Harvard students collaborated with the Sac and Fox Nation to develop strategies for reclaiming and co-managing ancestral lands in Illinois, supporting Indigenous sovereignty through design, cultural storytelling, and economic planning.

In Fall 2024, Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) lecturer Eric Henson led the course “Native Nations and Contemporary Land Use,” focusing on collaborations between GSD students and Indigenous tribes. As reported by Rachel May, a key partnership was with the Sac and Fox Nation, aiming to support their efforts in reclaiming ancestral lands in Illinois. This initiative reflects the broader “landback” movement, where Native nations strive to regain sovereignty over territories taken during colonization.
GSD students Cayden Abu-Arja and Neady Oduor worked closely with Sac and Fox leaders, including Principal Chief Randle Carter and Business Committee Member Robert Williamson, to develop strategies for co-managing the Black Hawk State Historic Site. Their proposals encompassed cultural storytelling, revenue generation, and enhanced collaboration with Illinois state authorities. These efforts aim to reconnect the Sac and Fox people with their ancestral homeland and preserve their cultural heritage.
The course also facilitated interactions between the Sac and Fox Nation and the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team, exploring innovative collaborations for cultural preservation and economic development. This partnership exemplifies how design education can play a pivotal role in supporting Indigenous sovereignty and land reclamation efforts, fostering mutually beneficial relationships between Native nations and external organizations.
FULL STORY: When the Client is a Nation: Eric Henson’s GSD Students Collaborate with Indigenous Tribes

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland