Janet Kivett Knight
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
My previous research in sustainability studies explored social and cultural aspects of sustainability and emphasized the need for recognizing local values and principles in community planning – whether having places and reasons to bring youth and Elders together, or the sense of community as extending out onto the land much farther than municipal boundaries. This drove me to pursue professional learning in the field of planning.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
The Indigenous community planning (ICP) specialization at UBC's School of Community and Regional Planning is unique in Canada, and ICP faculty and students are doing incredible work supporting Indigenous communities in determining and fulfilling their own planning trajectories. The program offers a dynamic combination of theory, cross-cultural methodologies, and practical skills.
What aspect of your graduate program do you enjoy the most or are looking forward to with the greatest curiosity?
The relationships built by Musqueam community leaders and ICP faculty are central to the learning of ICP students and are an incredible privilege for early career planners. I am hugely grateful for these connections and opportunities, as they inform so much of my work here at UBC. Additionally, the ICP program culminates in an 8 month practicum in the second year, wherein students work intensively with a First Nation currently engaged in planning issues, opportunities, and activities. Working directly with communities is a passion of mine and one of the main reasons I came to SCARP, and this practicum is something I look forward to greatly.
What do you see as your biggest challenge(s) in your future career?
Looking forward, I see the reconciliation of the relationship between Canada and the First Peoples of this land to be both a challenging and hopeful context in which there is much work to be done. I see my role as a non-Indigenous planner as that of supporting Indigenous communities as they determine and assert their aspirations and building capacity for planning practices and practitioners from within these communities.
The relationships built by Musqueam community leaders and Indigenous community planning (ICP) faculty are central to the learning of ICP students and are an incredible privilege for early career planners. I am hugely grateful for these connections and opportunities.
What aspects of your life or career before now have best prepared you for your UBC graduate program?
Having lived and worked in Northern communities, my experience has shown me the importance of incorporating local perspectives into planning for the future. I have seen first-hand the impact of climate change, resource development, devastating policies, and socio-economic shifts on the stability of communities. I feel my experiences are tied together by a love for community engagement, passion for understanding complex sustainability issues, and sincere commitment to working towards making the future a good place. To me, planning brings these values together. I feel that planners have a privileged position working between communities and decision-makers – a responsibility I do not take lightly.
What do you like to do for fun or relaxation?
As someone from "eastern" Canada, I try to spend as much time as possible out in the incredible natural beauty of the West Coast.
