Designing Infrastructures of Inclusion in The Rockaways, Part 1 by Parsons Graduate Urban Programs

Designing Infrastructures of Inclusion in The Rockaways, Part 1 Design and Urban Ecologies Studio 3 Fall 2015

Designing Infrastructures of Inclusion in The Rockaways, Part 1 Design and Urban Ecologies Studio 3 Fall 2015 In Fall 2015, students in the MS Design and Urban Ecologies Studio 3 partnered with students in the MFA Transdisciplinary Design program (Transdisciplinary Design Projects Studio 1 and 3) to design strategies and scenarios for building social-spatial infrastructures of inclusion in The Rockaways. The studio was taught collaboratively by Professors Carlos Teixeira and Miodrag Mitrašinović. Our key studio partner was the Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability & Equity (RISE), previously known as the Rockaway Waterfront Alliance (RWA). Additional partners were the NYC Department of Transportation and Design Trust for Public Space. Through RISE, students connected to a wide network of advocates and activists, non-profit organizations, faith institutions, food producers and other critical, local actors. After the preliminary research phase (“sense-making”) was completed, students formed four design teams based on their preference for the themes and topics identified. Student teams produced flexible, dynamic, socio-spatial scenarios aimed at transforming policy, environmental conditions, labor relations, and economic production models in the conflicting areas of The Rockaways. Their proposals addressed

critical issues including environmental protection, building community resilience, struggle against gentrification, spatial integration, ethnic and racial inclusion, economic justice, production of fresh and healthy food, cultural development and infrastructural development. Each proposal is developed in partnership with grassroots, community-based, nonprofit organizations, NGOs, and municipal organizations. We are deeply grateful to RISE for hosting our workshops and brainstorm sessions with community members and leaders, for facilitating our work, and specifically to Jeanne DuPont, Ana Fisyak and Judah Asimov for teaching us so much about community organization, development and planning. This is the first publication in the series of three Studio books documenting the work of the MS Design and Urban Ecologies program in The Rockaways, in partnership with RISE and led by Professor Miodrag Mitrašinović. Miodrag Mitrašinović and Carlos Teixeira

Team members Design and Urban Ecologies students: Denilyn Arciaga Darcy Bender Mariana Bomtempo Shibani Jadhav Alexa Jensen Drew Vanderburg Transdisciplinary Design students: Selim Budeyri Katie Edmonds Elena Habre Samuel Haddix Cameron Hanson SungMy Kim Christopher Lopez Christian Smirnow Sneha Srinivasan Jack Wilkinson Faculty: Miodrag Mitrašinović and Carlos Teixeira Book design: Blake Roberts

Artistic Expression - Youth Empowerment

iculate Elena HABRE Alexa JENSEN Sneha SRINIVASAN Drew VANDERBURG Transdisciplinary Design + Design and Urban Ecologies Projects Studio 1 + 3 Fall 2015 Rockaways

Contents INTRODUCTION: The Rockaways OUR PROCESS: Research + Methods OUR FINDINGS: Evidence, Insights, Criteria OUR PROPOSAL: ARTiculate - Artistic Expression for Youth Empowerment GOALS THE TEAM

Contents

ARTiculate

Introduction:

The Rockaways The Rockaway peninsula in New York City is a complex urban geography on the Atlantic coast. In Fall 2015, the Transdisciplinary Design / Design and Urban Ecologies collaborative design studio in Parsons The New School for Design embarked on a partnership with the Rockaway Waterfront Alliance. RWA is a local non-profit that seeks to strengthen the social fabric of the Rockaways by building strategic community partnerships, hosting educational programs, and sponsoring environmental interventions. As student partners, we approached the Rockaways with an open eye for innovative design opportunities. We uncovered a diverse array of issues, from a lack of mobility and basic social services to a potent economic and political divide in the community. The Parsons designers formed four groups, and each group has generated design proposals that could transform the peninsula’s urban situation.

Rockaways

Desk Research and Mapping, Site Visits

Photographic Documentation, Community Board Meeting, Research Planning Surveys, Edgemere Workshop Rockaway

Community Interviews

Stakeholder Workshops

Analysis and Synthesis

Rockaway Youth Task Force, Jahmon (Rockaway Teen), Pastor Evan Grey, Xtreme Measures, Rockaway Wildfire

Sense making and Ideation with Designers, Rockaway Stakeholders and Shore Corps

Value Web, User Journeys, Clustering, Convergence mapping, Concept Sketches

Research + Methods

ARTiculate

Approximately one in nine adults from Far Rockaway receive less than a ninth grade education.

Teenage Live Births (ages In zip code 11692 there is 15-19) in the Rockaways was 10.4%, significantly a 35.1% graduation rate higher than that of for individuals 25 and up. Queens at 5.5%.

Rockaway population is projected to grow 1.8x more than that of New York City.

There are a significant amount of day care centers in houses and high schools throughout the Rockaways.

There is only 1 hospital in the Rockaways - there are only 2 family planning centers in the Rockaways - there are 0 Planned Parenthoods in the Rockaways.

During 2010, 627 youth from throughout Queens were admitted to juvenile detention facilities. Over 40% were from Jamaica and Far Rockaway community.

Far Rockaway has a 14% unemployment rate, almost double the national rate of 7.8%.

Far Rockaway’s district had almost double the borough average for child abuse and neglect with 1,320 reports in 2010.

Statistical Evidence

Sources: City-Data.com, US Census/ACS, St. John’s Hospital

ARTiculate

Rockaways

If you’re really

scared ofIn a gun you 11692 there is a Approximately one in nine zipand code live around a whole bunch of adults from Far Rockaway 35.1% graduation rate for gangbangers, then what receive less than a ninth is your definition individuals 25 and up. of living in this grade education. community?

You gotta have

parents who are active. Teenage Live Births (ages It's all coming from 15-19) what's in the Rockaways was going on the home. 10.4%,insignificantly higher than that of Queens at 5.5%.

Alexis Smallwood Community Activist

Jahmon

Teenager | Expecting Father

[Crime and Violence]

is definitely stemming fromis only 1 hospital in the There are a significant There Rockaway population is the poor schooling amount of day care centers system and the lack of Rockaways - there are only Yeah, if you'reto skipping projected grow 1.8x more employment You needin houses and high schools school there are these places family planning centers in opportunities - it’s2like the mentors with than that of...they New called Trap Houses are York City. perfect storm. similar life experience. throughout the the Rockaways vacant buildings around the someone who's cool Taylor peninsula. Rockaways. there are 0Milan Planned Community Activist but not afraid to get harsh...if the student Parenthoods in the wants to open up, they will. Rockaways. The main problem

During 2010, 627 youth from throughout Queens were admitted to juvenile detention facilities. Over 40% were from Jamaica and Far Rockaway community. Rockaway High School Kids 6

A lot of kids don't even have the motivation to learn. Far Rockaway You’ve gotta give thehas a 14% incentive to rate, almost unemployment self-educate.

double the national rate of 7.8%.

