According to Vanity Fair, “the Proust Questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature.” Inspired by the Proust Questionnaire, we have put together a set of 32 questions designed to reveal the true nature of 4CITIES alumni. Or to at least give us some insight into what they are up to and what makes them, as students of “the urban”, tick.
1. What is your name?
Alejandra Rivera.
2. Which 4CITIES cohort were you a part of?
Cohort 10 (2017-2019).
3. Where and when were you born?
Bogotá, 1990.
4. Where did you grow up?
Bogotá.
5. What did you study before 4CITIES?
International relations and economics.
6. Why did you join 4CITIES?
Best Master ever! Multidisciplinary, travel experience, and high quality of the curriculum.
7. What is your fondest memory from 4CITIES?
Having a glass of wine with Walter and classmates in Vienna’s vineyards.
8. What was the most important thing you learned from 4CITIES?
Critical thinking, resilience, local-global interconnectedness of urban issues.
9. What (if anything) have you studied since 4CITIES?
M.A International cooperation, Course on Just Sustainability Transitions.
10. Where do you live now?
Sydney.
11. Where else would you like to live?
Everywhere! One country at a time.
12. Which city have you never visited but would most like to?
Tokyo.
13. Where is your favorite non-urban place to be?
Praia norte in Nazaré, Portugal (a magical junction between rough sea and peaceful forest, it also hosts the largest waves in the world!).
14. What kind of work are you currently doing?
Research and advocacy for human rights and social justice in the built environment (IHRB.org).
15. What other work have you done since graduating?
Freelance consulting for UN-ECLAC, urban consultancies, EU projects.
16. What job would you most like to attempt?
Programme Manager at UN-Habitat in Nairobi or Rio, and/or advisor to Ministries of urban affairs in different countries.
17. What urban-related job does not exist but should?
“Social innovator” a full time job dedicated to see what conditions of possibility in the city can/should be improved to improve quality of life of citizens, and coordinate with various city actors to make it happen. Ideally this position would be highly regarded, respected, have authority, decision-making power, and budget, with the sole focus and goal to make the city better for its people. 40 hrs/week!
18. What about cities do you enjoy the most?
That they are human epicentres, that they are like mirrors that reflect in space what its people have in their minds and hearts.
19. What about cities do you enjoy the least?
When urban issues are not addressed and are instead normalised: e.g crime, pollution, noise, homelessness, unmanaged waste, hostile architecture, etc.
20. What about cities do you find most interesting?
The power that the urban condition has to influence the human condition.
21. What about cities do you think is over-emphasized or over-hyped?
Touristic spots.
22. What about cities do you think is under-appreciated?
Hidden narrow streets, music, elders, arts and culture in places off the beaten path.
23. Why do you think urban studies is important?
Urban studies allows us to understand better how we as a society function (or not function!), it is perhaps one of the fields that one experiences the closest in our own everyday lives.
24. What is one myth about cities that you would like to bust?
Cities are “where the jobs are”.
25. If you could time travel, what city and year would you visit?
Florence, 1500s.
26. What is your favorite imaginary city (from books, movies, etc.)?
Tomorrowland.
27. What would you like real cities to learn or take from this imaginary city?
Allowing creative people to be: scientists, artists, etc, in a place free of politics, bureaucracy, and greed.
28. What books, authors, or films would you recommend to someone who wants to better understand “the urban”?
Jared Diamond, Benjamin Barber, Jane Jacobs, Jan Gehl, Michel DeCerteau, David Harvey, Michel Foucault, Manuel Castells, Mariana Mazzucato.
29. What changes would make cities more livable?
Political will, change of attitude of government towards their role and the responsibility they have with citizens, a system of “shared governance” that allows collective decision-making with inclusion of the people most affected by decisions. More collaborative thinking, less competition.
30. What are the most important changes cities must make in response to the sustainability crisis?
Seriously coordinate national and local policies and plans to decarbonise the various sectors, specially the built environment, and back up those plans with budget with very strict accountability and transparency mechanisms. Also the transitions has to be highly participatory and just to ensure changes leave cities better off in terms of social equity.
31. If you could change one thing about your city, what would it be?
Socio-spatial segregation.
32. What question have I not asked that you would like to ask other 4CITIES alumni?
How can our alumni network mobilise our resources, knowledge, experience, connections, intelligence, and abilities to find funding or a new model in which 4CITIES can continue? 4CITIES is SO valuable and the next generations of urbanists need it!
You can find Alejandra on Instagram, X, and LinkedIn, as well as her personal website.
