Jay Pitter

Tori Amos Prepping New Album 'In Times of Dragons' "About The Fight For Democracy Over Tyranny" New Tori Amos is on the way. Today, the Little Earthquakes musician announced a new studio album titled In Times of Dragons, which is slated for next spring via Universal’s recently relaunched Fontana...

Tori Amos says her new album ‘In Times of Dragons’ is “a metaphorical story about the fight for Democracy over Tyranny, reflecting the current abhorrent non accidental burning down of democracy in real time by the ‘Dictator believing Lizard Demons’ in their usurpation of America.”

In every school album I had as a little girl, there was a line that asked: What do you want to be when you grow up? From wobbly printing in Grade 2 to confident cursive years later, I always wrote the same thing: writer. Although I’ve been previously published, this book is what that kid meant :)

These intersections — between democracy, flourishing, style/swagger, sacred rituals, and the overall phenomenon of Black people’s expressions of joy — are at the heart of my forthcoming book, Black Public Joy.

This is also where public joy intersects with democracy: both depend on whose voices, freedoms, talents, and celebrations we choose to uphold in the public square.

The fact that some voices are restored in a matter of days while others are erased from large platforms without the same support says something about who we collectively choose to defend in the name of democracy & free speech. It says something about who’s deserving of professional & physical space.

Where was this collective rallying when renowned journalists like Tiffany Cross, Joy Reid and Karen Attiah faced suppression and firings? Where were the bans and massive public calls for their right to speak freely—for their place in the public square?

I’m genuinely glad to see Jimmy Kimmel reinstated. The outpouring of public support for him this past week is a reminder of how democracy works in the contemporary public square. But I can’t celebrate this moment without naming a significant disparity.

A quartet of jewel like golden pholiota mushrooms grow from a crack in a mossy log under a sunlit green canopy. All photos by me

Here are some nice mushrooms

This is tiresome: a couple builds a 4100 ft.² second home, but reuses materials and so it is supposedly eco-friendly.

What’s even greener:
- Keeping the existing building
- Not having a second home at all

All kinds of people require benches for numerous reasons and benches are an important type of social infrastructure. I clearly wrote that I am not suggesting that benches aren’t important.

aspects of elder-centred placemaking but there’s more.

Imagine if placemaking processes respected older people as complete beings with aspirations for social connection, active mobility, pursuit of passions, intergenerational interactions & bold expression. Hoping this course covers these topics.

Laurentian University has a course focused on urban ageing course that seems to depart from the typical “let’s make sure these old folks can age at home, have enough time to make it across the cross walk & have benches to sit on while navigating public spaces.” Not suggesting these aren’t important…

Nope! Don’t end here. Share a perspective or approach you’ve changed based on something you’ve learned. I think this thread is important because it invites both reflection and vulnerable transparency rarely exhibited by “experts.” Def promoted me to share a lesson and change within my own practice.

even when I feel passionate about contributing to a community. I
used to think that I could bring clients along during the process & I have. But I’ve learned that for transformative placemaking to occur, they have to have institutional imagination & be willing to invest in a long-term vision.

Recently, I refused a high profile contract in an amazing city b/c the potential client didn’t have an implementation budget or resource development plan. I refuse to engage & raise hopes of communities on behalf of clients unwilling to make investments beyond consultants. I’ve learned say “no”…

The city demands; the forest invites.

Shout out to my collaborators from Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth—amazing new E.D. Aisha Francis and supportive staff team.

Witnessing the youth from Eva’s take up space in the bistro and experience delight amid life’s challenges reminded me that while we’re working to resolve urgent structural issues like youth homelessness, we can create community and moments of unapologetic public joy.

Learning how to order from a menu, exchange ideas and laughter around a table, and develop a sense of comfort in beautifully designed spaces, helped me to build unshakable confidence & healthy spatial entitlement.

While watching the youth try new dishes, laugh, make conversation & take pics of their plates to flex online, I remember how special I felt when my mentor/second dad took me out to dine in places my single mom couldn’t afford.

In addition to receiving discounts on the private dining room (with striking artwork hanging on the walls) and meal package, their team responded to my every request. They treated the young people with kindness and dignity, which should be expected but isn’t always the case in some establishments.

I believe that all people, regardless of their circumstances deserve to experience a great meal in a beautiful environment. I’m so grateful to the exceptional Art Gallery of Ontario
Bistro team for supporting my practice in extending this experience to the youth.

Sharing a meal with friends is a public joy ritual for many. That’s why all of the excursions my team has organized for the unhoused youth we have the privilege of engaging in our pilot project, Pathways to Public Joy, begins with food. And not just any food, fancy and healthy food.

To my 10th grade English teacher, who said, “Make the conclusion count.”

My first Starter Pack! The Canadian urbanism and planning community on here is growing. Give these folks a follow. Some well known faces … and some you should get to know! (please re-post!) go.bsky.app/AEYL7FZ

For many youth navigating homeless, public spaces are sites of criminalization, indignity & uncertainty. That’s why I’m
piloting my Pathways to Public Joy project
with the shelter staff at Eva’s. Public joy is as urgent as justice. I’ll share what we experience & learn in an upcoming AZURE series.

I always say that community is a verb, and yes, by extension everyone deserves to be actively supported and shown empathy.

Agreed :)

What do y’all think about embedding empathy training in placemaking structures and processes?

Also, all public servants and elected leaders should be required to take and pass an empathy test. Empathy training should also be instituted across all urbanism related faculties and professions. This is something I am going to investigate further; imagining the outcomes is extremely exciting.