America.

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