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Noel Akins

The Metropolitan future, and what or who will bring it.

First. A message for urbanist leaders and practitioners.

I started this web site because I wanted to do something to save the world as far as our cities go. And, I was quite naive in this regard. It's not that I don't think I shouldn't try. But, I really lack just about everything that is required to become a urbanist superhero. I have no formal training in architecture or urban planning. I'm not a vocal media celebrity. Nor am I a charismatic social magnet who everyone wants to be seen with. My interest in the built environment isn't enough. I have no credentials in any aspect of the subject. Therefore, I'm a nobody.

Hopefully, you are not. Hopefully, you are reading this because you have been actively engaged in urban issues at some level. You may be an urban planning professional, an architect, activist, promoter, or blogger. Because it is your voice, not mine, that can influence how we will live in the future. Because it is going to take people like you who can speak with some authority, and engage followers to bring about timely change, and point the way to new solutions.

Nothing draws a crowd like a crowd. This is the purpose of the Oppidan League, to draw a crowd. To do this, a publicaly available Facebook Community page was established called "The Oppidan League, The Urbanist Bulletin Board." This page is available to the various actors and players who wish to promote a story, news item, events, web site, anything related and of interest to the urbanist community. Administration rights will be given to any person (be they an individual, or representing a group or web site) who can be shown to have legitimate cause and/or purpose who seeks it. All the tools that Facebook can provide (Facebook limitations apply) can be used to promote the community page.

Not only will this help you promote yourself or your group/web site to a larger audience, but it will help build a larger audience and community. It is a win/win situation.

I believe the future, if left to its own, to continue along the path it has been on, will bring a lot of misery with it. Energy is the obvious issue, but not the only one. You know well enough that there are several reasons to bring about better environments for people to live in.