My name is Stella L. Zhou, I am a recent graduate of the School of Regional and Community Planning (SCARP) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver. Currently, I am living in Toronto and exploring the different opportunities here in cultural planning, inclusive placemaking, and community engagement as a young urban planner. I have a Master’s of Community and Regional Planning (MCRP), and also a BA in Geography with a focus on Urban Environment and Sustainability.

As someone who has traveled to more than 60 cities and 18 countries/regions around the world, I am particularly interested in urban sustainability, public transportation planning, public space and public realm analysis, healthy built environment, multicultural planning and inclusive community engagement. I believe that planners should design cities that connect citizens to their local communities through the democratization of planning. With participatory planning, equitable community engagement, and informed decision-making, people can feel safe, involved and empowered in their cities. I am most passionate about planning healthy and inclusive cities with multicultural communities.

As a young Chinese-Canadian, I thrive through understanding the deep connections between my cultural roots and my self-identities. I am a map enthusiast and I enjoy telling urban histories and community stories through interactive mapping. During my free time, I love cooking and sharing food with others because I believe that nothing can be accomplished on an empty stomach. I always aim to communicate with a genuine heart and an open mind. I try to build up my knowledge and life experiences through the process of learning, unlearning and relearning.

This blogsite is built with the intention to present my project research and some of my planning work online.