E Q U I T Y U R B A N
Cartographers’ Maps Outline Equity in Urban Development
Above: Caption Right: Caption
B y D e b o ra h Stra n g e
There’s power in maps, beyond showing a physical landscape or an area’s demographics. An exhibit by DIY Cartography students and teachers will demonstrate that power by analyzing equity in Raleigh’s urban development and the connections among social, economic and political transformation. Sara Queen, associate professor of architecture, and Tania Allen, associate professor of art and design, brainstormed the idea for the exhibit in 2013 when they began examining which histories were prioritized in Raleigh through memorials and preserved neighborhoods. They’re now creating a visual archive that connects time, socioeconomics, infrastructure, geospatial data and residents’ stories.
meaning in society. Allen says the project is based on an “iceberg” model of culture: Some phenomena, like poverty and segregation, are visible on the outside, but others, like systemic racism and privilege, are hidden.
“By visualizing it, you’re trying to take out the political rhetoric and give a deeper understanding of how things are interconnected” — TA N I A A L L E N
“We try to use history as a way to understand and decode our present environment,” “We can’t create one complete image of this because it’s constantly evolving and Queen says. “We didn’t just get here in a vacuum. When you have insight into current changing,” Allen says. “But we can start to emphasize the connections between things: economics, equity, exclusion, education, transportation, safety. and historical urban patterns, that can impact future interventions.” Undergraduate and graduate students in all College of Design majors participate in DIY Cartography, learning how raw data can be analyzed to find patterns and 12
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“By visualizing it, you’re trying to take out the political rhetoric and give a deeper understanding of how things are interconnected,” Allen adds. “Understanding the
