City Dweller Jared W

Pablo Rodriguez is an aspiring urban planner with a passion for trees and urban green space. He is a certified TreeKeeper. The TreeKeeper Certification Course, offered by Openlands, gives participants an appreciation for trees in the Chicago area through learning about urban forestry in the age of climate change and best practices in tree planting and care to build a more resilient urban forest.

Kevin Klinkenberg has worked as an urban planner since 1993. He blogs about urban planning and design issues and hosts The Messy City Podcast. Kevin is the author of Why I Walk: Taking a Step in the Right Direction, a personal story of the benefits of living in a walkable neighborhood.

Matt Martin is the alderman for the 47th Ward, an office that he has held since 2019. Prior to being elected alderman, Matt worked as a civil rights lawyer at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, where he focused on important issues including police reform, immigration, healthcare, and worker’s rights.

Emmanuel Nunez is a biomedical engineer who is advocating for improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure in Houston. He is currently focused on the preservation of recent pedestrian and bicycling infrastructure improvements on a portion of 11th Street that goes through the Houston Heights neighborhood. These improvements are under threat as Mayor John Whitmire who was elected in 2023 has expressed disdain for similar projects across the city.

Carrie Shepherd is a reporter for Axios Chicago. She was previously a reporter, producer, and editor at WBEZ, Chicago's National Public Radio station and a producer at City Cast Chicago.

Becca and James are an English couple who've lived in a number of countries. They are currently living in Philadelphia. I met them when I gave them a personalized tour of Chicago during their visit in 2023.