UIC Urban Studies Program

Next in our Alumni Profile Series, we have Urban Studies Alum Diana Martinez!

Growing up in the neighborhood of South Chicago, a predominantly Black and Latinx community, Diana Martinez experienced the effects of disinvestment and racial segregation. Still, it wasn’t until high school cross country meets that took her to neighborhoods like Lincoln Park that she fully understood the disparities across the city. As she began to think about her educational path, she hoped to focus on a major that would help make an impact in her community and the city.After her geography teacher told her about UIC’s urban studies program, Martinez realized that CUPPA was the perfect place for her to study: still close to home, while allowing her to dive into the urban planning issues she was already passionate about.

“My high school geography teacher, Mrs. Pestich, taught a lesson plan on urban planning, and introduced us to concepts like urban sprawl and sustainability and the different approaches to community and economic development,” Martinez says. “I was eager to find out more about planning, and became increasingly more curious of the way cities function and the various interactions that happen between and within them.” ”

Immediately, Martinez found CUPPA to be a valuable environment to deepen her interest in studying the city. She says that the Urban Studies program’s intimate feel and dedicated population drove her to get the most out of her classes.

“My favorite thing about the Urban Studies curriculum was the smaller classes, which led to more in-depth discussions,” Martinez says. “All of the students and professors, you can tell everyone's very dedicated and passionate, which is always great to be around.”

While in CUPPA, Martinez participated in the Urban Planning Policy Fellowship Program (UPPF), hosted by the Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement. Through the program, she had the opportunity to write and develop policy research, in addition to pursuing an internship with the 18th Street Development Corporation (ESDC) in Pilsen, where she assisted local businesses in development and outreach work. Martinez also worked as a housing planning intern at the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) during her final year in CUPPA, where she helped primarily in researching affordable housing regulations and policies, and community revitalization efforts in downstate Illinois. Her internship at IHDA eventually led to a full-time position as the authority’s Community Revitalization Coordinator, allowing her to continue efforts to assist local communities trying to create stable and affordable housing.

Then, earlier this year, Martinez started working as an Assistant Planner at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). Although she continues to do housing-related planning, Martinez has also begun branching out to other areas of planning, such as neighborhood planning. This focus has been especially rewarding for Martinez, as she’s now looking at environmental issues that have shaped the Southeast Side of Chicago, beset by the negative effects of industrialism and environmental racism.

“The Southeast side of Chicago lives in the shadows of our industrial legacy” Martinez says. “I'm lucky enough that I'll be able to learn more about environmental planning and hopefully implement that in my own community one day.”

For Martinez, the chance to get a footing in urban planning at CUPPA has been invaluable to her work today. She says she most appreciates the ways in which the Urban Studies program exposed her to many ways of thinking about the city and its challenges, preparing her to think from many different perspectives about the ways in which she can make a difference in her work.

“CUPPA opened up multiple opportunities for me, prepared me for the multidisciplinary aspect of planning and taught me to not go based off what everyone has already been doing, to try things differently that might be more impactful and more resourceful in that way,” Martinez says. “The program really opens up your mind to explore and keep questioning things. There is no right one way to do it, there are a billion different approaches, and I feel like CUPPA definitely prepares students to think that way and to think outside the box.”

Next in our Alumni Profile Series we have Urban Studies Alum Kayla Butler!

Chicago is one of the nation’s leading cities for environmental activism, with community-led organizations fighting for an end to environmental racism and towards new forms of neighborhood sustainability rooted in the needs of the people. With the wide range of community activists fighting for these issues, it’s no surprise that Kayla Butler, who had already developed an interest in environmental issues, found herself deeply involved in working with groups across the city while pursuing her Urban Studies degree at UIC. Now, her efforts have led her to working at the Environmental Protection Agency, a culmination of the many efforts she’s already made.

“CUPPA has a lot of resources, and I wanted to be able to use my skills out in the city neighborhoods and contribute to advance any community groups or neighborhood initiatives,” Butler says. “As a student, I just wanted to help as much as I could.”

