Consult LeLa

Join us on October 16, 2024, for Ped 101 during Pedestrian Safety Month! WalkMassachusetts staff will walk you through what makes a safe, walkable environment and how you can advocate for safer streets in your community. Learn the basics we cover before every walk audit to feel confident in asking questions and making suggestions. Link: https://lnkd.in/eVJ765wf #PedestrianSafety #WalkMass #SafeStreets #WalkAudit #CommunityAction

It was an honor to be acknowledged as the 2024 Community Connector award by the New England chapter of the Congress for New Urbanism on Friday in Providence, RI. For the last 4 years, we have been diligently working toward upping the ante on community engagement as it relates to our built environment. It has been beyond exciting to see the culture shift in Boston and beyond. In 2020, we began working with the Boston Transportation Department in engaging school-aged youth in Mattapan about the Mattapan Square Redesign. We designed a workshop that outlines transportation planning and how that plays out within the inner workings of our City Hall. Youth who attended were compensated for their time and invited to provide insight about their experience on the square and along the corridor. You can find details on our website! In 2021, we hosted our first Not Your Average Public Meeting geared toward drawing in the 19 to 25-year-old crowd and gaining insight from their experience on the Blue Hill Avenue corridor. There was food from ZaZ Restaurant & Catering, tunes from DJ WhySham, and every city agency we could connect with who was doing work in Mattapan. If residents are turning out to public meetings, they need to be an efficient use of their time and energy. Those who came not only learned about the Mattapan Sq. Redesign, but about the larger Blue Hill Avenue Transportation Action Plan, the BPDA's PLAN: Mattapan, MBTA Bus Network Redesign, and received resources from Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition. Now, in 2024, we are so excited to see how our efforts and so many other grassroots efforts have pushed the needle in what urban planning can look like. We are excited to see youth being taken seriously as solution-oriented citizens. We are excited to see City departments continue with the Public Meeting format, but also branch out to more informal engagement strategies like an open house or a table at the grocery store. We are excited to see community-based organizations brought onto consulting teams to respond to proposals and drive strategies that lead toward more intentional planning, and thus more resilient and sustainable cities. But most importantly, we are honored to be a part of this movement. Thank you to every partner and client who has hired us over the years, and the community partners who make it possible to distribute and receive feedback about these processes.

A great, paid opportunity for high school students in Boston and surrounding cities!

Exciting Opportunity for Boston Students! ✨ YouthBuild Boston’s Designery is now recruiting and open to ALL schools across Boston, not just BPS! 🎓📐 If you’re a high school student passionate about design, architecture, or construction, this is your chance to dive in and gain real-world experience. Don’t miss out - check out the flyer for more details or reach out for info! https://lnkd.in/gEq38hGv #YouthBuildBoston #Designery #BostonStudents #Architecture #DesignEducation #OpportunityAwaits #BostonSchools

Another snippet of Chavella speaking on a panel at Utile about community engagement and our built environment. Every structure tells a story. At Consult Lela, we ensure that spaces are a reflection of the communities they serve ✨ Just as the Hector Pieterson Museum powerfully captures the story, spirit, and history of youth activism in South Africa, we prioritize the unique stories, spirits, and histories in the process of designing our built environments 🌍 #CommunityDesign #ArchitecturalStorytelling #CulturalIntegration #BuildingWithPurpose #InclusiveDesign

As the school year kicks off, it’s essential to ensure that our youth have spaces where they can connect, grow, and thrive. Third Spaces, likeFriday Night Hype, are essential for youth—places where they can be themselves outside of home and school 🎒✨ #BackToSchool #YouthEmpowerment #CommunitySupport

Youth are the future and their voices matter in shaping tomorrow 🌟 How can we ensure they're part of the conversation about the changes they want to see? Let's empower young people to share their perspectives and lead us toward a brighter future. 🌍💡 #YouthLeadership #FutureChange #EmpowerYouth

When community engagement is a fabric within a design and not an afterthought on a checklist, understanding the obstacles to each community faces is crucial. Ask yourself: Do you recognize the barriers that prevent equitable access and justice for all? Let’s work towards solutions that ensure everyone is welcome to fully participate. #ConsultLela #CommunityEngagement #EquityAndJustice

When community engagement is a fabric within a design and not an afterthought on a checklist, understanding the obstacles to each community faces is crucial. Ask yourself: Do you recognize the barriers that prevent equitable access and justice for all? Let’s work towards solutions that ensure everyone is welcome to fully participate. #ConsultLela #CommunityEngagement #EquityAndJustice

The power of joy in co-creating our future cannot be understated. A fascinating study on snowflakes shows they form based on the energy around them ❄️ This philosophy influences Chavella’s approach to urban planning – the energy we bring to these processes influences the energy the built environment carries in the future. #JoyInPlanning #UrbanDevelopment #ConsultLeLa