Discernment: finding where your talents best meet the needs of the world.
In my young(er) years, I spent a lot of time exploring this, even discerning the priesthood. Maybe I would have been an ok priest, but I remember the moment when I fully knew that God had given me the divine talent of design and a passion for place and people. And I was damn good at it. A little more discerning led me to urban design and city planning in the public sector.
In the two decades since, I have been in rooms with other professionals, and we have been asked for innovation, creativity, and hard work. I met that challenge time and time again. But I’ve never been asked in a professional setting to connect those ideas to what’s in my heart and in turn, to not just move the needle, but to change humanity. And somehow, in this experience with the people in the room, that seemed and does seem totally possible.
The Gambrell Foundation discovered me through their place-based work with Gehl People, an urban design firm based in Copenhagen. This firm was founded by the famous Jan Gehl, architect and urban designer, who is well-known for his works, including “Life Between Buildings” and “Cities for People,” just to name a couple. If you are an urban designer, you know he is a legend. Gehl’s firm now focuses on connecting people with place through place-based design and public space across the world. For the last several months, they have been working with The Gambrell Foundation to study “awe” and “wonder” and how people emotionally connect with cities and places they love the most.
Enter the City of Charlotte’s Urban Design Center (UDC) and the Design and Preservation Division. Of all the built environment professionals in Charlotte, we probably most closely emulate Gehl, their work, and expertise. We have a team of 8 designers and 5 preservationists who focus our work on the public realm, open space, and retaining culture and identity in Charlotte. Through traditional infrastructure projects, place-based policy and development requirements, and placemaking and tactical urbanism, we connect people (young and old) with experiences of wonder and reflection every day.
And just in time! The Gambrell Foundation included me in a group of smart and passionate people at their convening last week in Charlotte. It was a perfect mix of Charlotteans and people they made part of their foundation family from across the world. Through two days of reflection and creativity, I was given the gift of discernment again: invited to connect my ideas and talent to meet the needs of the world in a perfect expression of my identity.
Usually, when you’re asked to bring your ideas and innovation to the table, you’re expected to fix a problem. And you better show up with data on how you’re going to move the needle – especially if you’re asking for funding. Instead of setting up a culture of transaction, The Gambrell Foundation set the tone of partnership, familial acceptance, and not only honoring our ideas, but our identity and humanity. We started the day with an invitation by Rev. Sue Phillips, a founder of a tech-startup that is “building a way for people to live life more on purpose”, to root our time together in our hearts.
She had my attention, and honestly, I could have just listened to her preach (yes! We definitely got a sermon) for the rest of the day. The bringing together of her palpable spirituality with our perceived secular work showed us that we unmistakably had “soul” and “divine” in all the work we were doing. Sue made me feel like I was “Erin” in that room, and not just what I did…urban design and city planning.
We spent the rest of the day learning from one another, presenting our musings, research, and expertise. We identified synergies and connections that we never would have found if we weren’t together. It was clear we were in that room for our thoughts, minds (and hearts!) and not just what we “could do.”
In a world where we are always expected “to do more” (and often with less), having the permission to sit back and reflect was a gift. And let me tell you folks, there was a Book Bar! Two tables full of books that are important to The Gambrell Foundation – and we were invited to help ourselves to these pieces of literature, many written by people who were in the room. It was heaven.
We kicked off the entire experience at the Gambrell-Bridgford family home. To know me is to know my heart, so I will share at the risk of being vulnerable that when I approached the house on the evening of June 4th, I was very nervous, like I didn’t belong. I have been in plenty of impressive conference rooms and skyscrapers, but never invited to someone’s home. It felt intimate, genuine, and once I became comfortable, like I was truly valued. I was very familiar with the home – I grew up around the corner next to relatives of Mrs. Gambrell Bridgford, but I still didn’t feel like I belonged. Until I walked in and saw Jamaal Kinard standing in the doorway. Jamaal and I first worked together early in my time at the City of Charlotte on my Stitch Together Charlotte project, a program that brought neighborhood leaders from across the city together to share their knowledge and perspectives. We both have grown so much since then, but by participating in my small project so wholeheartedly, I knew Jamaal believed in me. He immediately put me at ease, and when I saw Jenni Gaisbauer, a woman, friend, professional, and all together stellar human who I immensely respect and immediately connected with when we met pre-pandemic, I knew it would be a great night! The truth is, I met so many admirable people that evening and soaked up their knowledge and passion like a sponge. They did the same from me, and validated my invitation to a beautiful evening.
As I was pulling away, tears came to my eyes. There are so many people in Charlotte who do incredible work for our city and society, but after hours of conversation, it felt like everyone who was doing anything significant was in that house that night. I was overcome to know that not only was I included, but that I belonged there, among those incredible minds and hearts. The next day, I shared this meaningful experience with my best friend, who suggested I commemorate it so I would never forget that feeling. And that’s what I did – a framed photo capturing the evening now has its rightful place on my desk. I snapped the picture before walking in, somehow knowing how meaningful the gathering would be.
So, the invitation to change humanity – to move the needle in our society to “foster connection and purpose” with each other – I say yes! You might say that’s a tall order. But with the minds (and passion) that The Gambrell Foundation brought together, it felt possible. Sometimes, when it feels almost easy, it is just meant to be…or even divine intervention.
I don’t know what the future holds, but I know I am now part of The Gambrell Foundation family. And for that I am very grateful. Did I mention there was a Book Bar?!!!
Erin Chantry’s views and opinions expressed in this article are hers alone and do not represent those of the City of Charlotte.
Erin Chantry is the Division Manager of Design & Preservation at the City of Charlotte’s Planning, Design & Development department. Erin has been with the City for 9 year,s where she has practiced urban design and planning at the Charlotte Urban Designer Center. With a BA in Architecture, an MA in Urban Design, and an MS in Urban Planning, Erin has worked on a variety of projects in both the public and private sectors, with a primary focus on urban design, land development, placemaking, and public space. She has expert knowledge in New Urbanism, LEED for Neighborhood Development, and how sustainable city planning and urban design can be used as a catalyst for redevelopment. Erin co-established the City of Charlotte’s Placemaking Program and has spearheaded the integration of public space design in traditional infrastructure projects. Under her leadership, the Design & Preservation division advances the design quality of Charlotte’s built environment and public spaces while preserving the history and character of our city.