Bunker Hill Refrain

(in alphabetical order)

Jessica Rivas Acuña is a second year M.A. Candidate in the Heritage Conservation program at the University of Southern California writing her thesis on the post-war growth and its built environment in Norwalk, California. Her academic and professional background lies in California history with an emphasis on the late 19th century. Her other research interests include domestic architecture and the promotion of interdisciplinary perspectives when studying the built environment.

Dr. Meredith Drake Reitan, is a planning historian whose work brings a critical perspective to the built environment and offers an account of the culturally-situated rhetorical work that is deployed by planners and other professionals who are involved in shaping the contemporary landscape. She has written for academics and for the public, including articles in the Journal of the American Planning Association, Journal of Planning History, the Journal of Urban Design and the Journal of Architectural and Planning Research. Her research has been published in KCET's Lost LA series and a blog, called the LAvenuesProject, that uses the thousands of mundane decisions that define the look and feel of LA streets to talk about the long history of the city as a planned environment. Dr. Drake Reitan is an Associate Dean in the Graduate School of the University of Southern California and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Price School of Public Policy and School of Architecture where she teaches classes on planning, urban design and heritage conservation. She is a board member of the Society for City and Regional Planning History and, as Vice President of the El Pueblo Park Association, Dr. Drake Reitan is involved in shaping the future of Los Angeles’ original public space.

Jaime Lopez is a Doctoral Candidate in Urban Planning and Development at USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy. He has undergraduate degrees in film production and history (UCLA) and a Master’s degree in City Planning (UC Berkeley). His doctorate studies have focused on environmental justice and Participatory Planning, with a particular focus on the use of storytelling and policy narratives that frame urban challenges. He has worked as a technical writer for consulting and engineering firms, an educational advisor for Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth, and is currently directing short documentaries featuring environmental justice and local governance as part of USC's Annenberg School of Journalism. As part of his community involvement, he recently served as Planning Commissioner for the City of Paramount (2019-2020). He loves film, books, traveling, and making lists.

Lindsay Mulcahy is a dual Master’s student in Heritage Conservation and Urban Planning at the University of Southern California. Her background in history and community organizing informs her interest in the ways cultural landscapes shape public memory and social movements. At USC, her work explores the relationship between intangible cultural heritage and the politics of land use. Lindsay traverses Los Angeles on bus, bike, and foot.

Suzanne Noruschat is Southern California Studies Specialist in Special Collections at the University of Southern California Libraries, where she oversees the Regional History Collection focusing on Southern California and the American West. Before coming to USC, she worked as Architectural Records Archivist in Manuscripts and Archives at Yale University Library and processed design archives at the Getty Research Institute. She has an MLIS from UCLA and a PhD in Art History, with a specialization in modern architecture, from Emory University. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Suzanne has a deep and longstanding interest in L.A. history and serves as a board member of the El Pueblo Park Association and L.A. as Subject.

Andy Rutkowski, Visualization and GIS Specialist, USC Libraries