Anecdotal Evidence

ARTiculate

is you have kids who are 28 years old and their kids are 15 - therefore the relationship is between Far Rockaway’s district had friends and peers rather than parents and almost double thechildren. borough

average for child abuse and neglect with 1,320 reports in Evan D. Grey 2010. Local Pastor

Insights y There is a lack of open dialogues between parents and the children regarding social issues around sexual health, drugs and gang violence due to political resistance or taboos around such issues in the community. y Overcrowded schools and absentee parents lead to a lack of mentorship for youth. y The public school system is ineffective and demotivating in ensuring that all students graduate from high school. y The lack of medical facilities in the Rockaways, (coupled with poverty and bad transportation infrastructure), hinder access to sexual health resources and education. y Many stakeholders in the Rockaways are working to improve the youth conditions but do not always have the right tools and resources.

Key Insights + Criteria

Criteria y

Storytelling

Art

Mentorship and guidance

Addressing issues discreetly

By creating room for dialogues we plan to destigmatize common social issues such as teen sex and teen drug use. If we empower youth to share their personal stories, then we will open dialogue around stigmatized social issues.

Self expression, identity, building skills, boosting confidence, bolster youth self esteem. If we use art to re contextualize the conversation, then we will help youth build new skills and boost their self-confidence.

Counseling, support, trust, future employment possibilities. If we provide this service through individualized mentorship, then we will provide a context of trust to empower youth to define their own value systems and make informed choices.

Due to the personal nature and political sensitivity of the issues we are addressing, we should prioritize privacy and discretion as we seek to open dialogue.

ARTiculate

Rockaways

Project CLAIM: We believe that creating avenues of self expression will improve the psychological resiliency of the youth in the Far Rockaways. ARTiculate is an art & mentorship program for at-risk youth in the Rockaways. At-risk youth are adolescents who are shown to be less likely to transition into adulthood with confidence and economic self-sufficiency. Statistics in our research have shown high numbers of high-school dropout rates, unemployment, high rates of teenage pregnancy, increased population, and high crime rates. These are listed as some of the characteristics or observed markers for at-risk areas which trickle down to the youth in the form of emotional and behavioral problems, low self-esteem, drugs use, truancy, and low academic performance. Our program is aimed at psychological resilience which we feel is essential for the youth in the Rockaways to cope with the aforementioned risk factors. We are defining ‘Psychological resilience’ for the youth in the Rockaways as having high self esteem and self identity, a strong sense of purpose and a belief in success including goal direction, educational aspirations, motivation, persistence and optimism.

“Art can offer a grand and serious vantage point from which to survey the travails of our condition.” Alain de Botton

PLANNED PARENTHOOD NYC y Existing Services

QUEENS PUBLIC LIBRARY - ARVERNE BRANCH y Existing Services

Provides classes, workshops, adult and peer advocacy programs, healthcare services and information for schools and communities. They also currenty run a Capacity-Building Assistance program which trains “community organizations with information, skills-building opportunities, and educational materials to establish organizational environments that encourage education and referrals for sexual and reproductive health”. These services are currently not available in the Rockaways.

Hosts classes and workshops about employment, nutrition, skills identification, healthcare information. Partners with planned parenthood for reproductive health trainings, but does not run these workshops at any of its locations in the Rockaways.

Enrich your life.

Queens Library

y Project Opportunities ¬ Space for trainings and workshops ¬ Computers and wifi

y Project Opportunities

¬ Capacity Building Assistance Trainings could be held in Arverne Community Library as trainings have been done in other Queens Public Libraries. ¬ Could increase access to sexual health resources, treatment, advice, and education.

Arverne Community Library

ROCKAWAY ARTISTS ALLIANCE

THE ACTION CENTER - FAR ROCKAWAY

y Existing Services

Works toward community development, growth and education for children, and services that concentrate on parenting, job skills and financial security for adults. Provides afterschool programs to Rockaway youth but has no art program.

Has a rolodex of local in house artists and educators. Provides art programs for K-5, artist-inresidency programs in schools, and classes for the general public. It has no high-school aged programs.

THE

ACTION CENTER

y Project Opportunities

¬ Could leverage non-profit status for grants and funding. ¬ Could provide local knowledge on at-risk-youth in the neighborhood, specifically in NYCHA housing.

Stakeholders

¬ In-house artists and art teachers looking for work ¬ Studio spaces and art supplies

Stakeholders

ARTiculate

Rockaways

LOCAL ACTORS y Existing Services

Local organizations that have daily contact with at-risk youth populations and are in the role of serving the community.

y Project Opportunities

¬ Could provide youth referrals who they feel would be a good fit for our program, along with specific information about the child’s needs.

Churches Evan Gray

NYPD

Local activist group involved in activities of community building, planning and redevelopment of the Rockaways since superstorm Sandy.

Child Service employees dealing with abuse and maltreatment.

Local religious leaders are well-positioned to provide guidance to youth.

Local activist group dealing with domestic violence,Teen dating violence, child abuse and missing children

Parole Officers dealing with delinquency.

Guidance

Parol Officer

counselors help students develop academically, personally, socially.

Child Protective Services

Xtreme Measure

Rockaway Collegiate

School Counselors

Referral Organizations 10

Stakeholders

ARTiculate

ARTiculate is a new program managed under the umbrella of The Action Center. The referrants at the left will recommend youth and the Rockaway Artist Alliance will provide local artists to act as mentors.

The artists will receive trainings by Planned Parenthood health specialists at the Arverne Community Library.

The refferants will submit information about the selected youth by logging in to the web portal.

After at least one year of working with an artist, a youth could become a (paid) art apprentice for that artist, an also a role-model for future ARTiculate kids.

Operational Diagram

If the youth does not accept the recommendation for the program, a local mentor from the Action Center can intervene.

If the youth accepts, they will begin art mentorship by the artist of their choice.

ARTiculate

Rockaways

INCENTIVES: Grant money, adds arts program to the roster, serves Action Center’s mission statement

INCENTIVES: Learning new skills, possible employment, food during work sessions, confidence & creativity. INCENTIVES: Supports the mission statement of the group, We provide transportation reimbursements for the trainers to take cars to and from the Library, May lead to an increased client base for their Brooklyn facilities.

INCENTIVES: Pay for every session, snacks and art supplies, potential apprentices, teaching is often the best way to learn

INCENTIVES: Strengthens image of the library as a vital resource in the community.

The yellow bubbles display incentives as to why the indicated individuals or organizations would be convinced to participate in the ARTiculate program.

INCENTIVES: New options to get local kids the care they need, Frees up time and labor for these businesses.

Operational Diagram

ARTiculate

PREF PREFERRED ERRED

STEPHANIE

E Ea a rr ll y y L L ii ff e e 1 19 99 98 8 -- 2 20 00 09 9 Stephanie, Stephanie, her her sister sister move move in in with with their their mother’s mother’s boyfriend. boyfriend.

Stephanie Stephanie has has become become despondent despondent in in school. school. She She often doodles doodles on on paper paper often while the the teacher teacher is is leading leading while a a class. class.

EX E XIISSTI T IN NG G

Stephanie Stephanie is is born. born. Stephanies Stephanies father father leaves leaves after after her her younger younger sister sister is is born. born.

