An official “organizing meeting” will be held on Thursday, June 16th at 6:30 P.M. at the Central Library of the Atlanta-Fulton County Library System in the 2nd Floor Meeting Room. During this meeting, we will be going in to greater detail about:

1. What a Planner’s Network Chapter can be expected to do within a community
2. Some of the opportunities for action within Atlanta (specifically in regards to the proposed construction of a new Atlanta Falcon’s stadium), and
3. The general structure of the type of Chapter that we would like to set up.

If some of you are still a little unsure about the benefits of membership within a Planner’s Network Chapter, below is a copy of the excellent e-mail that Moki Macias sent last month.

“Why a Planner’s Network chapter for Atlanta?

A group of graduate students in the Georgia Tech School of City Planning have been engaged in social justice planning issuesfor the last several years — but we realize that to become a powerful voice for progressive planning in Atlanta we must join together with a much broader network of residents, practitioners, and advocates who are engaged in this work, as well as connect to others who are pushing forward these critical conversations across the country.

We know that Atlanta, as many of you have in fact taught us, has a long history of struggle–with both major injustices and hard-fought victories–around issues of equitable development, affordable housing, quality public services and infrastructure, and public participation in the decisions that shape our neighborhoods, public spaces, and city as a whole. There are many informal and formal networks that have carried this work forward. The Planner’s Network is another opportunity to knit together a wide range of people — neighborhood leaders, Grady nurses, city planners, MARTA riders, students, housing advocates — that can share information, collaborate on activities, and frame issues through a progressive planning lens.

There are numerous issues right now that could benefit from the energies of such a network, such as the proposed new Falcons Stadium, which is going forward with remarkably little transparency or public engagement (particularly shocking after the experiences of Peoplestown and Lightening residents with the last two stadiums that were built in Atlanta!). We’ve attached a flyer about the upcoming Community Townhall on this issue – hope you can come out on the 29th!

Benefits of Membership

• A platform for collective agendas, calls to action, and events related to racial, economic, environmental and social justice in Atlanta
• Access to a network and listerve of local folks interested in progressive planning issues
• Access to the national Planner’s Network listserve, events, conferences, and publications
• Opportunities for leadership & skill-building”