Interview with Mark Lakeman on Placemaking, Sacred Living and Changing Communities

Rebel Hearts with Kristie Reeves

This week on "Rebel Hearts": Kristie talks with Mark Lakeman, Portland based design activist and co-founder of the non-profit placemaking organization "The City Repair Project". Mark is the lead designer of the architecture and planning firm "Communitecture", and in 2003 was awarded the "National Lewis Mumford Award" by the international organization "Architects & Planners for Social Responsibility" for his work with "Dignity Village". After working as an architect for several years and witnessing the politics in corporate architecture, Mark went on a quest for wisdom traveling around the world, studying with indigenous cultures and shamans and asking the question "what is wrong with my community?". In this interview he shares with us the solutions that he found and the knowledge he is currently implementing to change communities.. Mark teaches us about the Jeffersonian Grid and its connection to Roman Colonialism. He talks about how that structure was used to conquer, the influence it has on our consciousness as well as our way of life. He educates us on the Land Ordinance of 1785 and how during the times of colonization a whole new system was implemented completing disregarding the sacredness of the land and human life. Since the founding of the "City Repair Project", Mark has been implementing the knowledge he gathered through his travels and studies in changing structures in the city of Portland: from permaculture to intersection painting, creating living spaces for the homeless and bringing communities together, Mark shares what is possible for all of us in order to change communities- and our life- for the better. Mark inspires us to take action, from wherever we are at the current moment!