2 20 01 10 0

In In a a five five year year study study done done on on mentorship mentorship 40% 40% of of mentees mentees and 50% 50% of of mentors mentors were were and more more likely likely to to be be promoted. promoted.

According According to to the the Multiple Multiple Intelligences theory theory -- not not all all Intelligences youth will will be be responsive responsive to to youth traditional teaching methods traditional teaching methods and may may fall fall behind behind in in school school and

Stephanie’s school school counselor counselor Stephanie’s asks asks Stephanie Stephanie what what her her interests are and if she interests are and if she would would be interested interested in in doing doing art art be after school school with with a a teaching teaching after artist. artist. She She is is hesitant, hesitant, but but has has always always wanted wanted to to paint. paint. .. Stephanie's mother mother takes takes Stephanie's her her to to her her first first meeting meeting with with her teaching teaching artist, artist, Brad. Brad. her Stephanie trusts trusts Brad Brad and and Stephanie likes likes painting painting so so far, far, so so she she decides decides to to do do the the program. program.

2 20 01 11 1

Stephanie Stephanie is is no no longer longer paying paying attention attention in in class class and begins begins to to fail fail her her and exams. exams. Concerned, Stephanie’s Stephanie’s Concerned, school counselor counselor sets sets up up a a school meeting to speak meeting to speak with with her her where she reveals that she where she reveals that she hates testing testing and and is is having having hates trouble trouble learning learning in in a a regular regular class environment. class environment.

Brad finds finds out out that that Brad Stephanie is is struggling struggling with with Stephanie her math class her math class and and Brad Brad reaches out out to to The The Action Action reaches Center who who aligns aligns her her with with a a Center tutor. tutor. Stephanie is is teaching teaching her her Stephanie little sister sister to to paint paint at at home. home. little Her sister likes to paint Her sister likes to paint and and she she looks looks up up to to Stephanie. Stephanie.

2 20 01 12 2

While While Stephanie’s Stephanie’s mother mother assures assures that that both both Stephanie Stephanie and her her sister sister get get to to school school and and are are attending attending class, class, and Stephanie’s grades begin Stephanie’s grades begin to plummet. plummet. to

Stephanie’s Stephanie’s mother mother is is no no longer able able to to take take her her to to longer Articulate, so so The The Action Action Articulate, Center arranges a ride for Center arranges a ride for Stephanie Stephanie to to meet meet with with Brad. Brad. Brad Brad reaches reaches out out to to Stephanie’s little little sister, sister, he he Stephanie’s would like like for for her her to to join join the the would program next year when program next year when she she turns 14. turns 14.

2 20 01 13 3

Stephanie Stephanie has has a a lot lot on on her her mind mind and and has has a a hard hard time time paying attention attention in in class class paying because of of it. it. because Her Her parents parents reach reach out out to to Pastor Grey Grey to to talk talk to to Pastor Stephanie. Stephanie.

Now Now that that Stephanie Stephanie has has graduated graduated from from the the program, she she is is now now an an artist artist program, apprentice, apprentice, teaching teaching alongside a full-time artist. alongside a full-time artist. She and and Brad Brad still still meet meet so so She that that Stephanie Stephanie can can start start putting together a portfolio putting together a portfolio and a a resume. resume. and Stephanie’s Stephanie’s sister sister starts starts the the Articulate Articulate program. program.

2 20 01 14 4

Stephanie’s Stephanie’s school school counselor counselor reaches reaches out out to to her, but but Stephanie Stephanie does does not not her, know how how to to verbalize verbalize the the know way she is feeling. way she is feeling. Stephanie is is now now failing failing Stephanie almost almost every every class class and and as as a a result she begins to result she begins to skip skip school. school.

Stephanie Stephanie graduates graduates and and is is accepted into into college. college. She She accepted is also also applying applying for for is part-time part-time jobs jobs at at local local art art galleries. galleries.

2 20 01 15 5

Stephanie Stephanie starts starts off off her her senior senior year year with with perfect perfect attendance, she she wants wants to to attendance, be able able to to graduate, graduate, but but be she has a lot of absences she has a lot of absences and grades grades to to make make up up for. for. and Soon Soon she she gets gets the the feeling feeling that that she she is is in in over over her her head head and begins begins to to skip skip school school and once again. again. Stephanie Stephanie once does does not not graduate. graduate.

F F

In 2010, 2010, Far Far Rockaway’s Rockaway’s In graduation rate rate was was only only graduation 40%, much lower 40%, much lower than than NYC’s NYC’s graduation rate of 65%. graduation rate of 65%. mentoringwomensnetwork.com mentoringwomensnetwork.com safespace.org safespace.org

User Journey

ARTiculate

Rockaways

PREF PREF ERRED ERRED

TY R O N N E

EX EXI IS TSIN TI NG G

Early Life 1996 - 2009 Early Life 1996 - 2009 Tyronne is born. Tyronne is born. His mother is 18 and has her high school His mother is 18diploma and has her high school diploma His father is 21 and dropped high His fatherout is 21ofand school at out 16. of high dropped school at 16.

Tyronne sees his parents fighting lot and Tyronne asees his parents sometimes dad hits his fighting a lothis and mom. sometimes his dad hits his mom. His parents eventually separate. His parents eventually separate.

2010 2010 Tyronne keeps changing schools. Tyronne keeps changing schools. sees his dad with a Tyronne lot of women. Hisdad dadwith will a Tyronne sees his still come home lot of women. Hiswhen dad he willis drunk and push his mother still come home when he is around - Tyronne tries to drunk and push his mother stop him, but his dad around - Tyronne triesends to up hitting himhis sometimes stop him, but dad ends too. up hitting him sometimes too.

Developing a creative self practice canahelp you feel Developing creative self more inspired, balanced and practice can help you feel happy. more inspired, balanced and happy.

Children who spend time with a mentor a year or Children who for spend time more are 46%for less likely with a mentor a year or than their peersless to likely start more are 46% using illegal than their peersdrugs. to start using illegal drugs.

Child services comes to talk to Tyronne about his home Child services comes to talk life. They ask whether or not to Tyronne about his home Tyronne be interested life. Theywould ask whether or not in joiningwould an artbe program. Tyronne interested in joining anthe art program. He receives email from Articulate, isn’t from He receivesbut thehe email interested. Articulate, but he isn’t interested.

2011 2011

Tyronne’s guidance counselor alerts child Tyronne’s guidance services toalerts Tyronne’s counselor childhome life. services to Tyronne’s home life.

Tyronne periodically receives contact from The Tyronne periodically Action onfrom behalf of receivesCenter contact The Articulate. Tyronne is still of Action Center on behalf not interested - he would Articulate. Tyronne is still rather hangout- with his not interested he would friends after school. rather hangout with his friends after school.

2012 2012

Tyronne’s mom doesn’t have a stable job. Tyronne’s mom doesn’t havefather a stable His canjob. no longer pay child support because His father can no longer he incarcerated. payischild support because he is incarcerated. Tyronne starts hanging out with the wrong crowd. out Tyronne starts hanging with the wrong crowd.

Tyronne still receives contact from Thestill Action Center. Tyronne receives contact They ask him what his from The Action Center. interests hehis tells They ask are himand what them thatare heand likeshe totells make interests music andhe hangout his them that likes towith make friends. music and hangout with his friends. The Action Center matches Tyronne to aCenter local rap artist The Action matches who goes meetrap him. Tyronne toto a local artist who goes to meet him.

Tyronne gets picked up by the police for picked a Tyronne gets up by drug-related the police foroffense. a drug-related offense. NYPD suggests an alternative to community NYPD suggests an service by going through alternative to community the Articulate program. service by going through the Articulate program. Tyronne liked the musician he had met and to Tyronne liked thedecides musician do the program. he had met and decides to do the program.

Tyronne beings to skip class to drink, beings smoke,to rap and Tyronne skip class hangout with hisrap friends to drink, smoke, andat some abandoned houses hangout with his friends at that they call “traphouses houses”. some abandoned that they call “trap houses”.

Tyronne gets picked up by the police for picked a Tyronne gets up by drug-related the police foroffense. a drug-related offense. NYPD suggests community service. NYPD suggests community service.

2013 2013

2014 2014

Tyronne graduates the Articulate program the and is Tyronne graduates looking forprogram jobs at and is Articulate recording studios. He is looking for jobs at currently to get recordingtrying studios. He his is GED. currently trying to get his GED.

2015 2015

Tyronne gets arrested again, this time he is in the Tyronne gets arrested posession marijuana and again, this of time he is in the an illegal firearm. posession of marijuana and an illegal he firearm. Because is over 18, he goes to jail. Because he is over 18, he goes to jail.

! !! ! !!

71% of adults from Far Rockaway agefrom 25 and 71% of adults Far older were high school Rockaway age 25 and dropouts older were high school dropouts

34% of children residing in Far Rockaway livingin 34% of childrenare residing below the poverty level Far Rockaway are living below the poverty level

In 2010, Far Rockaway had almost the borough In 2010,double Far Rockaway had average of childthe abuse and almost double borough neglect with 1,320 reports average of child abuse and neglect with 1,320 reports

User Journey

During 2010, 627 youth from throughout Queens During 2010, 627 youthwere from admitted Queens to juvenile throughout were detention facilities. Over 40% admitted to juvenile were fromfacilities. JamaicaOver and Far detention 40% Rockaway’ s community. were from Jamaica and Far bbbs.org Rockaway’s community. safespace.org

mariclearttherapy.com bbbs.org safespace.org mariclearttherapy.com

ARTiculate

AMY

Youth who spend time with mentors regularly over a year period are 52% less likely than their peers to skip a day of school.

PREFERRED

Amy’s school counselor tells her about Articulate, a program that could help her get jobs in the future and make up school credit. Amy mentions that she has always loved writing poetry. Amy’s school counselor tells her to think about joining the program and that someone from Articulate will be reaching out to her shortly with more information.

2010

2011

2012

Amy and her mother move to an apartment on Beach 69th.

Amy is in 9th grade, has a good group of friends. She does all right in school.

Amy’s first year of high school - art and english are her favorite subjects.

Her mother has men stay over from time to time.

Amy’s father stops paying child support and she does not see him often anymore.

Hurricane Sandy hits and Amy’s building is flooded and uninhabitable.

Amy’s mother works long days in Brooklyn and gets home late at night.

Amy and her mother are forced to live in separate houses during Sandy Reconstruction. Amy is now staying with older friends.

Early Life 1998 - 2009 Amy is born and she, her mother and father move from Baltimore to Far Rockaway.

EXISTING

Amy’s parents argue a lot.

Amy’s father is in and out of rehab for drug use and eventually moves out to live with his friends in a different state.

Articulate gets in contact with Amy and provides her a ride to meet her teaching artist, Trish, who is a writer and a poet.

2013

Amy is only going to school 2-3 days a week, the days that her older friends cannot hangout. She has a boyfriend who is 19. Amy’s school counselor notes her absence, but cannot get ahold of Amy’s mother. The threat of not graduating makes Amy nervous, but she continues to miss class.

ATTENDANCE

User Journey

ARTiculate

"Almost every basement is flooded,it's a bad situation for sure." -Spokesperson for City Councilman James Sanders Jr.

The reconstruction of Amy’s old apartment building is finished and Amy and her mother move back in. Amy is almost a year into the Articulate program and is now on track to graduate high school. Amy’s teaching artist is helping her prepare for the final show, where Rockaway Bound members can display their artwork to the community - Amy is going to recite her poetry.

2014

Amy and her mother move back in together. Amy is no longer attending class and some nights she does not come home. She would like to get her drivers license but she knows that, in order to do so, she would have to face her attendance record and start going back to school. It just seems too hard. Amy’s mom tries to get Amy to attend school, but the more she tries the more they argue.

Rockaways

Amy is getting ready to graduate from High School. Trish is helping amy to compile a portfolio and fill out college applications and scholarship paperwork. Amy would really like to pursue a career in journalism.

2015

Amy turns 18 and, despite her mothers wishes, she refuses to go back to school because she doesn’t want to end up being held back. Amy decides to move out and live with her friends full time. Amy runs into her old friends who ask her how she has been - they tell her that they are getting ready to graduate soon.

Approximately one in nine adults from Far Rockaway received less than a ninth grade education.

safespace.org bbbs.org

Curriculum The curriculum for ARTiculate is founded upon an ideology of art-making as a therapeutic process for emotional healing. It will be framed as a program to build creative skills and artistic professionalism, but it will be targeted at youth who need personal transformations in confidence, self-esteem, and emotional health. Due to societal taboos and political stigmas that we have perceived in the public discourse around sensitive social issues that affect the youth of the Rockaways, our public-facing messaging will emphasize only the artistic aspect of the program. However, we will also provide access to a network of sexual and psychological health resources for the participants, and strive to help the students reconnect with their academic environment.

ARTiculate

Lesson Plan

TEACHING ARTIST CURRICULUM Attend Show or Exhibit at NYC cultural destination of relevance

- Creating an artist's portfolio, reel, or demo tape. - Creating an artist's website. - Knowing the market for your new craft

- Solidifying the story - Curation - Finishing touches and rehearsal - Retrospective thinking about the year's work

Attend show opening of relevance to work

Refine Your Story

Outreach & Exhibition Preparation

Collaborate

Observe

iculate exhibition.

Month 16 - 18

Prepare and help to organize

Complete a training with RAA.

Month 13 - 15

Techniques and Materials

Choose an Articulate teaching artist and collaborate with iculate students. them to both teach and mentor

Month 12

- Advanced technique lessons - Large format and long format - Writing about the work - Knowing when the piece is "done"

Activities for Final Show:

Tap Into Your Creative Expression

Outreach to at risk youth. Month 19 - 21

- Documenting the art process - Framing and packaging - Deciding on final project form and content

Activities for Professional Growth:

Month 11

- Assisting on artist's other projects - Artist gives feedback and constructive criticism

Activities for Skillbuilding:

Month 10

Attend Show or Exhibit at NYC cultural destination of relevance

- A piece a day - Imitation of other pieces - Repetition, iteration, obstruction - Same project, new materials

Phase 3 Preparation:

Month 8 - 9

- Brainstorming - Writing - Narratives and storyboards - Journaling

Activities for Trustbuilding:

Month 6 - 7

- Exquisite corpse - Collaborative making - Gameplay

Activities for Skillbuilding:

Month 4 - 5

- Free association - High speed art - Freeform and freestyle

Month 3

Phase 2 Preparation:

Month 2

Activities for Trustbuilding:

Month 1

Activities for Spontaneity:

iculate teaching artist to Spend one week with each observe teaching and mentorship techniques while making art as well. Complete a training with Planned Parenthood.

