JM Rayburn, an OSU alumnus, has been keeping busy since graduation with his degree in Portuguese: he has been appointed to Mayor Mike Coleman’s Green Team, MORPC’s Community Advisory Committee, and COTA’s NextGen Project Advisory Group; has started a grassroots transportation initiative, called #ForgeAhead, as an Innovation Fellow with Forge Columbus; has joined the Board of Transit Columbus and the team behind Open Streets Columbus; writes and designs for LGBT Magazine Quorum Columbus; is a member of the greater Columbus LGBTQ Health Coalition; leads volunteer events with BESA; tutors a 3rd grade student in reading at Schoenbaum Family Center & Weinland Park Elementary; and finally, has been voted president of the Godman Guild Emerging Leaders to empower the next generation of young leaders. This is all in addition to his day job in affordable housing with Community Properties of Ohio.

 

While he indirectly uses his studies as it relates to urban planning, transportation advocacy, and urban design, Rayburn is currently brainstorming for more direct ways to leverage his studies in Portuguese with his activities in Columbus. For example, COTA and its partner agencies are moving forward with the Cleveland Avenue bus rapid transit line, which originated in Curitiba, where he studied abroad during his years at OSU. Curitiba was also added late last year to he list of Columbus Sister Cities, the first South American city on the list, which is a big deal for commerce, travel, and cross pollination of ideas and research. Another example deals with placemaking, guerrilla/tactical urbanism, and urban design. One of his favorite inspirations comes from Águeda, Portugal.

 

In his final year of undergrad, he did a senior thesis on Brazilian Modernism and presenting his work in São Paulo, with his research and findings touched on urban planning and design issues in Rio de Janeiro. He feels that some big takeaways from his research include the influence of the royal court in the 1800s, population growth and the perception of modernity through the lens of urban design in order to attract trade and commerce. Rayburn feels that, as he reflects on his Portuguese studies, it’s fair to say that it set the stage for his graduate work and still plays a big influence in professional work.