Part 2: Meet Open Plans’ 2025 summer interns!
To round out our summer intern intros, today we’re talking with our fourth class of graduate school interns at Open Plans. After a competitive interview process, we welcomed three bright students to the team for the summer: Laila Abed (who interned recently with our friends at the Columbus-Amsterdam BID), Talisha Ward (who first learned about Open Plans when we visited her class at Pratt' Placemaking Program last semester!), and Andrew Leung (who brings nonverbal communication techniques and experience to community engagement in his internship).
Learn more about who they are, where they hang out, and what emoji is there go-to below!
Andrew Leung
Masters of Urban and Community Planning at Pratt Institute with a concentration in Urban Placemaking
Favorite way to get around the city?
Scooter
Favorite public space?
Brower Park in Crown Heights - I'm involved with Field Meridians, an organization that runs an arts-based urban ecology program there :)
Which OP campaign excites you the most?
Streeetopia UWS & Public Space Management
Go-to emoji?
🌊
Laila Abed
Rising junior at Columbia University majoring in Urban Studies with a specialization in Public Health.
Favorite way to get around the city?
Walking & Subway!
Favorite public space?
It’s difficult to choose but I find myself going to “Little Egypt” in Astoria, Queens or Bryant Park a lot! You can never go wrong with some Turkish sweets and Yemeni tea. I also love taking a stroll through Morningside Park, pausing by the small pond to enjoy some beignets on a bench.
Which OP campaign excites you the most?
I’m really excited about the Public Space Management + School Streets campaigns because they’re about making NYC’s streets feel more like places for people. It’s important to have public spaces where neighbors can connect, kids can play safely, and the city feels a little more human and welcoming for everyone involved.
Go-to emoji?
🤗
Talisha Ward
Masters of Urban Placemaking and Management at Pratt with an advanced certificate in Historic Preservation
Favorite way to get around the city?
Walking
Favorite public space?
Shirley Chisholm Park
Which OP campaign excites you the most?
LTNs!!
Go-to emoji?
😹