ART APPRENTICE CURRICULUM Artistic Expression. Youth Empowerment.

Curriculum

ARTiculate

Rockaways

iculate

Student Learning Outcomes

TEACHING ARTIST CURRICULUM Attend Show or Exhibit at NYC cultural destination of relevance

- Advanced technique lessons - Large format and long format - Writing about the work - Knowing when the piece is "done"

Activities for Final Show:

- Creating an artist's portfolio, reel, or demo tape. - Creating an artist's website. - Knowing the market for your new craft

- Solidifying the story - Curation - Finishing touches and rehearsal - Retrospective thinking about the year's work

Month 12

- Documenting the art process - Framing and packaging - Deciding on final project form and content

Activities for Professional Growth:

Month 11

- Assisting on artist's other projects - Artist gives feedback and constructive criticism

Activities for Skillbuilding:

Month 10

Attend Show or Exhibit at NYC cultural destination of relevance

- A piece a day - Imitation of other pieces - Repetition, iteration, obstruction - Same project, new materials

Phase 3 Preparation:

Month 8 - 9

- Brainstorming - Writing - Narratives and storyboards - Journaling

Activities for Trustbuilding:

Month 6 - 7

- Exquisite corpse - Collaborative making - Gameplay

Activities for Skillbuilding:

Month 4 - 5

- Free association - High speed art - Freeform and freestyle

Month 3

Phase 2 Preparation:

Month 2

Activities for Trustbuilding:

Month 1

Activities for Spontaneity:

Attend show opening of relevance to work

Tap Into Your Creative Expression

Techniques and Materials

Refine Your Story

This phase will focus on tapping in to creative expression, building the student's capacity to imagine, create, and play without judging themselves or being critical of the work. The process of creation will take precedence over the product, and an emphasis will be placed on fun.

This phase will focus on skill building in the art medium of choice. The student will develop the techniques to create satisfying art projects, and draw from personal stories and narratives as inspiration. In this phase the artist will employ a hands-on approach to transferring practical knowledge about materials and tools.

This phase will convey to the student the value of putting one's work out into the world. The artist's will bolster their mentees the conﬁdence and bravery required to share the fruit of the year's learning process. Kids will gain an understanding of the logistical and creative decisions behind the act of presenting a finished piece in a formal setting.

Artistic Expression. Youth Empowerment.

Curriculum

ARTiculate

iculate

Art Apprentice Learning Outcomes

The artist apprentice will also build skills by helping to organize the end-of-year exhibition.

While the artist apprentice collaborates with the teaching artists, they will provide the student with knowledge by leading them through classes on their own.

Month 16 - 18

Month 19 - 21

Observe

Collaborate

Outreach to at risk youth.

iculate exhibition.

They will complete a training with Planned Parenthood in order to provide adequate mentorship in the future.

Through this process the artist apprentice will build conﬁdence as the students gains skills in their respective medium.

Outreach & Exhibition Preparation

Prepare and help to organize

While the artist apprentice observes teaching artists, they will build self conﬁdence as they aquire teaching and mentorship skills.

Choose an Articulate teaching artist and collaborate with iculate students. them to both teach and mentor Complete a training with RAA.

Month 13 - 15

During this phase, the artist apprentice will learn the marketable skill of outreaching. While outreaching to at risk youth the artist apprentice will have the opportunitiy to share his/her experience in the program.

iculate teaching artist to Spend one week with each observe teaching and mentorship techniques while making art as well. Complete a training with Planned Parenthood.

ART APPRENTICE CURRICULUM Artistic Expression. Youth Empowerment.

Curriculum

ARTiculate

Rockaways

iculate

Funding Stream Estimated ARTiculate Annual Budget PAYROLL Permanent Action Center Staff (2) Web Portal Administrator: $40,000/yr Program Coordinator: $50,000/yr Art Mentors (6) $150/session (45 sessions) Youth Arts Apprentices (6) $75/session (20-30 sessions)

Artistic Expression - Youth Empowerment

iculate

Funding Stream

ARTiculate

90000 81000 11250

ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS Publicity/Outreach Materials Web Hosting Fees Office Supplies

1000 100 1000

ART MATERIALS

10000

FOOD Weekly snacks for artist’s studios

5000

TRANSPORTATION Taxi Cab reimbursements for trainers

1000

EVENTS August Art Event PA system Temporary Stage Chairs Installation Catering Advertising Permit Community Paint Day Paint Brushes Tarps Ladders

200 200 200 200

INCIDENTAL COST OVERRUN BUFFER

20000

TOTAL

1000 1500 800 400 800 200 350

$229,700

Mapping Mobility Artistic Expression - Youth Empowerment

iculate

Mobilities Plan

Selected artist’s studios within walking distance of Hammel Houses and Rockaway Collegiate HS.

500 ft.

Features

ARTiculate

Rockaways

Web Portal

Features

ARTiculate

The mechanism for referrals of prospective ARTiculate youth will be a web portal. This will be a website where the chosen employees of our selected “support net” of community organizations can login. They can submit information about at-risk youth who they recommend for the ARTiculate program. Once approached, the youth can also use the site to learn about artists and select their preference. The site also includes information about the program’s events and curriculum. The site will be administered by a full-time staff member at the Action Center.

Final Art Show ARTiculate’s year will culminate in a final art exhibit andperformance-event, collaboratively curated by the arts mentors and the kids under the elevated railway. Invited guests will view the visual art and performances that are the fruit of the year’s artistic process. After a year of grappling with their personal issues in the privacy of a studio practice, kids will be challenged to make their stories public. Thus this event will produce psychological resilience by providing the kids the affirmation that results from sharing your art with a supportive audience.

Community Paint Day The ARTiculate Community Paint Day will take place once a year to build a sense of community between the Action Center staff, the local arts mentors, the ARTiculate kids and any other members of the community who would like to attend.

