A “sweet plan” to keep planners connected during the pandemic has grown into an award-winning platform where bold ideas and authentic stories take center stage. Created by members of the American Planning Association’s Latinos and Planning Division, the Plan Dulce podcast launched in 2021 and has since served up more than 40 episodes exploring planning through a rich mix of professional and lived experiences.
A Pandemic-Era Idea Finds Its Voice
The podcast began with Grecia White, then vice chair of the division, who teamed up with Vidal F. Márquez, Leonor Vanik, PhD, and James Castañeda, AICP, to produce its first episode. What followed was a growing, volunteer-powered series tackling transportation equity, art in planning, professional development, personal resilience, and more. In 2025, that work earned Plan Dulce the APA Divisions Council Award for Division Communications Excellence.
More Than a Podcast—A Community of Stories
Plan Dulce—a playful nod to “pan dulce,” or sweet bread—invites guests to go beyond résumés and job titles. They share career journeys, personal challenges, moments of vulnerability, and lessons learned along the way. Students, artists, LGBTQ+ community members, administrative professionals, and others have brought fresh perspectives that expand the conversation about planning—and about who shapes the places where we live.
Behind every episode is a dedicated network of volunteers. They find guests, produce and edit audio, develop special series, support internships, and test new formats. Along the way, the team has streamlined workflows and centralized communications, transforming a passion project into an increasingly sustainable operation.
New Voices, New Formats, and What Comes Next
The next chapter promises even more ways to listen and connect. The team is experimenting with video and bilingual interviews in English and Spanish. Upcoming projects include a live episode during the Latinos and Planning Division’s annual LUGARES virtual conference, a series focused on environmental justice and climate issues, and a collaboration with APA’s Arts and Planning Division.
The producers also aim to elevate an even wider spectrum of Latino/a/x perspectives, including Afro-Latino, Indigenous Latino, LGBTQ+, and women’s voices. As Plan Dulce evolves, its mission remains clear: give people the space to tell their stories in their own words—and help more people see themselves represented in the planning profession.