Ebone Smith, a graduate student with the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, recently published an op-ed in The Oklahoman about extreme heat waves in Oklahoma City. The column titled, “As we adapt to climate change, we must not forget to protect vulnerable communities in OKC,” was written as part of the Regional + City Planning course “Planning with Diverse Communities” taught by Dr. C. Aujean Lee.
In the article, Ebone discusses the negative effects of heat waves on residents and how these effects disproportionately impact vulnerable communities such as “Black, elderly or lower income people.” Ebone writes, “Government policies, legalized industrial pollution and other structures allow for environmental harm, toward underrepresented and underserved communities, to go unnoticed; therefore, it is important for city officials to create equitable ways of reducing the human impacts caused by heat waves and other extreme weather conditions.”
Ebone goes on to discuss how a lack of awareness surrounding heat waves also poses a danger to OKC residents. She mentions the City of OKC’s plan AdaptOKC to adapt to the changing climate, but notes that the plan ignores the disproportionate risk vulnerable populations face, “While the plan addresses issues with heat waves in Oklahoma City (e.g., stored and released heat from buildings, and impacts of heat on human health), the plan does not include much on overcoming challenges faced by people of color and low-income communities, those often most susceptible to summertime heat waves — thus, it falls short of being just and equitable.”
Ebone concludes the article with a call to action to address the danger of heat waves the environmental justice issues associated with them, “To ensure underserved communities are empowered to be resilient when dealing with extreme heat, it is imperative that city officials work with community members to develop policies and interventions for historically marginalized people. Additionally, it is critical for these communities to receive information on issues presented by heat waves and the changing environment; therefore, outreach initiatives, in collaboration with local community organizations, must be organized to raise public awareness. It is time to make AdaptOKC inclusive of all perspectives and people.”
Image caption. Photo credit: photographer's name.
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Robert L. Wesley, a pioneering architect and beloved mentor, has died at age 88. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Wesley joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in 1964 and became the firm's first Black partner in 1984. Throughout his career, he contributed to significant architectural projects while maintaining a strong commitment to civic engagement and professional mentorship.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to celebrate a series of recent accomplishments by Dr. Jim Collard, Professor of Practice in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design, whose work continues to shape conversations around Indigenous economic development nationally and internationally.
University of Oklahoma Gibbs College of Architecture Dean Hans E. [PA1.1]Butzer returned to one of his most significant works on December 15, joining survivors and past and present board members for the groundbreaking of a $15.8 million expansion of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
