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Kristen Jeffers

Black, Queer, Feminist, Urbanist keynote speaker, career and business coach, researcher and fiber artist.

Kristen Jeffers is an accomplished media professional and urbanist, who was born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina. With a robust foundation built from her loving family background, Kristen's passion for storytelling, community service, and her home state have shaped her career in significant ways. Though her early career took her through the nonprofit and professional services sectors, Kristen's pursuit of knowledge and effective communication led her to further her education and specialize in urban studies and community development.

In 2010, driven by her profound commitment to urbanism, she took an innovative leap by launching The Black Urbanist, a multimedia platform that merges her degree in Communication earned at North Carolina State University with her training in the Master of Public Affairs program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. This dynamic combination has allowed her to make notable contributions to urban studies, focusing on the importance of community development and its impact on the urban landscape.

Kristen Jeffers successfully completed the Master of Public Affairs program at UNC Greensboro in 2012, solidifying her expertise in community and economic development. Her insights into urbanism have been featured in numerous reputable publications, including The Atlantic Cities (CityLab), Next City, Sustainable Cities Collective, Streetsblog Network, Yes! Weekly, Triad City Beat, and the Greensboro News and Record. Furthermore, her voices can be heard on Kansas City's NPR affiliate, KCUR, and Washington D.C.'s NPR affiliate, WAMU, where she shared her perspectives on urban issues.

Kristen's contributions to the field are further exemplified through her speaking engagements. She has served as a keynote speaker, lead breakout session facilitator, and panelist at prestigious conferences such as the Congress for New Urbanism, CityWorksXpo, and the American Planning Association’s Virginia National Meeting. In addition to these speaking roles, she participated in the 2012 UNC Global South conference and has spoken at various summits, classroom lectures, and professional gatherings, showcasing her extensive knowledge and passion for urbanism.

In 2014, Kristen began authoring her book, A Black Urbanist, reflecting on her experiences through the lens of urbanism, allowing her to share insights and encourage others to engage with these crucial issues. In 2016, she founded Kristpattern, a platform highlighting her graphic design skills, and also launched Plan to Speak, where she guides individuals navigating the evolving media landscape. Recently, in 2019, Kristen refreshed The Black Urbanist Weekly newsletter, which continues to serve as a vital resource for discussions around urban studies and development.

Highlights

Oct 25 · twitter

Straight-up ableism. Also, who here has thought of how being queer in public is still labeled similarly depending on the country and community?

Oct 17 · twitter

So, as I reflect on doing this at 30, some caveats for this thread...

Related Questions

How did Kristen Jeffers develop her expertise in urban studies and community development?
What inspired Kristen Jeffers to create The Black Urbanist multimedia platform?
Can Kristen Jeffers elaborate on her experiences as a keynote speaker at events like the Congress for New Urbanism?
In what ways has Kristen Jeffers' communication background influenced her work in urbanism?
How has Kristen Jeffers contributed to the discussion of urban issues through her writings and publications?
Kristen Jeffers
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Location

Washington DC-Baltimore Area