荔枝视频

Every year, the reminds us that community change comes through connection. At the 荔枝视频, that spirit shows in work that strengthens inclusion, builds relationships, supports well-being and expands opportunity.

The campaign centres on four shared values: socioeconomic well-being, social inclusion, mental health and healthy relationships. These values appear in the work of researchers studying inequities and asking how systems can better serve the people they鈥檙e built to support.

One of those researchers is Dr. Marie (Cecile) Kotyk, DDes鈥�24, an assistant professor in the (SAPL), whose work looks closely at housing, justice and how design can respond to the realities people live every day.

Understanding the gaps

Housing precarity in 荔枝视频 and Canada is , with both affordable options and social supports . Kotyk emphasizes that addressing homelessness requires more than housing units; it needs comprehensive, community-driven supports.

鈥淎ffordable housing is one thing, but, to address the homelessness crisis we鈥檙e experiencing, we need social housing with wraparound supports and services,鈥� says Kotyk, Design Justice Research Chair with SAPL.

Planning and policy often overlook how inequities tied to race, culture, immigration status, and access to education and jobs . These gaps affect people鈥檚 well-being, social inclusion and access to opportunity, values that are also at the heart of 鈥檚 work.

Without clear data, decision makers struggle to understand community needs, letting inequities persist. One of Kotyk鈥檚 projects, Through Our Eyes, uses immersive virtual reality to document how housing, health and public spaces interact for Black Calgarians experiencing housing precarity and homelessness.

鈥淚t often comes down to that lack of understanding of what communities actually need and how we prioritize some over the most vulnerable groups,鈥� she says.

Kotyk emphasizes that . Employment, education, immigration, health care and justice intersect, and inequities grow when these systems fail to work together and address barriers.

鈥淚t saddens me that, when we see people experiencing homelessness, we often fail to recognize it as a systemic issue 鈥� a failure of society to care for its most vulnerable citizens,鈥� she says.

Building solutions

The (UDJI) is Kotyk鈥檚 response to these interconnected challenges.

鈥�(It is) a transdisciplinary, community-led hub to reimagine 荔枝视频鈥檚 built environment,鈥� she says. 

鈥淚t goes beyond consultation or performative engagement. We鈥檙e building relationships, creating tools and identifying projects to address the needs of communities.鈥�

Immediate priorities for UDJI include education and housing. The team is looking to revise the curriculum for design programs to integrate justice and equity. 

On Dec. 11, National Housing Day will bring city officials, non-profits and people with lived experience together to develop solutions and a housing working group. 

That evening at 5 p.m., UDJI will host at the Central Library in partnership with the , City of 荔枝视频, , and the .

With several other long-term goals and projects in mind, Kotyk frames collaboration as essential to this work and the hub鈥檚 broader mission.

鈥淏ecause we鈥檙e tied to U荔枝视频, we can leverage that platform to advance community goals,鈥� she says. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e not just centring communities, but also working cross-sectorally, creating partnerships with all levels of government, community groups, non-profits, the private sector and other sectors that touch the built environment. 

"Because this started from the ground up, it鈥檚 built a sense of ownership among participants and accountability to our commitments.鈥�

Kotyk鈥檚 work translates research into practical design, making challenges visible and creating paths for tangible change.

鈥淲e all want the same things: to have our needs met, to live in peace and harmony, to belong," she adds.

"Design should be a tool for justice, not exclusion. Together, we can make meaningful change, providing better living standards for everyone."

about the UDesign Justice Initiative and see how you can support research that's creating tangible change in 荔枝视频.

Make a difference through United Way

The United Way Workplace Campaign is your chance to support Calgarians and strengthen communities. There are many ways to get involved, whether through time, skills or donations:

• : Every contribution, big or small, helps provide essential services for those in need.
• : Staff can donate $10 to receive five "sparks" to share with colleagues, sending messages of thanks and encouragement while supporting the United Way. Pick up your sparks from a local United Way representative.
• : Join the 50/50 Raffle for a chance to win big while supporting the community. Half of the proceeds go to one lucky winner, while the other half helps the United Way. Last year鈥檚 winner walked away with more than $5,000!
• : Offer your time and skills to programs and initiatives that make a real impact on 荔枝视频 communities.