Plan Dulce Host Vidal F. Márquez (he/him) interviews Shalem Aboody‑López (they/them/theirs), Founder of Pueblo Studio about their journey of using artmaking and storytelling as a vehicle into their planning practice.

Shalem Aboody‑López is a Cultural Strategist, Community Planner, and Artist working at the intersection of community power‑building, liberatory storytelling, and transformative public policy and planning. As founder of Pueblo Studio, Shalem integrates trauma‑informed, consent‑based, and art‑rooted practices to cultivate belonging and challenge dominant narratives that perpetuate harm. Their work combines photography, audio, and curated multimedia exhibits with policy and planning analysis to bridge art and civic transformation.

With more than two decades of experience, Shalem facilitates participatory planning and narrative‑shift processes that center the visions and lived experiences of historically marginalized communities, particularly Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. A nationally recognized planner and justice‑centered facilitator, Shalem has supported communities to shape equitable environmental, transportation, and land‑use planning across California and the Pacific Northwest, advancing frameworks that connect storytelling to social change.

Links and Resources

https://pueblo.studio/

--------------------------------------

Plan Dulce is a podcast by members of the ⁠⁠Latinos and Planning Division⁠ of the American Planning Association⁠. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only.

Want to recommend our next great guests and stay updated on the latest episodes? We want to hear from you! Follow, rate, and subscribe! Your support and feedback helps us continue to amplify insightful and inspiring stories from our wonderfully culturally and professionally diverse community.

This episode was conceived, written, and produced by Vidal F. Márquez (he/him) and Jennifer Lopez (they/them).

Connect:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/plandulcepodcast/

Facebook:

⁠https://www.facebook.com/LatinosandPlanning/⁠

Youtube:

Subscribe to Plan Dulce on Youtube

LinkedIn:

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4294535/⁠

X/ Twitter:

⁠https://twitter.com/latinosplanapa?lang=en⁠

—