Exhibition Days 23

Features

ARTiculate

Rockaways

Short-term Goals y y y y y

Increased self-esteem, confidence, and ability to cope with adversity Normalization and destigmatization of sensitive social issues New faculties of artistic expression Marketable creative skills that can lead to future employment New perspectives gained on their personal issues by viewing it through the eyes / ears of the audience

Long-term Goals Increased emotional health and psychological resilience in the Rockaways community y Increased high school graduation rate in Rockaways public schools y Increased capacity for youth to make informed choices about their futures y Economic prosperity and financial stability for Rockaways youth when they grow up y

Goals

ARTiculate

The Team

Elena HABRE

Transdisciplinary Design ’17

The Team

Sneha SRINIVASAN Transdisciplinary Design ’16

ARTiculate

Drew VANDERBURG Design & Urban Ecologies ’16

Alexa Rae JENSEN

Design & Urban Ecologies ’16

Rockaways

Made In Rockaway Stitching together a local food system in a neigborhood in Queens, New York

Christian Smirnow Katie Edmonds Selim Budeyri Shibani Jadhav

Content 1 Neighborhood

2 Current System

3 Points of Intervention

4 Propositions

5 Strategy Road Map

6 Scenarios

Made In Rockaway

Farmers and residents often spend their weekends working side by side to haul dirt, harvest crops and weatherize in preparation for changes of season.-

Introduction Far Rockaway was once a thriving neighborhood. Through periods of economic strain and the depression that followed, there was little hope for restoration or revitalization. After Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts, though they seemed insufficient to many, the momentum to rebuild sparked action among a group of engaged residents and three farms were founded in the neighborhood known as Edgemere. Operating on their own values based vision, each farm was able to stabilize after the initial startup phase and develop a plan for long term stability.

The Edgemere neighborhood farms found themselves in a difficult state. Each had their own capacities and value proposition ranging from physical health to economic vitality, and the common value of expanding the practice urban agriculture was insufficient to secure anything but the most tentative cooperative relationships between the farms. Residents responded well to their new agricultural neighbors, but continued to buy food imported into Far Rockaway, and retailers continued their standard process of buying from large food distribution hubs.

Life for the residents of Far Rockaway began to stabilize as well. Homes This neighborhood has all the components of a local food system, but were elevated and the smattering of investment from government and these components are not operating as such. How might we intervene to nonprofit organizations had some impact on the quality of life, but the activate this system? cost of living kept increasing while jobs continued to be scarce. The desire for a vibrant place to live persisted, but the means for producing this seemed still out of reach.

Made In Rockaway

Food Access Avalible 2

FEATURE:

Group name

Rockaways 3

Assets

Points

Production

Neighborhood Strolling around Edgemere you’ll find all the evidence of a local food system. Farmers chat with residents and visitors as they work, shoppers converge outside delis and markets, and food vendors anchor high traffic intersections. These elements are very much an everyday part of life in this neighborhood, and unlike other social and economic systems is both visible and tangible. Farms In New York City pavement, high rises and graffiti covered billboards are dominate our visual experience, so a quarter acre of actively cultivated land attracts a lot of attention. Spend a day working next to a master composter or farmer in Edgemere and you’ll see a steady flow of curious visitors asking about the crops and often sharing stories of their own experience growing up in agricultural settings in the American south or the Caribbean. Each farm’s values become visible through these interactions. While some conversations are all about the crops and how people can buy food grown on the farm,

others are about who is working the farm and how they developed the skills to cultivate food in the middle of the city. Food Retail Situated in the immediate vicinity of the farms are retail locations selling groceries and prepared foods. For most of the day neighbors socialize in and around these stores, sometimes for a few moments, sometimes for much longer. Kids swarm the candy display and adults shop for their families, with the highest period of activity in the late afternoon and early evenings. Around 5pm on a weekday these spaces are exploding with activity. Restaurants Prepared food counters and food trucks are much more common in Edgemere than restaurants. The restaurants you do find are typically chains, and more often than not if you see a restaurant sign it an artifact of failed business, or one that was too expensive to restore after the hurricane.

Local Food System

“I grew up on a farm in Nigeria, and when I moved here with my family last year, I was really happy to find out that there is a local farm where I can use my skills.”

Children from the neighborhood come over to the farm to help out wherever the farmers need help. This voluntary open-air activity is joyful and refreshing.

Current System 1 Consumption

2 Production

3 Economy

Consumers in Edgemere are the residents. Few visitors travel to the neighborhood for work or leisure. Prepared foods like pizza or doughnuts are available at chain businesses, and somewhat more nutritious options are available at delis. Grocery purchases are typically a combination of packaged and fresh foods. One large chain grocery store serves all of the Rockaways, and smaller stores serve the immediate neighborhoods.

Nearly all the food products sold in Edgemere are imported from outside the Rockaways. Those products that are produced locally rely on expertise imported through employing outside experts such as master farmers. While local farming knowledge does exist, that tends to be based on upbringing and not profession, so those individuals don’t typically spend sufficient time working on the farms in a voluntary basis to ensure a farm’s productivity.

Small food stores are owned by long time residents, so this capital is retained as the stores also employ residents. Chain stores also employ residents but the business profits flow out of the neighborhood. The entire economy relies on importing products from outside the Rockaways.

4 Funding After the hurricane there was a spike in investment from property developers, and a mayor’s office initiative to reduce obesity secured initial funds for the farms.

There is little evidence of investment in small businesses in Edgemere, as most of these enterprises are situated in areas with more tourism.

Made In Rockaway

Composting

Waste & Recycling

Residents buy outside of Rockaway

Non Residents

PostComsumptio

Production

Access & Consumption

Processing & Distribution

Three Local Farms

NGO / Govenrmental funding

Residents buy in Rockaway

Food Bank / Pantires

Small Food Businesses

Grocery Store Chains

Stakeholders Food Consumers Motivated by price and convenience, the consumer in this food system is very concerned with value. There is a significant interest in health, but this is less of a motivator than cost.

Land Owners Unused land is considered a liability in Edgemere. Land owners aren’t actively seeking to produce value out of their land, and tend to simply block it off to protect themselves from the responsibility for trespassers.

Employees & Small Business Owners Also motivated by capital interests, running a smooth operation is always the most important factor when it comes to business decisions.

Investors & Funders Business investment in the neighborhood is low, and most capital flows through the nonprofit and philanthropy sectors. Recovery funds from the hurricane are no longer a factor, and most investment of this type went into property development.

Farmers Each farmer is motivated by an ethical approach to food systems. This includes ecology, employment, nutrition and quality of life, but farmers disagree about how these values should be hierarchically arranged.

Made In Rockaway

Composting

Waste & Recycling

Residents buy outside of Rockaway

Non Residents

PostComsumptio

Production

Access & Consumption

Processing & Distribution

Three Local Farms

NGO / Govenrmental funding

Residents buy in Rockaway

Food Bank / Pantires

Small Food Businesses

Grocery Store Chains

Points of Intervention 1 Health

2 Sustainable Farming

3 Economic Viability

Farms are funded through obesity reduction initiatives. Farmers believe they are contributing to improving the health of their customers. Vouchers are provided to consumers to offset the cost of fresh food.

Not all farms are working toward financial independence from grants, but the ones that are have not yet achieved this outcome. Though conflicting values are more prominent in their negotiations, farmers do share the commitment to expanding the amount of land that is farmed in Edgemere. Year-round farming is a realistic goal that is not yet achieved.

The entrepreneurial spirit is present in Edgemere. Residents are in great need of economic stability, but don’t see that as a realistic expectation. Developing new professional skills is a strong interest for some, but not all, farmers. Vertical integration of the food system would increase the financial strength of the food system.

