The Social Change Career Podcast E12 S14 Redefining Purpose: Building a Global Career in Urban Action
Season 14, Episode 12 of the Social Change Career Podcast spotlights Natalia Uribe—architect, artist, and founder of Urban World Matters. From her creative roots in Medellín to delivering transformative urban projects on four continents, Natalia’s career is a story of purpose, resilience, and a commitment to empowering local communities and youth in the built environment.
Why take a listen?
Natalia shares honest reflections, practical tools, and visionary thinking for anyone passionate about cities and social change. If you care about creating better urban spaces, influencing local action on a global scale, or forging a more meaningful career—this episode is packed with fresh ideas and real-world advice.
What you'll learn:
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From Medellín to the World: How Natalia turned her drive for freedom and creativity into an international career, blending arts, architecture, and systems thinking to tackle urban challenges in over 25 countries.
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Making Participation Real: Concrete examples of genuine community engagement, including her Journey Lab approach that empowers youth and neighborhood actors to co-create solutions that last.
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Urban World Matters in Action: Get the inside scoop on her ambitious platform’s work—like their youth labs, global engagement programs, and how you can plug in as a partner, expert, or supporter.
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Careers & Resources: Natalia breaks down the different global career paths in urban action—architecture, policy, planning, placemaking—and shares plenty of resources for learning and networking.
Resources in the episode:
Whether you’re working in cities, dreaming of a global impact career, or want to see what’s possible when design and social action meet, this episode brings stories and insights you’ll want to carry forward.
About Natalia Uribe
Natalia Uribe is an architect, artist, and urbanist with over 20 years of international experience. She specialises in cities, with advanced studies from the London School of Economics (LSE). Her work spans regional strategies, urban regeneration, and small-scale interventions across the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Europe, covering more than 25 countries.
Her career bridges design, social ecosystems, and environmental sustainability. She has led multidisciplinary teams at globally recognised organisations including Benoy, Gillespies, and AFK, where she delivered award-winning masterplans and urban design projects in collaboration with NGOs, public institutions, and private sector clients.
In 2023, she founded Urban World Matters, a global platform where design, local action, and global impact investment converge to improve quality of life and protect life on Earth. Rooted in the Sustainable Development Goals, UWM champions local leadership and youth engagement through initiatives like the Future Urban Crafters and Journey Lab programs—opening access to sustainable urban services in underserved communities and empowering youth to address local challenges.
Under Natalia’s leadership, Urban World Matters aims to open 100 Youth Labs by 2030, connecting grassroots action with a global network of experts and redefining how cities evolve into sustainable ecosystems.
Based in London, Natalia leads with a global mindset and is committed to mentoring emerging leaders in sustainable urbanism.
PCDN Resources
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