Ishmael Nuñez

“My name is Ishmael Nuñez, I am trained as an urban planner and have centered my career within the intersection of race and placemaking. Born in Colombia, raised in Canada, and now living in the U.S., place and my environment has been incredibly important in understanding my own identity and the communities I belong to. I identify as Afro-Latinx and grew up in a household that always encouraged me to love my Blackness. As an adult and professional, it is critically important to me that I engage myself and support efforts which seeks to affirm the experiences of diverse and traditionally marginalized communities.

In my pursuit of building community and affirming diverse lived experiences, I have had the opportunity to lead workshops on Black-affirming placemaking, participate in panel discussions, and contribute to the development of a visual art exhibit entitled “The Art of Black Urbanism”. As a result of these efforts I continue to be intrigued by the different mediums in which we can tell stories, impact others, and start conversations.

I look forward to the creative collaboration with other folks who are tapped into their respective communities and support the development of a Speaker Series which sparks collective action, creative solutions, and community wealth building.”