Alissa Walker
Urbanism Editor
Alissa Walker connects people with where they live through writing, speaking, and walking. As the urbanism editor at Curbed, she authors the column Word on the Street, highlighting the pioneering transit, clever civic design, and game-changing policy affecting our cities.
For her writing on design and urbanism, Alissa has been named a USC Annenberg/Getty Arts Journalism Fellow and Journalist of the Year by Streetsblog Los Angeles. In 2012 her project Good Ideas for Cities was selected for inclusion in the U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale. In 2015 she received the Design Advocate award from the LA chapter of the American Institute of Architects. She is also the co-founder of design east of La Brea, a nonprofit that has received two National Endowment for the Arts grants supporting its LA design events.
Alissa lives in Los Angeles, where she is a co-host of LA Podcast, a contributor to the KCRW show Greater LA, and a mom to the city's two most enthusiastic public transit riders.
Why Bus-Loving Rep. Ayanna Pressley Wants Transit to Be Free
"You can’t do the work of equity and racial justice without centering public transit."
How St. Louis’ History of Private Streets Led to a Gun-Brandishing Couple
A Black Lives Matter march through a gated community highlighted the decisions that divide the city.
How to End Anti-Blackness in Cities
Black urbanists are mobilizing to eradicate racism in their field.
The Language Around Homelessness Is Finally Changing
From "the homeless" to "people without homes," an AP Stylebook recommendation could transform how Americans view the crisis.
The Unsurprising Reason More Black Americans Are Becoming Homeless
"If we fix the system for Black people, we’ll fix it for everyone."
Coronavirus is not fuel for urbanist fantasies
Instead of using the crisis to deploy quick fixes, this moment should be about focusing on why cities are broken.
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Our house was a refuge—until COVID-19 came home
When my kids grow up, I hope they remember watching "Frozen 2," not the pandemic.
Why Google’s plan to build a ‘smart’ neighborhood failed
Sidewalk Labs has abandoned its proposal to remake Toronto’s waterfront.
Should you be buying that online right now?
The COVID-19 pandemic reveals the high social cost of internet shopping.
California Could House Its Entire Homeless Population in Empty Hotel Rooms Right Now
COVID-19 has given leaders the authority to commandeer vacant hotels—but they aren’t using it.