At MCAD, we believe leadership begins in the ground beneath our feet—on the sidewalks where neighbors meet, at the corner where a bus stops, in the rooms where decisions are made and memories are kept. Space holds stories. Paul Bauknight, our Civic Scholar in Residence and Founder of the Center for Transformative Urban Design, reminds us: space is never neutral. It is shaped by policy, power, and history—and thus, it can harm or heal.Paul’s work is a steady invitation to design and steward places where people can bring their full selves, belong, and build. In Paul’s words, “Who gets to belong in these spaces, and who gets pushed out? That’s not just a design question. It’s a justice question."In the Creative Leadership program, we frame leadership as tending relationships—self, team, community, and place. Paul extends this practice to the city itself: rail lines and zoning codes, cultural centers and corridors, gardens and gathering places. His recent newsletter leans in with urgency: planning without people is not progress; it is displacement dressed as innovation. Spatial justice, then, is not a trend. It is the patient, courageous work of honoring memory, culture, and connection while reimagining systems so that cities serve people—not displace them.This is where our students learn to lead: not by imposing solutions, but by convening conversations, building trust, and widening the circle of decision-making. We ask, Who’s here? Who’s missing? Who decides? Who benefits? These questions are not abstract. They are asked on the ground, right here, right now.Our students don’t just learn about spatial justice—they practice it. With Paul’s guidance, they learn to:Design with, not for. Convene residents early; recruit elders, youth, and culture bearers as co-authors.Name power. Map policies and players; surface who decides, who benefits, and who’s been excluded.Protect culture. Pair physical design with social infrastructure—rituals, programming, and stewardship that keep belonging alive.Measure what matters. Track the small and the systemic: a new crosswalk and a new coalition; a design plan and a policy shift.Paul’s presence at MCAD is both compass and companion. He helps us hold the tension between urgency and patience, between the long arc of justice and the next faithful step. Join the conversation. Bring your practice, your questions, your care. Whether you are a student, faculty member, or community partner, there is a seat for you at the table—and a place for your gifts in the city we are co-creating. For more information on how to join the conversation, check out the latest podcast or event at ctud.org Published on October 06, 2025