Equity by Design: Virtual Dialogue 1

How do we make our built environment, at every scale, a tool for disease prevention and the promotion of wellness for all?

As we begin to build and renovate our homes and communities in a post-COVID-19 world, we must radically accelerate the application of an age-friendly framework that addresses disparities. This means housing and communities that are safe, affordable, and facilitate multigenerational interaction; meet sensory, emotional, physical, social, behavioral, and health needs across the lifespan; and include appropriate transportation options—enabling every resident to thrive.

Join this six-part dialogue series, where Dr. Bill Thomas will moderate a conversation with built environment leaders from the U.S. and across the globe, who will share diverse perspectives on what it will take to create enabling and equitable housing and multigenerational communities. Each dialogue is framed around 1-2 key principles for Creating Enabling & Equitable Housing and Multigenerational Communities.

The Equity by Design series is for policymakers, planners, designers and architects, developers, financiers, academic and real estate professionals, age-friendly community advocates, and other colleagues interested in making our built environment a tool to support everyone at every stage across increasingly long lifespans.

Virtual Dialogue 1: Enable By Design and Drive Informed Demand

Individuals and families have a right to expect living environments that are safe and enabling across the lifespan. Built environment professionals should create housing and communities that enable people to function well within their abilities at every age. Innovations that advance this goal should become the norm and not the exception.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

• Dr. Mariela Alfonzo, Founder and CEO, State of Place
• Henry Cisneros, Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Co-Chief Investment Officer and Chairman, American Triple I Partners
• Ifeoma Ebo, Urban Designer, Strategist and Founding Director of Creative Urban Alchemy
• Dr. Bill Thomas, Cofounder, ChangingAging.org (Moderator)

HOST
Stephanie Firestone, Senior Strategic Policy Advisor, Health & Age-friendly Communities, AARP

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
Esther Greenhouse, Built Environment Strategist and Environmental Gerontologist; and Strategic Director, TC Age Friendly Center for Excellence