4 Local Values Edgemere in particular, and Rockaway in general, is considered by some to be a desireable place to live, but the value of things that are made in Rockaway is thought to be low. The premium placed on locally grown products is present in more affluent neigh-

borhoods, but not in Edgemere. Land owners consider their property to be a financial liability, but there is an opportunity to introduce new concepts of value to these landowners.

Made In Rockaway

Local Value

PostComsumption

Production

LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM

Health

Access & Consumption

Sustainable Farming Processing & Distribution

Economy

Propositions 1 Branding

2 Land Use Advocacy

A shared brand helps reduce the friction that slows down cooperation between farmers.

Enabling farmers to more easily cooperate in the task of securing more land would help them act on their shared core value.

Clear visual cues informing consumer that quality produce is grown in Rockaway increased the perceived value of local products.

3 Consumer Transaction

4 Business Transaction

As most residents commute via subway, selling produce at this location would result in better exposure of residents to the product. An easy financial transaction would increase the likelihood that a consumer would purchase locally grown products.

A clear communication of value, product availability and transaction documentation would increase the likelihood that a food retailer might consider a local farm as a source for produce.

Made In Rockaway

1 Branding Local Value

3 Consumer Transaction

PostComsumption

Production

LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM

Health

Access & Consumption

4 Business Transaction

2 Land Use Advocacy

Sustainable Farming Processing & Distribution

Economy

Branding

Made In Rockaway

Branded lettuce from the local Edgemere Farm. This lettuce was freshly harvested, hand-washed and packed directly in ziplock bags. Both, the “Made in Rockaway” logo sticker and the “Edmere Farm” logo sticker are clearly visible on the packaging.

Local Food System

Local Color Heavy reliance on the A subway line results in a strong identification with the color assigned to that line on the New York City MTA map. For this reason we produced the default color scheme for the Made In Rockaway Brand.

Clear Branding A clear labeling system for products grown in Rockaway will help farmers communicate with their customers, be they businesses or consumers.

Made In Rockaway

Customizable Branding Farmers expressed an interest in incorporating the Made in Rockaway brand into their existing visual identity system. By providing editable assets they can revise the brand to fit their existing look.

Authetic Presence This typeface was selected because of its handmade look, reinforcing that the produce and the people growing it are represented in the brand identity.

Flexible Application Beyond labeling the products and the point of sale, the Made in Rockaway brand helps anchor a farm’s digital presence.

Creative Direction To increase the impact of a farm’s visual communication, we provided a visual direction that provides a harmonious and convincing

Local Food System

Land Use Advocacy

Made In Rockaway

Farmer to Farmer Cooperation Farmers will be more effective in their efforts to scale and stabilize their revenue streams if they cooperate to achieve these outcomes. Farmers currently pursue access to unused land by employing their individual value propositions, but a shared effort will allow them to combine their value thereby making their argument more convincing, and their capacity to deliver more substantial. By sharing the negotiations they also achieve a ground level agreement about how to equitably divide land use. A shared document of available land and infrastructure will help farmers cooperate in identifying resources not currently in use by their owners, who controls access and usage rights to the resources, and the relevant details about the resources such as scale, facilities and next steps. This same document will then allow all cooperating parties to communicate in a common visual language throughout the process of securing rights or access to these resources. This document would be most successful if it was easy to populate and share, quickly modified, and easily printed or exported during the advocacy process. A collective vision statement will unite farmers in Far Rockaway by defining what values they share, and allowing for their unique values to be left to each individual organization to articulate. By producing a draft of these values and a visual icon to capture attention for these farmers we alleviate the pressure of defining shared values from within, as we are able to compile our observations and insights without bias. The revision and evolution of these values will permit the nuance and positions of each organization to emerge without blocking or breaking the process of defining shared values.

Local Food System

Consumer Transaction

Made In Rockaway

Consumer to Produce Transforming the desire for a more prosperous Far Rockaway community into the decision to purchase locally grown produce can occur by making this decision easy to execute. In order to increase the ease with which consumers might purchase locally grown food, we will install popup stations in which customers can place an order in the morning and pick it up in the evening. Placing these popup stations in high traffic areas, such as subway exists, will help consumers develop new habits and rituals around making food purchases. By branding the produce used by prepared food vendors, the preparation of local food is incorporated into familiar food preparation contexts. By identifying the produce as locally grown, the new concepts are nicely incorporated with existing concepts.

Local Food System

Business Transaction

Made In Rockaway

Locally Grown / Healthier / Competitive Value Demand Creation

Reliability

Value Competitiveness

Strong Branding

Same Day Delivery

+/- 10% RSP vs. Generic Produce

Freshness Guaranteed

+10% Gross Margin

Seasonal Produce Cycle Visibility

Flexible Return Policy

Variety of Produce

15 day Payment Term

Community Engagement Continuous Support

Rockaway’s Local Brand for Quality Produce

Created and Run by the local farms of Rockaway Continuous Involvement of Local Residents

Same day delivery; farms at your doorsteps

Strong Support in the store -Shelf Ready Branded Crates -In-store merchandising support -Point of sale materials to drive sales

Better product at better margin

Always fresh with minimum farm to shelf timing

September

October

Farmer to Business Customer By increasing the ease with which farmers can communicate with their business customers, without requiring additional expenditures or employees, stabilizing revenue streams will be less labor intensive and thus be more likely to succeed. To initiate the business relationship the first point of contact must include a clear communication of value from the farmer to the potential business customer. Deployed digitally or in print the pitch communicates a values oriented commercial transaction. The collective vision statement is one feature of this marketing asset. In order to convert the potential customer into an active customer, we will provide a transaction document that can easily be populated with the information a customer needs to their purchase. This includes a clear statement of services that the farm offers and emphasizes the offered services not typically provided by produce distributors such as delivery, promotional collateral, promotional events, and a deep product knowledge. These services are benefits of purchasing direct from the grower. This also includes a space to clearly identify price at different product volumes and levels of scarcity during different times in the growing season.

Easy return of produce before it is spoiled

November

SNAP/EBT accepted Variety of seasonal produce with a transparent seasonal planning

Edgemere Farm / Healing Garden / RYTF

Local Food System

Landing Page

Branded Colors and Imagery

Made In Rockaway

Collaboration Partners

Online Shop

Network and Services

Local Food System

Strategy Roadmap 1 Testing Prototypes

2 Local Activation

3 Building Scale

4 Economic Independence

Made In Rockaway

Consolifated farming calendar Deploy map local farm leaders: available land, existing / prospective relationships

Sustainable Farming Health

Economy Local Local ValueValue

Build cooperative farm Cooperative advocacy to acess more farm land

Cooperation strategy Legal framework

Farmers‘ Advocacy

Sales Transaction

Deploy marketing pitch and transaction document to farmers and grocers Test new mobile produces sales points in convenient locations

Regular mobile produce salespoint in convenient location

Develop business between farms, restaurants and grocers

Marketing representative for Made in Rockaway products

Build demand for fresh local produce

Launch Brand website with vision, login and online shop

Secure regular delivery and stable inexpensive pricing for retailers Expand Made in Rockaway network

Vertically Integrate Farm

Made in Rockaway Brand Create first print materials Deploy Branding and Communication Guidelines to Farmers

Testing Prototypes Present

Develop Collaboration between local farms

Short Term Local Activation

Made In Rockaway

Secure regular delivery and stable pricing for consumers Market brand locally to expand Made in Rockaway network

Mid Term Building Scale

y ed

Build cooperative farm

Increase farming capacities

Increase economic viability of local food system

Expand brand recognition beyond Rockaway

Enhance farmers‘ specializations and broaden product range

Stable food production and distribution system

Market brand to city government and tourists

Plan strategy to make most

Expand expertise beyond farming

leaders‘ expertieses

Create new job opportunities for local youth Marketing and communication plan including events

Seasonal marketing budged allocated Marketing and communication plan including events

Local food business incubator

Establish Rockaway as food tourism destination

Train Rockaway youth in business, cooking, farming, sales etc.

