As a recent McCloy Fellowship recipient, Estolano Advisors Senior Associate Leah Hubbard is traveling throughout Germany to learn about the country’s various workforce, climate, housing, and transportation models and how they can be learned from and adapted to create more inclusive and sustainable cities in the United States. To document her journey, Leah will share her findings and observations through a multi-part blog series.
In the first installment, Leah details her arrival to Munich, exploring the city’s public transit and bikeshare programs, meeting international peers with expertise in housing and greening strategies, and a somber visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp.
Read below for the introduction to Leah’s initial post. To read the full installment, visit our blog, The Macroscope, on Medium.
Introduction: I’m on a journey to imagine a better future
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Leah Hubbard and I’m a Senior Associate with Estolano Advisors. I’ve been at the firm for over seven years and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continuously work on new projects that promote racial, economic, and environmental justice. Outside of projects, Estolano Advisors is also committed to its team’s professional development. Embodying the firm’s value for learning and curiosity, I applied for and was awarded a McCloy Fellowship, a program of the American Council on Germany, which gives me the opportunity to travel around Germany to research pressing planning topics. I’ve spent months researching, planning, and scheduling meetings with fellow planners, academics, and public sector staff across the country.
Follow me on my tour as I explore the landscapes of various cities and regions asking my interdisciplinary research question, “How do we create sustainable, inclusive cities for the future?” There are many underlying themes related to this question that include green infrastructure and greenhouse gas reduction, alternative housing and transportation models, a just energy transition, quality workforce opportunities, and at the core, basic accessibility and belonging. While Germany does not have all the answers, I’m here to learn from its people and its cities. During the coming weeks, I will share with you my experiences, conversations, and observations that evoke hope and inspiration and, on occasion, also feed some of my cynicism and doubt.