Austin Cole

Austin Cole, an organizer and community planning practitioner focused on environmental justice, sheds light on Toni Morrison's concept of rootedness and its implications for urban planning. He critiques liberal planning methods, emphasizing Black self-determination and the legacy of plantation economies. Cole introduces the idea of counter-war against structural oppression, explores the concept of the Black commune, and discusses strategies to avoid elite capture. He stresses the importance of grassroots consciousness-building and community defense against systemic injustices.