Identifying Potential Collaborators, Allies and Supporters

AS THE RENOVATED PUBLIC LIBRARY space neared completion, the interim library space came into question. Once the library returned to its original site, could the interim space stay available to the public? What publicly available programs and activities would be communally desired in the Sunset Park Interim Public Library space? To generate answers, Voces Ciudadanas began reaching out and mobilizing different civic groups and community-based organizations in Sunset Park in the summer of 2022.

In the spring of 2023, a team of researchers and designers from the MS Design and Urban Ecologies (DUE) helped envision new public space in the interim library. To ensure the maximum participation of local stakeholders, a sociogram workshop was organized on February 4th 2023.

With community members’ attendance confirmed, the sociogram was planned. A Saturday afternoon allowed for the highest participation. Voces Ciudadanas and DUE helped facilitate the workshop. Community members were greeted with name tags and a sign-up sheet. Javier Salamanca from Voces Ciudadanas welcomed the group. Gabriela Rendon (DUE) introduced the activity, explained the different symbols and asked the participants to gather among their representing organizations. Each group took time to write down the organizations they were connected to, and the organizations they thought should be involved with the project. One at a time, each organization introduced themselves then mapped their community relationships on the Sociogram. Participants socialized with each other before finalizing the workshop.

The organizations that attended:

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

TO PROMPT THE PARTICIPANTS IN thinking about their connections and the relevant actors, we posed them these questions:

What is your name and your role in your organization?

What type of work does your organization do?

What program do you imagine happening at the Interim Public Library for the benefit of the community?