Butler began studying at Augustana College, where she was majoring in environmental studies and taking geography classes which introduced her to GIS and other geographic concepts. Her time there allowed her to start doing direct environmental fieldwork, as she spent a summer working with the Upper Mississippi Center for Sustainability, collecting water samples in the field. She also became interested in conducting surveys that would measure people’s engagement with the natural world, a focus that she’d carry over after transferring to UIC.

“I wanted an understanding of neighborhoods, their interaction with the environment, and just how different environmental issues were taking shape in people’s lives,” Butler says.

At CUPPA, Butler worked with community groups like the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, collaborating on plan’s for the city’s industrial corridors in the area; with the Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization, where she wrote a technical report on a polluting power plant; and with the Great Cities Institute, helping with community engagement around the Calumet River framework plan. Her final capstone project engaged farmers in Northwest Indiana on agricultural implementation, a technical document that helped with issues like urban farming in cities like Gary. Throughout these many experiences, Butler continuously applied the lessons she’d learned in her Urban Studies classes, sharpening her focus on environmental justice and providing valuable capacity to community-led planning efforts.

In her final summer before graduating, Butler attended a public policy fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University, where she had the opportunity to take graduate-level courses. At the same time, she began the hiring process to begin working at the EPA, where she officially started in January. Already, her work at the EPA has forced her to engage with many new skills and experiences. She does administration, helping EPA scientists to conduct their work; data visualization, drawing upon her GIS experience; as well as public policy writing, as she creates standard operating procedures to keep the organization functioning. As she comes upon her one-year mark of finishing at CUPPA and starting at the EPA, Butler has already actualized many of the lessons she learned in the program, as she engages with many dimensions of the functioning of the government’s primary environmental agency.

“CUPPA really helped me understand that while I may have a role to play with data which tends to require that I use technical skills from the Urban Studies degree to adapt to different systems on the fly, it is still very important to lead administrative efforts that will make things happen,” Butler says. “Holding the values to be that person to implement effective policies and programs is just as important as creating them, and I've been inspired to keep that approach in my work.

Join UIC Social Justice Initiative and the Institute for Race and Public Policy and UPP Prof. Stacey Sutton and panel to discuss how collective action and the solidarity economy can help address issues related to the Coronavirus pandemic but also plan for an alternative economic future. More info at https://covid_racial_justice.eventbrite.com

Heritage Garden internship applications now open.

Welcome to Spring 2020! Here's your weekly 10 Things to Know in the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs

10 Things to Know in CUPPA This Week: College of Urban Planning & Public Affairs CUPPA10 is your weekly list of goings on in and around CUPPA during the fall and spring semesters. News items, events, and faculty/staff/student announcements can be submitted to [email protected] by 12 noon on Thursdays before Monday publication. Additional CUPPA news updates can be found here.

Meet with local, state and federal government and police agencies at the Government Job Fair on Nov. 15! go.uic.edu/government_job_fair

Want to learn more about Urban Studies undergraduate degree at UIC? Join us at UIC Open House Saturday September 21st from 10AM-1PM at our student center in CUPPA Hall Lower Level.

Kick off the school year by participating in the Welcome Service Project! This year's project will be working with UCAN, an organization that is focused on healing trauma and building strong families, to assist with a mural painting project. To sign-up, visit go.uic.edu/welcome.

2018 UIC Urban Forum | Home The wide-scale use of connected and autonomous vehicles, also called CAVs, is increasingly closer to becoming a reality due to recent advances in automobile technology. Early studies in this segment of transportation research suggest a broad introduction of CAVs could deliver important economic adva...

Gain insight on the recent pilot launch of dockless electric scooters in Chicago from this June 17 "Chicago Tonight" segment featuring UIC College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs Assistant Professor Kate Lowe and Lynda Lopez of Streetsblog. Key topics address: The impact of scooters on mobility, proper operation of scooters, and the safety to riders and pedestrians of this new micromobility mode of transportation. https://news.wttw.com/2019/06/17/ready-or-not-electric-scooters-arrive-chicago-s-west-side

Moira Zellner Invited As A Panelist At The 2019 French American Climate Talk - College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs Moira Zellner Invited As A Panelist At The 2019 French American Climate Talk Posted on June 05, 2019 UPP's Moira Zellner has been invited to participate as a panelist at the upcoming French American Climate Talks to be held at the Discovery Partners Institute on June 19th. Presented by the Frech Con...

