Pro Bono Perspectives S2E23: Chris Tyson, Build Baton Rouge

Chris Tyson, President & CEO of Build Baton Rouge, joins host and Common Impact CEO Danielle Holly to share about the redevelopment authority’s mission to bring together people and resources to promote equitable investment, innovative development, and thriving communities across Baton Rouge.

Like many places, Baton Rouge is a tale of two cities, marked by economic disparity and racial and spatial stratification as the result of decades of race-based housing and transportation policy. Chris explains why a lens of equity and a deep understanding of the community are essential for overcoming the consequences of these discriminatory policies and enabling communities to succeed.

Skills-based volunteering and capacity building are also crucial in the fight for equity, something Chris experienced firsthand when Build Baton Rouge partnered with JPMorgan Chase on a pro bono project that contributed toward the revitalization of Plank Road, one of the city’s most blighted commercial corridors.

To learn more about Chris’s organization, equitable urban planning, and community development, visit buildbatonrouge.org.