Immigrant Organizations in Pursuit of Inclusive Planning

Abstract

This article highlights a case in which an immigrant organization, called the Trusted Advocates, brokered for the inclusion of immigrant interests in a neighborhood annexation decision. Racialized controversies over neighborhood identity, and planners’ and officials’ distrust of the organization, provided two main challenges to the organization’s efficacy. The analysis reveals that while immigrant organizations need to provide evidence of their accountability, planning processes in diverse contexts can benefit from their cultural fluency, social capital, and innovative ideas for engagement. Efforts on the part of planners and immigrant organizations to build mutual trust may facilitate the development of negotiated visions for neighborhoods’ future.