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Marcela co-founded and headed Open Streets Cape Town from 2012 to 2019, an organization which inspired new thinking around the use of Cape Town's streets and led to similar initiatives in other African cities. Since then, she has continued to work on mobility related issues, while expanding to, and publishing widely, on new areas such as public space and food systems.

Up until 2017, Dustin built and led the Social Justice Coalition, one of South Africa’s key social movements for greater urban equality during that period. After leaving the SJC, he began a global activist fellowship with the Social Change Initiative in Belfast and then continued to expand his consulting and independent work internationally.

Below are some examples of our work, as well as further down, a collection of pieces profiling us.

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Projects

Food Markets in the Global South

With support from the Heinrich Boell Foundation, Southern Africa, undertook a research and storytelling process to explore the power and possibility of neighbourhood food markets in Colombia and South Africa.

Africa and Latin America Cities Exchange on Low Carbon Mobility with UN-Habitat

Coordinated an Africa-Latin America cities exchange on low carbon mobility in Bogota with local government officials from Dar es Salaam, Kigali, Quito, Montevideo and Belo Horizonte. This immersive exchange was supported by UN-Habitat, Solutions Plus, the Urban Electric Mobility Initiative, and the Wuppertal Institut.

Public Space Stories, Heinrich Böll Foundation

This series of stories was the result of a process of working with individuals from communities across Cape Town on their experience and use of public space during COVID-19. Funded by the Heinrich Boll Foundation and published over 6 weeks in the Daily Maverick print and online editions.

COAB Program, International Budget Partnership

As an international advocacy consultant, formed part of the management team for the Collaborating for Open and Accountable Budgets, leading a multi-year European Commission-funded global civil society training and advocacy programme in 23 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America aimed at advancing transparency and citizen participation in public budgets.

Bogotá Mobility Exchange, People for Bikes

Curated the visit of a delegation for People for Bikes from Rhode Island in the US to Bogotá to meet with local government officials and learn about mobility initiatives in the Colombian capital.

Cities Research, People for Bikes

Research for People for Bikes on how various cities in the US were incorporating public participation into low carbon transport plans during Covid.

Fragments of Activism, Social Change Initative

A collection of stories and essays drawn from a global fellowship with the Social Change Initiative covering movement building and campaigns in South Africa and Latin America.

Strategic Review, Social Audit Network

Designed and led a strategic development and research process to reimagine and reformulate the direction and institutional structure of the Social Audit Network, a national network advancing social auditing in South Africa.

Building Power, Demanding Justice, International Budget Partnership

Undertook a reflection and writing process for an international organisation on the use of budget work within a mass-based social justice campaign.

‘What is a home?’ and ‘Keep off the land’

Research and article about evictions and related case law for The People’s Law Journal.

Composteria

Created and ran a 6 month micro-hauling compost collection pilot with the Oranjezicht City Farm.

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Profiles

Explore some of the ways our work has been profiled in the past.

20 March 2023

Local South Profile in Remarkable Women in Transport

Local South was profiled in the latest edition of Remarkable Women in Transport, published by GIZ and the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI).

Women Mobilize Women

23 September 2020

Marcela Guerrero Casas: Cycling to open Cape Town’s streets

Profile of Marcela by the Daily Maverick

Daily Maverick

31 May 2020

Joyful streets: with Marcela Guerrero Casas

Interview for Bicycles Transform Cities, Cities Transform the World (BYCS).

BYCS

5 May 2020

Activism and the Pandemic – 10 Global Perspectives

SCI reached out to 10 social change activists around the world to ask them to share their reflections and experience. Interview with Dustin.

Social Change Initiative

20 February 2020

La colombiana que llevó la ciclovía a Sudáfrica

Profile of Marcela by Anadolu Agency

Anadolu Agency

11 September 2019

El legado de Mandela, olvidado

Article reflecting on post-Apartheid South Africa in Colombian media with interview of Dustin.

El Espectador

31 August 2019

Social Change Initiative

Profile and interview with Dustin at the Social Change Initiative.

Social Change Initiative

8 March 2018

What does Cape Town think about Open Streets?

Short film reflecting on five years of Open Streets in Cape Town.

Makhulu Media Productions

31 January 2018

Lessons for Change

Profile and interview for Northern Ireland based movement with Dustin.

Lessons for Change

12 October 2017

History of Social Auditing in South Africa

History of social auditing in South Africa, as started by the Social Justice Coalition and partners while Dustin was leading the SJC.

Social Audit Network

16 August 2017

People's Power | The Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry

Documentary on the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry, in which Dustin played a leading role as Deputy General Secretary of the Social Justice Coalition.

Social Justice Coalition & Chronicle

16 August 2016

Wonder woman: Marcela Guerrero Casas

Feature about Marcela by Cape Town's city improvement district.

Cape Town CCID

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