Talking Headways Podcast: The City Is a Painting You Walk Into
This week I'm joined by James Rojas of Place It! to talk about art in planning and Latino urbanism. James is an award-winning planner and a native Angeleno, and he tells us about how growing up in East LA and visiting his grandmother’s house shaped the way he thinks about urban spaces and design.
By
Jeff Wood
4:00 PM EDT on April 21, 2016
This week I’m joined by James Rojas of Place It! to talk about art in planning and Latino urbanism. James is an award-winning planner and a native Angeleno, and he tells us about how growing up in East LA and visiting his grandmother’s house shaped the way he thinks about urban spaces and design.
Tune in and hear James discuss the importance of plazas to Latino culture and the history behind them, how people understand place, and why the public planning process works better when you start by tapping into people’s childhoods rather than treating it purely as a problem solving exercise. Enjoy!
More from Streetsblog New York City
Gale Forces? West Side Council Member Wants A Bike Lane On Central Park Transverse
"I particularly support the ... transverse. Even more people would use bicycles when they know they can get from one part of Manhattan to another," Council Member Brewer said.
March 24, 2026
AT THEIR LIMIT: Boards Covering 1M New Yorkers Want Reduced Car Speeds
Eight community boards have asked the city Department of Transportation to designate their districts as “slow zones” with 20-mile-per-hour car speed limits.
March 24, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines: Above the Law Edition
It takes almost no time for hopes to be dashed in this cruel town. Plus other news.
March 24, 2026
Monday’s Headlines: We Fixed Congress Edition
DOT installed "don't walk" signs next to pedestrians ramps in Brooklyn, then removed them after Streetsblog started asking questions. Plus more news.
March 23, 2026
The City Is Doing to Prospect Park What It Needs to Do to All Parks
A long-awaited bike lane in Brooklyn will create almost full protected cycling coverage around Prospect Park — setting a new standard for the rest of the city.
March 23, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.