This BCR program opened with a bit of Richard Harris' rendition of \"MacArthur Park\" and then quoted Daniel Libeskind -- whose architectural firm rebuilt the World Trade Center site; he described the slurry wall that held back the Hudson River after the collapse of the Towers as “an engineering wonder” and like the US Constitution – was a symbol of the “the durability of democracy and the value of human life.” We then asked is our democracy a melting cake or an indomitable slurry wall?
In the fall of 2011 – young Americans took over a private park near Wall Street -- they set up camp and built a thriving community -- and for 59 days the 99% protested the 1%. Could Zuccotti Park happen today?
Rebecca McKean and I had a ranging conversation with Lynne Elizabeth the founding director of the New Village Press -- publishing progressive books in the humanities and social sciences. Ms. Elizabeth was a past president and active member of Architects, Designers, Planners for Social Responsibility, which produced programs for peace, environmental protection, and social justice. And we talked with Wendy E. Brawer, a designer, social innovator, consultant, speaker and the creator of Green Map System. Wendy is one of UTNE’s [ chutney ] ”50 Visionaries Changing Your World.” She was the Designer in Residence at the Smithsonian National Design Museum and a 2017 TED Resident. And she is an active cyclist.
Our conversation focused on the New Village Press 2012 book -- \"Beyond Zuccotti Park: Freedom of Assembly and the Occupation of Public Space\" and Occupy Wallstreet.
Alan Winson