We're honored to receive a Bay Area Metro Award for our work with Resilient by Design bringing young people's ideas into a regional climate resilience challenge. The new joint MTC and ABAG awards program honors positive impacts on the Bay Area’s mobility, affordability, resilience and community and recognizes efforts that make the region a better place to live, work and play.

Y-PLAN student scholars have been making headlines this year! From affordable housing to addressing the future of schools, Y-PLAN Bay Area students garnered attention for their innovative ideas!

CC+S's 2019 Y-PLAN Policy Summit: Planning for a More Inclusive and Resilient Region brought together over 150 Y-PLAN scholars from around the Bay Area to present their research and proposals for greater equity across our region both now and in the future to over 80 community and civic partners. here.

This year, San Francisco students are informing two different city and regional planning agencies. The San Francisco Planning Department has committed to a long-term partnership with the Center for Cities + Schools to increase the voice of young people in citywide planning processes and policies. Meanwhile, San Francisco is also represented in our regional project with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Association of Bay Area Governments preparing for the schools of 2050. Read on to learn more.

I am an urban designer and educator. One of the most joyful things I do is facilitate architecture and urban planning studios for elementary school children in public schools through Youth in Arts and UC Berkeley’s Y-PLAN. Like many adults today, I am asking myself how—in my professional role—can I positively contribute to the #MeToo movement for and with the children in my life? How might I, when I work with young people, respond proactively to the gender inequities and injustices that we are witnessing every day? How can I help both boys and girls express their own power, free from the distortions and abuses of sexism and racism?

Responding to the challenge posed by the SF Planning Department, these first grade students worked in teams to create posters articulating their thoughts, feelings, hopes and desires for the urban environments we all occupy. Each team took on a theme: Transportation, Safety, Adventure, Learning, Stewardship, Equity, Wild Space, Fun, and Diversity. They studied inspiring examples of public spaces in cities around the world and then translated their dreams and visions into collages, drawings, and writing. They have concepts to give us about how to enhance the city in ways in which they — and all of us — can thrive.