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Given our current challenges regarding pandemic precautions and the increased use of outdoor spaces, can you talk about how this is impacting our city, country, world…as well as your work and contributions to this next chapter. e pandemic has accelerated and exacerbated already existing trends. Social isolation and disconnection are underlying crises of many health, economic, and environmental challenges we face. e pandemic has further disconnected us from each other and our shared places. At the same time, we've also seen how people are valuing and making new efforts to participate in our public spaces. For example, New York City has created dozens of "Open Streets" and over 10,000 "Open Restaurants"—public space ideas long campaigned for by the advocacy community and now finally taking off around the world. As we emerge from the pandemic, we are hopeful that people will look to connect and contribute more to their public spaces and to the local economies that help them thrive. What are your current initiatives? After spending the first couple of decades of my career working with 1,000 communities in 60 countries on improving their public spaces, I'm now focused on building a global learning and advocacy community of people working to improve public space through PlacemakingX. We work with UN-Habitat and urban development leaders around the world to try to lead urban change with inclusive, safe, and beloved public spaces. Left: is TImes Square cvpedestrian plaza is one of many such NYC plazas for which Ethan led advocacy, planning, and community organizing work. 4 4 T R E V O R D AY S C H O O L n S U M M E R 2 0 2 0 – 2 0 2 1

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