During societal emergencies, including pandemics and climate change, the relationship between people and places requires greater attention and action to integrate the knowledge of people with lived experience, especially historically marginalized communities. A planning committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will organize and conduct a public workshop featuring presentations and discussion to explore the nature, use, and design of, and threats and changes to places as a resource for health and public spaces as a shared resource.

The workshop will feature invited presentations and moderated discussions on topics that may include:

• The meaning of spatial justice and related concepts;
• The privatization of public spaces (that welcome "consumers" but not community residents) and the effects on health and health equity, and how public access policies can address this issue;
• Ownership and stewardship of places for physical, mental, and social well-being, such as community gardens;
• Lessons of the pandemic for how spatial justice affects health and health equity, and implications for improving design, planning, and infrastructure; and
• Insights for research and workforce education and training to integrate a spatial justice lens in planning and preparedness for societal emergencies.

The planning committee will identify specific topics to be addressed, develop the agenda, select and invite speakers and other participants, and moderate the discussion. A proceedings summarizing the presentations and discussion at the workshop will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines.