Author: Fatima Blanca Munoz

2019 Summer Fellow Interview: Imani Roberson

By Doruntina Zeneli Imani Roberson is a rising senior at Boston University (BU) majoring in Public Relations and Political science. She’s also a proud Detroiter. On campus, Imani is heavily involved in the Inner Strength Gospel Choir and is the incoming president of Boston University’s Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).  Imani […]

2019 Summer Fellows

The Boston University (BU) Initiative on Cities is proud to share the 2019 class of Summer Fellows. Chosen from a group of competitive BU graduate and undergraduate students, the 2019 Summer Fellows will closely with local governments on projects that demonstrate a commitment to urban leadership. Our 2019 Summer Fellows are: Imani Roberson, CAS Political Science […]

What Will It Take to End Homelessness in Boston & Beyond? Insights From Policy, Research & Advocacy

On Wednesday April 17, Tom Byrne, Laila Bernstein and Joe Finn joined the Initiative of Cities to speak about how homelessness impacts Boston and other cities throughout the U.S. Each speaker suggested several plans to resolve chronic homelessness through initiatives such as Permanent Supportive Housing and subsidized housing.     Tom Byrne, Assistant Professor of Social […]

IOC’s First External Advisory Board

The Initiative on Cities is proud to present our first External Advisory Board. Our board, made up of leading city officials, urban scholars, and other experts, will provide counsel to the IOC’s staff about emerging trends and issues and the Initiative’s priorities. The Initiative on Cities is a university-wide effort, drawing on the breadth of […]

Interview with Michael Capuano, IOC’s Senior Urban Leadership Fellow

A twenty year member of Congress and former Mayor of Somerville, Representative Michael Capuano has begun his post as a senior urban leadership fellow at the Initiative on Cities. In this interview, he shares how his previous experiences are transferable to his current role at the IOC, the impact he plans to have on the MetroBridge program, and other involvements.  Where did your passion […]

Book Talk: “The Urban Commons” by Dan O’Brien

On Wednesday March 27, Dan O’Brien, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Urban Affairs and Criminology Northeastern University, spoke about the current 311 system in Boston and illustrated data trends that showcased how Bostonians interact with their neighborhoods and local governments. In his new book, The Urban Commons: How Data and Technology Can Rebuild Our Communities, […]

Beyond Congestion: Pathways for Mobility

On Tuesday March 26, panelists discussed how current transportation networks within major cities do not operate efficiently and future technology will serve a key role in incentivizing change and eliminating congestion. The conversation was initially led by Matthew Raifman, Senior Manager at Ford Smart Mobility. Raifman described congestion as an “excess of vehicles on a […]