What does it meant to be here? Is it about being present in the moment? Does it have to do with defining a location, defined by precise coordinates? Or is it a declaration of belonging to a certain place, or rather not belonging over there.  Our group of guest editors considered the term here from a variety of perspectives, bringing in their own experience, spawning ideas for feature articles that examine the concept of here and how it serves as a platform for understanding where we live and our relationship to a place.

In “Beyond the Border” guest editor Alejandra Hinojosa contrasts her South Texas upbringing—where nature, culture, and community are deeply interconnected—with the profit-driven urbanism of North Texas, which often severs people’s connection to the land. She argues that cities must adopt a new development philosophy that values nature, culture, and people equally to build more authentic, equitable, and ecologically connected communities.

Ryan Roettker gets on his bike and explores how cycling offers a unique, sensory way to understand and connect with urban environments, revealing the character and continuity of a city in ways that cars and even walking cannot. He argues that projects like The Loop Dallas can transform fragmented infrastructure into vibrant cultural and social spaces—making cycling integral to how residents experience and define their city.

In his feature about the history of Tenth Street, Anthony Rash examines how the construction of I-35 and decades of urban renewal dismantled one of Dallas’s oldest Black communities, erasing homes, landmarks, and cultural identity in the name of progress. Rash argues that reclaiming Tenth Street’s legacy requires an approach that centers memory, community, and cultural specificity to restore agency, honor resilience, and resist the ongoing forces of erasure and gentrification.

Collin Yarbrough explores how the concepts of here and there shape belonging, memory, and perception. Through personal narrative and philosophical musing, he argues that understanding and reconciling the tension between where we are and where we come from is essential to building genuine connections with both people and place.

Yavar Saremi examines how sports have become the foundation of Dallas’s civic identity, uniting residents across backgrounds and generations through shared spaces like the Cotton Bowl and community fields. Through insights from local leaders, athletes, and designers, Saremi argues that thoughtful investment in both landmark sports venues and neighborhood athletic facilities can preserve Dallas’s cultural legacy while continuing to foster belonging and connection.

As each of these features suggest, here becomes more than a location; it is an active, sensory, and temporal connection to the world around us.  It explores the power of being present in a place. It informs our memory of it and forges an identity that follows us throughout our lives.  We invite you to become immersed in the stories from these guest editors, and learn a bit more about our home, our shared history, and maybe a bit more about how each of us belongs here.

Julien Meyrat, AIA

Columns Magazine, Editor-In-Chief