The “Making Sense of Place” project focuses on Cleveland, Phoenix, and Portland, OR–three cities with different growth patterns, challenges, and strengths. In the early 2000s, we created three feature-length films about each of these cities that aired on PBS stations nationwide. Now, over a decade later, this new series of micro-docs aims to engage a wide variety of stakeholders including urban planners, city officials, academics, and other decision-makers to promote education and dialogue. The website revisits places and conversations to document developments and shifting priorities over time; it also fosters further exploration through links to related information and publications from the Lincoln Institute. 

Filming key initiatives and interviewing local officials, activists, and residents in each city, we produced fourteen original short documentaries that present case studies focusing on key issues such as sustainable development, job access, and equity. Eight short, animated videos present engaging infographics to visually interpret topics such as education, economic shifts, and climate change.