Our Fall 2026 Lecture Series, Resilience + Belonging for a Changing World, continues with James Rojas, founder of Place It, urban planner, community activist, and artist, presenting “The Invisible Hand of Planning: Making the Unseen Forces That Shape Our Cities Visible.”

Rojas is one of the few nationally recognized urban planners to examine the influence of U.S. Latino culture on urban design and sustainability. Through his work, he explores how culture and immigration shape the American front yard and broader landscape, revealing the often-overlooked social and cultural forces that influence how our cities are designed and experienced. He is also the founder of the Latino Urban Forum, an advocacy group dedicated to raising awareness of planning and design issues affecting low-income Latino communities.


NC State College of Design
North Carolina ASLA
American Society of Landscape Architects
International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA)