The Spatial Futures Initiative is a catalyst and visionary policy hub for reparative spatial justice work in land and housing. The movement for reparative spatial justice is reimagining and reshaping spaces to enable historically marginalized communities to reclaim their connection to land and obtain restitution for the long-standing impacts of racist policies and practices. Reparative spatial justice aims not just to redistribute tangible assets like land and housing but to foster intangible yet essential elements like healing, growth, and well-being. In this expansive movement, PolicyLink is dedicated to connecting and elevating these diverse efforts.
Reparative Spatial Justice is a transformative and multifaceted approach designed to address and rectify historical and ongoing injustices in the allocation, use, and accessibility of space, housing, and land. This concept centers on the reconfiguration of spaces to enable historically marginalized communities to reclaim their intrinsic connections to land and to receive restitution for enduring the impacts of racist policies and practices. By focusing on both rectifying past wrongs and shaping inclusive, equitable spatial futures, this approach emphasizes the importance of active community participation and agency in the creation and development of their own environments.
A key component of Reparative Spatial Justice involves acknowledging and dismantling the systemic structures that have perpetuated spatial inequities. This means addressing the root causes of displacement, segregation, and environmental racism, and implementing policies that promote equitable land distribution, affordable housing, and sustainable community development. It requires a commitment to ensuring that marginalized voices are not only heard but are instrumental in decision-making processes that affect their lives and spaces.
The PolicyLink Spatial Futures Initiative aligns itself with the call for reparations for Black people on land originally stewarded by Indigenous peoples. This initiative recognizes that the demand for reparations predates the emancipation of enslaved people and persists today as an unfulfilled promise. The goal is to develop systemic solutions that not only address historical grievances but also uproot the deeply entrenched inequities that continue to affect these communities across generations.
Rasheedah Phillips is a queer housing advocate, parent, writer, interdisciplinary artist, and cultural producer who uses web-based projects,zines, short film, archival practices, experimental non-fiction, speculative fiction, printmaking, performance, social practice, installation and creative research to explore the construct of time, temporalities, and community futurisms through a Black futurist cultural lens and experience. Phillips' writing and artwork has appeared in The Funambulist Magazine, e-flux Architecture, Flash Art Magazine, Philadelphia Inquirer, Recess Arts, and more. Phillips is the founder of The AfroFuturist Affair, founding member of Metropolarity Queer Speculative Fiction Collective, co-founder of Black Quantum Futurism, co-creator of the Community Futures Lab, and creator of the Black Women Temporal Portal, Time Zone Protocols, and Black Time Belt projects. Phillips also recently created the Spatial Futures Initiative, housed at PolicyLink. Phillips currently serves as Director of Housing Futures and Land Justice at PolicyLink, leading its national advocacy to support the growing tenants’ rights, housing, and land use movements in partnership with grassroots partners, movement leaders, industry, and government leaders. Previously serving as Managing Attorney of Housing Policy at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, Rasheedah has led various housing policy campaigns that resulted in significant legislative changes, including a right to counsel for tenants in Philadelphia, and the Renter’s Access Act, one of the strongest laws in the nation to address blanket ban eviction policies having a disparate impact on renters of color. Rasheedah has trained on racial justice and housing law issues and skills throughout the country, previously serving as the Senior Advocate Resources & Training Attorney at Shriver Center on Poverty Law. Rasheedah’s leadership has been recognized with the recipient of the 2017 National Housing Law Project Housing Justice Award, the 2017 City & State Pennsylvania 40 Under 40 Rising Star Award, the 2018 Temple University Black Law Student Association Alumni Award, and more. Phillips is a 2016 Fellow of Shriver Center Racial Justice Institute, 2018 Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity, and 2021 PolicyLink Ambassador for Health Equity. As part of BQF and as a solo artist, Phillips has been awarded an Arts at CERN Collide Artists Residency, Vera List Center Fellowship, Creative Capital Award, United States Artist, among others, and has exhibited, presented at, been in residence, and performed at Institute of Contemporary Art London, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Serpentine Gallery, Red Bull Arts, Chicago Architecture Biennial, Counterpublic, Manifesta 13 Biennale, documenta fifteen, and more.
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