Cape Town, like any urban area, is a city on the move. You can see it in every corner of its 2 461km2 metropolitan area, where 3.7-million people jostle for space on our roads. From Mitchells Plain to Milnerton, Sea Point to Strand, congestion is commonplace and smog levels are rising. Traffic jams mean lost […]
Marcela Guerrero Casas
Born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, Marcela Guerrero Casas is passionate about cities and public space. Marcela holds a master's in public administration and international affairs from Syracuse University and has worked in policy and advocacy for over a decade.
Marcela moved to Johannesburg in 2006 and worked in Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Kenya before moving permanently to Cape Town in 2011. In 2012, Marcela co-founded Open Streets, a citizen-led organisation working to transform how streets are perceived, utilised and experienced. Marcela is also a co-founder of SUR Collective, a platform for cultural exchange between Latin American and sub-Saharan African countries. In 2015, Marcela was one of 200 Young South African achievers recognised by the Mail and Guardian
Posted inEquality, Lifestyle
Public space: a culture of belonging
The city where I live colours the experience I have on this planet and it frames my future, not just my present. The lack of opportunities to truly connect with others has swiftly removed my ability to understand this city, and in many ways, this country. Though a foreigner to start with, I thought that […]
Posted inGeneral
My ode to the Bicycle: down memory lane & into the future
I have been feeling nostalgic these past few weeks. In reconnecting with the past, I have – as we invariably do – romanticised the early years of my existence. The bicycle has made a special appearance among those untouchable childhood memories. Perhaps this is because, unlike most memories, it is something I can still connect […]
Posted inEnvironment, Health, Lifestyle
Healthy cities are made of engaged citizens
If health is the absence of disease, then in the urban context, one might think achieving it is impossible. Yet in the past couple of days I was reminded that wellbeing is the result of a multitude of factors and that in our cities, just like at the individual level, such complexity means health is […]
Posted inGeneral
Let’s set 2017 in motion
The notion of ‘movement’ has been on my mind lately. Blame it on the mood the New Year tends to bring about; the impetus to look for signs of change and renewal. In my case, they invariably present themselves on patches of pavement, and more often than not when I’m on my bicycle. Two instances […]
Posted inEnvironment, General, Lifestyle, News/Politics
Let’s remember, some things still work
These are troublesome times, all over the world. Challenges are real and there is no point in pretending it’s all going to be okay. Let’s face it, we can’t recover from the dysfunctions of so-called democracy just like that. There are still deep racial divisions, underfunded education systems, bigoted leaders and unfinished peace processes to […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Waging peace: A human undertaking
“You and I are simple social by-products,” said Vusi as we engaged in a heated discussion over the weekend. A younger me would have tried to disagree by presenting examples of human exceptionalism. But the week before had been the best mirror to stare at myself and relate to his words. Despite the distance and […]
Posted inGeneral, Lifestyle
Awakening the guardian within
I remember my mother speaking of “guardian angels” when I was a child. Though I became sceptical of their existence as I grew up, those stories stayed with me longer than my religious faith. Somehow I had the feeling someone or something was my guardian. Little did I know, it was sleeping inside. On […]
Posted inEquality, Lifestyle
It’s that time of the year: Women’s Month
The notion of being “a woman” vis-à-vis some other type of specimen has been in my mind lately. Blame the great advertising apparatus that kicks in every August. South Africa, unlike any other country I know, celebrates not just a Women’s Day, but a full Women’s Month. One would be forgiven for assuming that women […]
Posted inGeneral, Lifestyle
Super citizens and the art of improving civic behaviour
Cities, at least in the global South, seem to share something with adolescents; the potential for transformation is real and it drives a profound sense of power and ownership. However, very much like in our teenage years, change is only long-lasting if enough discipline and commitment are in place over the years. I am currently […]
Posted inGeneral, Lifestyle
Home is where the soul grows
I don’t like the idea of “nationalism”, it sounds divisive and exclusive, but on days like Freedom Day I secretly wish I could hold a more legitimate claim to this country, which has adopted me. In thinking about this, a poem I came across on Facebook recently comes to mind. It is entitled “Diaspora Blues” […]
Posted inEnvironment, Lifestyle
Transport, an existential question
We spend a large portion of our lives moving about, a significant percentage of our income too, and it directly affects the future of our planet. So how come we don’t think of transportation as a fundamental life issue in the same way we consider our personal health, financial stability and self-realisation? More than 17% […]