Gabriella A. Nelson

Gabriella is a mother, city planner, and curator possessing a strong interest at the confluence of urban policy, public health, and design. She currently works at a national nonprofit organization, building grassroots power to make progress toward community-driven policy change at the local, state, and/or national level. Previously, Gabriella worked in Philadelphia advocating for the best policies and practices regarding maternal-child health and early learning. She believes the city is for everyone, especially for those who want to stay after bearing decades of disinvestment and devastation. Gabriella has lectured widely on topics of maternal-child health, city planning, and advocacy, including at TEDxPhiladelphia. Gabriella is interested in redesigning cities, systems, and policies that oppress and work against the liberation of those historically left behind through the lens of care, radical imagination, and the practice of refusal. She identifies as a problem-solver, an inquisitive thinker, and a creative person whose experiences and opinions are deeply rooted in her womanhood, motherhood, and Blackness.