Next week UIC Career Services will be at the CUPPA Hall Lower Level. Sign up for a 30 minute session here: http://bit.ly/cuppa-popup

Does your organization have a project it wants done on urban food systems but no time to do it? Propose it as a Capstone Project for BA in Urban Studies students at UIC. Applications due January 10.https://cuppa.uic.edu/academics/upp/upp-programs/ba-urban-studies/urban-studies-capstone/

Urban Studies Capstone - College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs Skip to the content of this page, the main menu, the secondary menu, Google Translate, the site search form or go to the the site home page.

This Friday October 5th

A Sustainable Nation in Four Generations

10 Things to do this week at UIC CUPPA https://emails.uofi.uic.edu/newsletter/183797.html

Join the Great Cities Institute visiting scholars series Thursday 9/6 at 3PM.

Visiting Scholar Lectures – The Policies of “Post-Truth” Politics & The Gender Regime of Neoliberal Neo-Patriarchy “Post-truth” is an adjective defined by the Oxford Dictionary as ‘denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief’. I decided to use this expression as the title of my lecture since it is my impression...

Check out the Department of Urban Planning and Policy's first Friday Forum of the Semester. Lunch Included.

Mark your calendars! "The paradox of both improving economic conditions and challenging fiscal situations of the nation’s cities and other local governments is the focus of the 2018 UIC Urban Forum."

2018 UIC Urban Forum | Home Cities and other local governments across the nation have yet to see their revenue streams return to the pre-Great Recession era. Taxpayers and fee-payers, the people who elect their representatives for the purpose of providing for the health, safety and welfare of the people, demand an adequate lev...

Tuesday 2/20, Great Cities Institute, CUPPA Hall 4th floor

The Reversal of the Chicago River: Bridging environmentalism and urban development The second lecture in the Spring 2018 Real Time Chicago lecture series is ‘The Reversal of the Chicago River: bridging environmentalism and urban development’. The reversal of the Chicago River was as much of an engineering marvel as it was an early victory for environmentalists and public healt...

Happy Thanksgiving Week.
Event to look out for in the coming week.

Join IRRPP and the Union League Club of Chicago on Tues., Nov. 28, 4:30-6:30 p.m. for a Tale of Three Cities: Historians Reflect on Chicago’s Persistent, Pervasive and Consequential Racial Inequities.

You dont want to miss this!

Nov 28, 2017 ULCC IRRPP Event About the Event: Building on our recent report, A Tale of Three Cities: The State of Racial Justice in Chicago, we are partnering with The Union League Club of Chicago's Subcommittee on Race Relations to present a dynamic conversation between Chicago historians about how race relations have shaped t...

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY! GIS Day 2017 AT UIC:

Join the Urban Data Visualization Lab (UDVL) and the university Library on Mon., Nov. 13, 9:45 am – 3 p.m., to celebrate GIS Day 2017 at the Richard J. Daley Library (1-470). Light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Whether you are new to these technologies or an expert, GIS Day will give you the chance to see examples of data visualization work, stay informed on the latest developments, and think more about how these techniques can be applied to your classwork, to your research, and in your career. Please click below for updates and more details or contact [email protected] with any questions.

Celebrate GIS Day 2017! - Urban Data Visualization Lab Nov 13 Celebrate GIS Day 2017! November 13, 2017 9:45 AM - 3:00 PM Location Richard J. Daley Library, Rm. 1-470 Address 801 S Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60612 Cost Free Join UIC’s Urban Data Visualization Lab (UDVL) and the University Library on Monday, November 13th, 2017, from 9:45 am – 3:00 pm to cel...

Another Event coming up this Thursday..

RACE & SPACE: URBAN PLANNING AND RACIAL POLITICS OF PLACE: This Thurs., Oct. 26, 12 noon - 1:30 p.m., the Intracollege Lunchtime Lecture panel showcases research including the challenges black owned businesses experience in New York, pharmacy deserts on the South Side of Chicago, and the racial dimensions of streetcars in Detroit and Chicago. Lunch is provided in the IRRPP Suite 315, CUPPA Hall.

