I love @fmanjoo's work and this piece is beautiful. And (not but) I think these urban-design-driven pieces all need to mark how the vision is anti-racist, and more inclusive of marginalized people in ways that can measurably improve their lives. 1/2 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/09/opinion/ban-cars-manhattan-cities.html

I say this because I've heard Black and brown people say that they don't see their place in these imagined cities. In fact, this vision is trying to heal scourges that Black and brown folks experience disproportionately, such as pollution and traffic violence... (2/x)

Low-car streets are also relevant to policing. Cars are a major source of potential violence and a means of displaying power. In a street free of their dominance, everyone is safer and less "on edge", which makes de-escalation easier. (3/x)

As I white guy I am *not* saying that I know what's good for Black and brown people more than they do themselves. They need to be at the center of the design conversation so that design can reflect what truly works for them ... (4/)

When I hear folks reading bike lanes or car-free streets as markers of gentrification and exclusion, I understand why. And (not but) the post-car vision of the dense city is full of opportunities for healing, by reducing a major source of danger and anxiety for us all. 5/5