Talia kertsman
GeographerTalia
Green FUTURESDISTRICT 2
ABOUT TALIA
Talia is a geographer, researcher, community organizer, and participatory designer whose lifelong fascination with people and physical space, who belongs, who is present, how space enhances or prohibits connection, has shaped everything she does. It started at a little workbench with a hot glue gun and cardboard scraps, where she first learned that constraints could inspire creativity and that space can dictate belonging. From there, it grew into a career built at the intersection of housing justice, spatial equity, and place-based community building, from implementing a portrait exhibit humanizing unhoused vendors in Seattle, to researching co-housing and care in London, to running community engagement campaigns at the San Francisco Community Land Trust. Raised around a dinner table of educators, scientists, and grassroots leaders from around the world, Talia was shaped early by the belief that the most powerful solutions emerge when diverse perspectives are genuinely centered. She brings expertise in research, youth engagement, event production, and participatory design, and a deep conviction that the future of any city worth living in must be co-created by the full range of people who call it home.
INTERESTSSpatial Justice, Housing, Urban Life
VisionBelonging in Space
In a large and complex city often dominated by digital technology, it is easy to feel removed from our ecological systems and alone in finding solutions. The Stewardship Sandbox puts people in conversation where they define the ecological issues they care about and regain a sense of hope and agency about collective solutions. Rather than asking "what's missing?" the activation begins with "what do we already have?" to leverage existing strengths and imagine new ecological futures. Participants move through experiential stations featuring invasive species you can touch, taste, and learn from, alongside visual evidence of ecological change already underway in the Richmond. A moderated expert panel anchors the evening, followed by a collaborative asset mapping session where neighbors imagine the ecological future they want in their district and the steps they can take together to get there.
the stewardship sandbox
July X, 2026 • time-timeLocation
Talia’s Picks
Check out some of the materials and resources that have helped shape Talia’s visions for what could be.
Book / Podcast / Movie
Monet is a lifelong educator with a passion for creating accessible, engaging learning experiences. Known for a calm, encouraging teaching style, Monet believes that growth happens when learners feel both challenged and supported.
Book / Podcast / Movie
Emmett is a detail-oriented instructor who’s spent the past decade helping people develop new tools, habits, and mindsets. Their approach is clear, practical, and always infused with curiosity and care.
Book / Podcast / Movie
Eleanor's background spans education, coaching, and creative development. With a strong focus on process and progress, Eleanor helps learners move from where they are to where they want to be—one step at a time.