I am a Black queer feminist dynamically disabled urbanist person defying gentrification by crafting liberation through joy.
How do I do all of that?
First, my legacy blog on urban design and policy, The Black Urbanist.
Then, I really leaned into my childhood love of fiber and surface pattern designs and created Kristpattern, where I sell and teach crochet, beading, weaving, and other fiber and tabletop arts and notions.
They come together with my Substack newsletter Defying Gentrification, Crafting Liberation, and my self-titled behind the scenes page on Patreon.
I curate pop-up spaces, workshops, and keynotes as well and I would love to bring my special sauce to you and your friends, family, colleagues, and or community group.
Let’s set up an initial consultation and talk more about what you need!
Bio
Kristen Jeffers (she/they) is the creator and managing editor of The Black Urbanist and Kristpattern multimedia platforms, which strive to bring a Black queer feminist dynamically disabled perspective to the greater urbanist sphere through a newsletter, workbook and podcast on Defying Gentrification, and facilitating crochet and other needlcraft workshops and spaces. She’s held a variety of communication and public affairs positions over the last decade and a half and is one of Planetizen’s 2023 100 Most Influential Contemporary Urbanists. Most recently, they were the contributing editor for Greater Greater Washington and have been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Streetsblog the Commericial Appeal, and on NPR affiliates, WAMU, WUNC and KCUR, along with bylines in House Beautiful, Sierra Magazine, Streetsblog, Next City, and Grist. They live in Washington, DC with their wife Les Henderson and was born and raised in Greensboro, NC.
Portfolio
Nonprofit Print Publication Design
Podcasting
- Defying Gentrification
- Third Wave Urbanism (inactive)
- Watch live episode/keynote at the 2018 NACTO Annual Meeting
- Feature on the podcast in NextCity, who was also a trade partner
- The Black Urbanist Radio Show
Public Speaking/Workshops
Personal Essay Writing
- House Beautiful
- Sierra Magazine
- My blog The Black Urbanist
- My Substack newsletter Defying Gentrification
Editing for Nonprofit Media
- Commissioned this piece from a pitch to the general email box to publication for Greater Greater Washington on changing demographics in Prince George’s County
- Synced up the colors to match our site palette on this article on Greater Greater Washington
- Write and edit Breakfast Links article roundup and news summary for publication by 10 am every weekday, along with six years of contributing service journalism and article write-ups.
Self-Drafted Crocheted Garments