Morgan SA+P Graduate Addresses Homelessness Taking First Prize in Global Competition

School of Architecture and Planning graduate Laura Bianca-Pruitt recently took first prize in the poster competition at the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) Annual Conference held in Buffalo in late October. Bianca-Pruitt, who received her Master’s of City and Regional Planning degree from Morgan in 2017, beat out several current Ph.D. students and assistant professors with her poster documenting her master’s capstone project, “Helping the Last, the Least and the Lost.” The project, which was conducted under the guidance of SA+P professors Dr. Daniel Campo and Dr. Tonya Sanders, is an ethnographic exploration of unsheltered homelessness in Baltimore; documenting the lives of 10 people living in the “MLK Encampment” in the residual space adjacent to Route 40 on the edge of downtown.

The dissemination of this project is already having a profound impact on Baltimore city policy concerning encampments and homelessness in public places. With this presentation, Bianca-Pruitt begins to extend her reach to the many cities across the globe that are attempting to compassionately deal with homelessness and places where life is lived on the street.

ACSP is a consortium of more than 100 university departments and programs offering planning degrees as well as programs that offer degrees affiliated with planning. Most of its school members are located in North America, particularly the U.S., but individual members can come from around the world. ACSP connects educators, researchers, and students, to advance knowledge about planning education and research. The theme of theme of this year’s conference – Continuing City: People, Planning, and the Long-Haul to Urban Resurgence – explored stories of long-term planning and action and questions about equity on topics including economic development, waterfront redevelopment, parks planning, education, employment, transportation.

Laura Bianca-Pruitt currently serves as a planner for the Parking Authority of Baltimore City. Congrats to her for a job well-done and continuing to demonstrate why Morgan is Growing the Future and Leading the World!