Lauren Hood

she/her
Founder, Chief Visionary & Assistant Professor,
Institute for AfroUrbanism; Taubman College at the University of Michigan
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Lauren A. Hood is the Founder and Chief Visionary of the Institute for AfroUrbanism (IAU). The IAU is a think tank and action lab working at the intersection of human actualization and urban transformation. The institute’s research and programming seeks to understand the social, spatial, spiritual and economic conditions necessary in order for Black folks to thrive in cities. Last year, Lauren joined the faculty at the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan as an Assistant Professor of Practice teaching electives on reparative planning and culture-centric community development.

Lauren is an avid daydreamer and powerful manifestor who finds inspiration in the woods, near the ocean and in desolate landscapes where the veil is thin.

Breakout Panelist: Making Space for Social Impact