In Common™
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM School Parsons Capstone of Design Parsons School of Design
In Common™
e
n
2
Annyelica Diaz - Kelly Ernst - John Jaimes - Kelly Lukes MS Strategic Design and Management Capston Parsons School of Desig May, 202
In Common™
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
Communities are divided and disconnected. The fabric of society has changed Nearly 70% of the country’s largest cities are more racially and ethnically diverse than they were in 2010. And by 2050, 89% of the U.S. population is projected to live in urban areas.*
Diversity is our future. And our strength
*US News. January 2020 **United Nations (UN) Population Division World Urbanization Prospects. 2018.
*
.
.
*
Research .
–
In Common™
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
Ability to Gather Wellness Systemic Enablers
Drive
Lack individual sense of control No access to resource Lack of community connectio Efforts to reduce inequalit Lack of tim Community welfar hub System/community disconnecte Bureaucrac Access to resource Judgement Feeling value Individual traum Collective traum Listening, sharing storie Chronic stres Lack of access to nature Shared gathering spaces Mental health Possess individual sense of control Financial instability No community involvement in decisions Agency for self determination Lack of agency for self determination
Future Proofing Experts
Community Leaders
Cultural Advocates
Community Members
Conversations with future proo ng experts, community leaders, community members and cultural advocacy experts provided insights that allowed us to understand the complexities of building and sustaining healthy communities. We mapped out and categorized the inputs from our interviews and desktop research to understand
Detract
What drives and detracts from community strength.
Systemic Enablers Wellness Ability to Gather
:
fi
.
n
y
s
s
s
e
s
a
a
.
d
s
d
y
s
e
Research
–
Sources: - Conducted interview - Ball, Jude, et al. "Building Community Resilience: Learning from the Canterbury Earthquakes.” ResearchGate, 2014 - Morrison, Sarah A. “Getting to the Heart of Equity: A HumanCentered Design Case Study.” Center for the Study of Social Policy, March 2020
In Common™
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
At the center of our research sat belonging. It was most frequently described as a sense of home and safety, but at its core belonging is not merely an emotional experience, but intrinsically linked to the ability to impact and shape the world around you as noted by the Othering & Belonging Institute:
“Belonging or being fully human means more than having access. Belonging entails being respected at a basic level that includes the right to both cocreate and make demands upon society.” *powell, john a. "Polarization and Preconditions: Bridging Across Identities for a Society of Belonging." Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, April 2021.
Research *
–
-
In Common™
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
It led us to focus our research on this question:
How might we harness the multicultural power of 2nd Generation Millennials to
create community spaces
where belonging thrives?
–
Analysis
-
Analysis
“I didn’t want to give my company a quote for the Latinx Heritage Month newsletter, but if I didn’t do it – who would?”
Representative
“It’s tough to be a part of my hometown when I’m not physically there anymore, so I nd friends with similar experiences in the black & brown tech community.”
Participant
“So for me, what the sense of belonging with people is saying, how do we bring people together and how do we give them an identity?”
Creator
–
fi
In Common™
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
Our interviews and workshops inspired three archetypes:
The representative, the participant and the creator. The three mindsets that 2nd Generation Millennials experience on a daily basis.
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
Peter
“My Thai culture is part of my identity and upbringing, but I’m more than that. I’ve never wanted it to de ne who I am.”
Representative Participant Creator
High
31 yo Thai-American From LA Lives in Irvine
Low
Experience of Archetype
Belonging and the three archetypes are uid and dynamic.
–
7am
Analysis
12pm
fi
fl
In Common™
5pm
8pm
In Common™
Representative: Systemic Interventions
Participant Activate
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
We were led to the conclusion that there must be design interventions at every entry point of the journey.
Creator: Center to Lea
And these interventions could be mapped on a gradient. Solutions that address belonging on multiple levels and in multiple ways.
Low
High
The ultimate goal is to move community members to the furthest end of the spectrum. Beyond that we enter spaces of solidarity economies, future proo ng and collective resilience.