You don't want to miss this!

DACA DISCUSSION: On Tues., Oct. 24, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. in SCE 302, faculty, staff, and students will have an opportunity to learn what DACA is and how the DACA rescission will impact our campus. Light refreshments will be served. If you cannot attend on Tues., tune-in to the live stream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFVsYdMEPQU. A repeat of the session will be held on Wed., Oct. 25, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. in the College of Nursing 1st Floor Auditorium and live streamed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjJM_nVsZ6Y. Each forum will feature a panel of speakers with different expertise and Q&A will follow.

SCE DACA Forum Discussions Student Center East Room 302 (in the tower) 750 South Halsted – Parking in the Halsted Street Parking Structure – 801 South Halsted (across from SCE) Event C...

Upcoming event to look out for.

Hunger Incorporated: Why the Alliance between Corporations and Anti Hunger Groups Holds Us Back from Solving Hunger at GCI

On Mon., Oct. 23, 12 noon – 1 p.m. Andrew Fisher, Co-founder, Community Food Security Coalition, and a leading national expert on community food security will lay out a vision that encompasses a broader definition of hunger characterized by a focus on public health, economic justice, and economic democracy. He points to the work of numerous grassroots organizations that are leading the way in these fields as models for the rest of the anti-hunger sector. It is only through approaches like these that we can hope to end hunger, not just manage it.

Events to watch out for this week at CUPPA.

Info Session this Wednesday! Interested in Becoming a Planner?
On Wed. Oct. 11, join Urban Planning and Policy Faculty and Staff for an informative session on UIC's Urban Planning and Policy Master’s Degree, a top professional program, with strong ties to employers, in a real, global city atmosphere. The best place to become a planner is at UIC! Please email [email protected] to RSVP. The event will be from 6 - 8 p.m. in Room 110 CUPPAH. If you can't make it, watch online here! https://us.bbcollab.com/collab/ui/session/guest/cf75c05b604d41d99fc457ff66bc7577

"Future of Chicago" Lecture Series
This week, Wed., Oct. 11, learn about "The Future of Corruption in Chicago" with Joe Ferguson, City of Chicago Inspector General! UIC is presenting the annual "Future of Chicago" lecture series and the topics, such as social, economic, and political conditions of Chicago, are very relevant to CUPPA students. Former Chicago Alderman Dick Simpson, UIC professor of political science, moderates the series and the lecture is from 12 noon - 12:50 p.m. in BSB 140. More details Here!
http://today.uic.edu/civic-leaders-visit-uic-for-lecture-series

CUPPA Networking Night!
The CUPPA Alumni Association, the Urban Planning and Policy Student Association (UPPSA) and the Public Administration Student Association (PASA) invite you to CUPPA Networking Night on Thurs., Oct. 12 from 5 - 8:30 p.m. at the Vintage Lounge, 1449 W Taylor St. This will be a great opportunity to meet CUPPA Alumni, fellow MUPPs and MPA students and considering participating in new mentor and career development opportunities! This event will feature complimentary appetizers and a cash bar! Click here to RSVP.

The University of Illinois at Chicago presents the annual “Future of Chicago” lecture series, bringing civic leaders to campus to examine issues with students and the community.

Happening today Oct. 2 - "Homelessness in Chicago" with Veronica Cullinan, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.

Upcoming Dates.
Oct. 4 - "The Chicago City Council and the Future of Chicago" with Edward Burke, 14th Ward alderman.
Oct. 11 - "The Future of Corruption in Chicago" Joe Ferguson, City of Chicago Inspector General.

Check out the link below for more information
https://today.uic.edu/civic-leaders-visit-uic-for-lecture-series

Civic leaders visit UIC for lecture series | UIC Today The University of Illinois at Chicago presents the annual “Future of Chicago” lecture series, bringing civic leaders to campus to examine issues with students and the community.

Interested in the Urban Studies program. Joint us at UIC OPEN HOUSE September 16th.

Get advised. Get informed. Get involved. Get to know the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs on Saturday, September 16 at UIC Open House 2017! Visit openhouse.uic.edu to register today!

Students, alumni, friends! Please share this post so we can spread the word about CUPPA!