Shalaka Jadhav

Shalaka Jadhav is disciplined as an urban planner, often finds herself at the intersection of research and analysis, and employs design thinking to communicate data clearly, empathetically, and with an emphasis on accessibility to the public. As a twice-over immigrant, Shalaka is interested in pursuing questions around value relating to power and authority, and how to move towards reconciliation through climate justice. Keen on art-based methodologies, Shalaka has worked with elders from Saddle Lake Cree Nation and graduate students at the University of Alberta to produce an augmented reality installation that prioritized Indigenous approaches to knowledge and storytelling, and has previously produced a museum exhibit evaluating decent work and migrant worker justice. Shalaka also works in an editorial role for Textile, a magazine focused on uplifting and prioritizing underrepresented voices in the Region of Waterloo, during which she co-creates and produces workshops for youth. “In my training as an urban planner, something that's really stuck with me is the essential role that design and methodology play in bringing us to unexpected places. The "how" we do things can be transformational and bring us closer to the just, climate-resilient futures we deserve.”