Featured in Penn Today Article: “Design and build, but first, collaborate“

In a Penn Today article detailing a design-build studio at the Weitzman School of Design, my role as the director of Justice & Belonging was highlighted. The Spring 2023 studio built on a course I led the previous spring, which focused on developing the identity of a Black cultural district in a part of West Philadelphia that straddles Lancaster Avenue. This initiative aimed to engage with the community to shape a cultural district that reflects and amplifies the rich Black heritage of the area.

The design-build studio faced an aggressive timeline, with the entire process—from site selection and community engagement to design and construction—being completed within a single semester. This challenging but rewarding experience underscored the importance of integrating community voices into urban design and construction processes, ensuring that the resulting spaces are meaningful and reflective of the local culture.

READ: https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/weitzman-design-and-build-first-collaborate

Quoted in Philadelphia Inquirer Series “The Blueprint” on Equitable Street Design

In a Philadelphia Inquirer article discussing the future of urban planning in Philadelphia, I was quoted sharing my vision for what I call “Sankofa planning,” an approach that uses Black history as a guide for shaping the city’s future. As a professor and director of Justice and Belonging Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, I emphasized the importance of integrating Black culture into the city’s streetscape, asking, “How can the binoculars of Black culture make its way out into the streetscape?”

I envision urban design elements like stoops for gathering, and iconography and signage that invite exploration of Black heritage. With Philadelphia restarting its comprehensive urban design plan, I see this as an opportunity to reset the city on an antiracist foundation. Serving as a member of the Philadelphia Art Commission, I believe this is a pivotal moment to expand the concept of “what deserves to be planned around and what deserves to be planned for,” ensuring that the city’s future design is inclusive and reflective of its diverse communities.

READ: https://www.inquirer.com/news/inq2/more-perfect-union-city-planning-inequality-parks-transit-water-20221206.html?outputType=default

The Daily Pennsylvanian Features Appointment to Art Commission

The Daily Pennsylvanian featured me in an article discussing my appointment to the Philadelphia Art Commission. As a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design, I was appointed by Mayor Jim Kenney to serve on the Commission, making me one of its youngest members and the only Black man on the panel at the time.

In the article, I shared my excitement about the appointment, noting the significance of having a voice on the Commission that represents younger, diverse perspectives. My role on the Commission involves overseeing the approval of public art and architecture projects throughout the city, a responsibility I take seriously as I advocate for more equitable and inclusive approaches to public space.

I also highlighted the importance of the Commission’s work in shaping the cultural and physical landscape of Philadelphia, emphasizing that the decisions made by the Commission impact how communities see themselves and are represented in public spaces. This aligns with my broader research and professional interests in placemaking, equity, and the intersection of art and urban design.

READ: http://www.thedp.com/article/2021/09/matthew-miller-philadelphia-art-commission-weitzman

Quoted in Bloomberg CityLab’s “The Accidental Occupation of Seattle” Article

In a Bloomberg CityLab article for their Justice column, I was quoted discussing the historical context and implications of the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) zone in Seattle. The journalist connected the protest zone to historical precedents, and I offered a comparison to Resurrection City, the 1968 encampment on the National Mall that was part of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign. I noted that, “Like the Resurrection City tradition, CHOP City radically gestured toward a more communal way of life in direct protest to the surrendered police state upon which it is being constructed.”

I highlighted the innovative approach of the CHOP/CHAZ organizers, who employed a “more tactical, temporary, & transgressive ‘placetaking’ method” compared to historical movements. However, from my research perspective, which focuses on Black urbanism, I observed that the Capitol Hill protest, despite beginning as a protest for Black lives, falls short of the criteria for Black urbanism. I pointed out that “Black urbanism requires three elements — civics, stories, and space — to produce Black belongingness,” and I expressed concern about “whose spatial imaginary is being listened to” in the context of the Capitol Hill protests.

Read here: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-18/what-s-next-for-seattle-s-police-free-protest-zone