Agency
d
:
fi
Analysis
–
In Common™
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
Belonging is nding spaces where you feel at home and can stand out. It’s extending dignity to all people. And above all, the work of the Othering & Belonging Institute showed us the deeper truth of belonging – at its core belonging is connected to the ability to impact and shape the world around you. We explored the depths of various narratives, experiences and practices that inform belonging and tasked ourselves with understanding what it means to belong.
And this is In CommonTM.
Synthesis fi
–
We designed a multi-pronged strategic plan that not only centers belonging as a vehicle for intercultural solidarity, but also enables lasting organizational and system change.
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
The Belonging Manifesto
In Common Strategy
The Network
In Common Creative
At the center of the ecosystem sits the In Common project The manifesto proclaims the universal tenets of belonging, the eld guide is a practical tool for initiatives, and the studio activates design interventions. The network unites a global connection hub built on the collective work of organizations and individuals from around the globe who are eager to share resources and advance the conversation around cultural solidarity, belonging and agency.
In Common™ In Common Studio Ways of Belonging
Mapping Agency
The Belonging Matrix
Belonging in the Field: A Toolkit
The Spectrum of Agency Cootie Catcher
fi
Synthesis
–
.
In Common™
Research
Road Map
Prototype
User Testing
–
Iterate
05.01.2022
Launch
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
But how does a multi-pronged strategic plan come together? For us it meant taking a deep dive int
the strategic design process.
Synthesis
o
–
In Common™
In Common™
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
Celebrate the beauty of culture Prioritize story hearing over storytelling
The Manifesto
The manifesto lays out our guiding principles for how belonging can be fostered within communities. By cultivating these values, we can remove barriers and empower organizations to create spaces of belonging.
Physical space ampli es Embrace the binaries Community Capitalism if you can’t beat them, make them better Start from the bottom to affect systemic change Harness the power and own the freedom of your journey Drive DEI forward with inter-cultural solidarity Practice radical inclusivity Embrace what is uncomfortable
Prototype fi
–
In Common™
–
Prototype
-
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
In Common™ In Common™
The Belonging Matrix
–
Prototype
-
Through this diagnostic tool we can start to identify how to shift the narrative from being a Receiver of belonging to a Creator.
–
–
05.01.2022 05.01.2022
–
–
MSSDM MSSDM Capstone Capstone Parsons Parsons School School of Design of Design
It explores the four mindsets we experience on our journey to the ultimate sense of belonging: Observer, Representative, Participant and Shaper.
In Common™
–
05.01.2022
In Common Studio™
–
Prototype
-
–
MSSDM Capstone ParsonsInSchool Common™ of Design
Interventions are nothing without someone to facilitate them. The studio was designed to connect the dots of our work and co-create new futures with organizations and communities.
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
In Common™
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
We started our journey with the goal of understanding belonging. We knew it as an intangible experience and feeling but our endeavor revealed what we knew all along: belonging is also a strategic tool that can take on many forms, be analyzed, codi ed, and most importantly, serve as a diagnostic launching pad that drives change. In CommonTM was created from a shared passion for community and a vision to shape a world where intercultural solidarity thrives. So what does belonging mean to you?
All of us have the power to engage, shape and challenge. What steps can you take today to co-create spaces of belonging in your communities and organizations?
fi
Summary
–
In Common™
–
05.01.2022
–
MSSDM Capstone Parsons School of Design
ABOUT US
In CommonTM takes a multi-layered approach when leveraging belonging to co-create and shape stronger, future proofed communities and organizations. We prioritize physical spaces of connection, inclusion and cultural solidarity in order to foster collaboration and change.
Kelly Ernst
Annyelica Diaz
John Jaimes
Kelly Lukes
Our diverse team of multi-hyphenate design strategists aims to bridge the gap between communities and the necessary tools that build a stronger sense of belonging and agency.