"Unity" in the Urban Planning Profession

Whites are the most overrepresented ethnicity, and Hispanics the most underrepresented, in the Chapter area and in all three sectors (private, public and non-profit)

- Quote from APA’s Ethnic Diversity in Planning Profession Study (2001)

How do I come to grip that I am part of an ethnic group that is the least represented in the planning profession but yet, is the fastest growing population and in some places is the majority?

Latinos, African-Americans, Asians, Women, Gays-Lesbians, Jewish, Arabs, the list is endless of the different sectors in our community that are marginalized and unite amongst themselves to shield themselves against oppressors. I speak for myself, when I say that I have joined ethnic organizations because that is the group that I am most comfortable. Also, they are people who relate to my experiences. The idea that possibly a White women has gone through my same struggles has never crossed my mind. How do I reconcile the concept that there are other women going through my same struggle that do not share my culture when we live in a country that has its roots in segregation? Whether segregation has been legal or not, the truth is that it has been ingrained in the American society since its inception and is apparent even to this day.

The marginalized are forced to form enclaves amongst themselves, but I now question whether the separation of groups is the most efficient method of achieving equality? Diversity is desirable, and this country will never be able to rid itself of diversity because that is the core of our foundation, so then why do we continue to form barriers among one another? Everyone’s experience is unique and needs to be acknowledged and respected. We need to begin by acknowledging the fact that there are many people with the same struggles, and in order to create change we need to accept the fact we all strive to achieve the same goal and in realizing that, we need to help one another in the process. Achieving unity is a difficult task, one which our country fought a civil war for, so then, it is possible and hopefully it will not take another civil war to achieve that.

We need to revive the momentum of unity and create an environment where everyone is acknowledged and respected and only then can we begin to achieve equality in the planning world and so forth. I’m proud of my cultural ancestry, but of all I am proud to be an American and what it stands for and I believe if we all truly believe that then the struggle to achieve unity among all minorities is half done. Being a planner consists of bringing your own experiences to the workplace and in doing so, the planner is automatically biased towards their own experiences, which is why diversity in the planning profession is essential to create unity, understanding, and achieve equality among all.