Increase revenue for Rockaway food businesses

Launch Brand website with vision, login and online shop

Online platform for applications Build teaching capacities Legal framework

Engage in strategic partnership with business incubators Allow new food business to grow across Rockaway

Made in Rockaway Food Hub

Long-term marketing campaigns and sucessful network Year-long masterplan for events in- and outside of Rockaway

Long Term Economic Independence

Local Food System

Scenario: Food Stand 1 Convenience

2 Regular Produce Stand

As demand increases and revenue stabilizes the popup stations become more robust and cary more products. The highly visible brand carries the consumer a complete value experience.

3 Supply to local business

Made In Rockaway

Local Food System

Scenario: Local Retail 1 Transaction Documents

2 Sampling Stations

3 Activate Customers

Made In Rockaway

Local Food System

Scenario: Food Hub 1 Cooperation Success

2 Business Incubator

Successful advocacy for activating unused land and infrastrucutre will lead to the establishment of long term businesses. One farmer envisions a food hub where produce can be stored and sold, and where residents can start prepared food businesses. This vision includes a business incubator and product delivery, and it becomes a desirable food tourism destination.

3 New Customers

Made In Rockaway

Local Food System

Conclusions 1 Branding

2 Land Use Advocacy

3 Consumer Transaction

Our brand identity did not test well in the field. People found it confusing and it failed to inspire confidence. Farmers were very enthusiastic about the concept and were ready to place it on their promotional materials.

Farmers responded very well to a lightweight and easy to use mapping tool. It provided them with an opportunity to have a conversation anchored in their shared values. The resources needed to do the research to populate it and keep it up to date is still an issue.

Consumers are interested in the convenience of a order/pickup service situated near the subway, especially if the products were to be sold at a competitive price.

4 Business Transaction The feature set of the transaction document satisfied all of a grocer’s needs for a smooth and efficient exchange. Price is the essential factor, and grocers are unwilling to raise their prices to cover the cost of a higher quality product.

Made In Rockaway

Farming is hard work, that’’s why it is important to have lots of helping hands around. The physical work on the farm is energizing and the best starting point for conversations with the people around.

Local Food System

Made in Rockaway Local Food System 2015

OPEN FORUM

A CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM FOR RESIDENTS OF THE ROCKAWAYS

FALL 2015 STUDIO PARSONS TRANSDISCIPLINARY DESIGN + DESIGN AND URBAN ECOLOGIES DARCY BENDER + SAMUEL HADDIX + CAMERON HANSON + CHRISTOPHER LOPEZ 1

Introduction Two of the top five weakest voter turnout zip codes in New York City are in the Rockaways. It is no surprise that people are disengaging more and more with formal politics. The current forums for dialogue & conversations are either disconnected, inaccessible or unresponsive. Civic models such as community boards are cumbersome and managerial as opposed to generative. We want to shift the idea of people as consumers of decision making toward a model in which they become active participants in the decision making process. Our work seeks to address residents of the Rockaways that do not feel represented or connected with the existing civic structures. Our project sets out to reorganize the ways that the desire and the capability for participation is produced.

Contents 1 Design Space

2 Concept: OpenForum

3 Elements

Pages 6 - 7

Pages 8 - 9

Pages 10 - 19

4 Experience + Scale

5 Conclusions

Pages 20 - 21

Page 22

Design Space For the purposes of focusing our analysis, we have chosen to investigate the Community Board as the primary instrument that acts as the connective tissue between citizens and government. Apart from voting, Community Boards represent the primary node in the meso-layer of the civic system. The issues associated with Community Boards are well known. Timeconsuming, rigid, hierarchical and poorly funded – these civic swamps employ linear decision making, taking yes/no votes that reduce complexity and managing rather than ideating.

Additionally, community leaders are using weak tools, and this can lead to the same issues over and over again. Time is often spent squabbling over individual concerns rather than collective issues. Community Needs Assessments are not standardized, data collection is not rigorous or rooted in research, and there are very few mechanisms for accountability. Further, Community Boards function in a purely advisory capacity and any recommendations may be disregarded by city officials.

The consequences of such an unresponsive system leads to a lack of civic engagement, poor voter turnout and a body of residents that do not feel empowered to create change In light of these concerns, we are presented with an opportunity to change the ways that community leaders collaborate and engage with their tools, to begin to include tacit and anecdotal knowledge in a meaningful way and to design decision making processes that are generative and include citizens in new ways.

Concept: OpenForum OpenForum is a platform for changemakers living and working in the Rockaways. The platform has 5 major elements: • The Innovation Committee, which curates generative workshops and oversees the training of facilitators

•

The OpenForum.NYC web portal that encourages and facilitates digital and real-world dialogue

•

A series of generative workshops designed to co-produce projects

that can be implemented by local residents with the help of $500.00 microgrants

•

A system of $500.00 microgrants and $3,000.00 impact-grants issued to meaningful project concepts by the Innovation Committee

•

A revised and evolving format for assessing the needs of the community

Precedents: • • • • •

SeeClickFix OpenTownHall Participatory Budgeting Neighbor.ly Civinomics

Innovation Committee The Innovation Committee is a new generative-committee that has been added to Community Board 14 in the Rockaways. The goal of this new committee is to shift the idea of citizens as consumers of decision making toward a model in which they become active participants in the decision making process. Every month the Innovation Committee hosts a workshop with community partners in a different neighborhood at a venue specific to that neighborhood 10

(such as local churches, organizations like RWA, small businesses, and interested individuals). The Innovation Committee applies a “Build/Sustain” model in which nominated projects are funded and implemented in the first year with the 4 most successful are evaluated and further invested upon in the second. In addition to volunteers, the Innovation Committee incorporates one paid position called the Innovation

Officer, whose job it is to coordinate workshops, run facilitation trainings, manage the website, and oversee the nomination process for the microgrants.

Workshops The workshops are first implemented by the Innovation Committee, but begin to become initiated and led by residents as more and more facilitators are trained. Initially the committee hosts a workshop in each of the 12 neighborhoods of the Rockaways, once a month over the course of the twelve-month year. Each workshop culminates with the group nominating one of the ideas to be funded by a microgrant.

These workshops begin to become well attended as more residents learn that their ideas have the potential to become a reality. The purpose of these designled workshops is to transform concerns into ideas and ideas into meaningful proposals. The training for workshop facilitators is open to anyone that is interested and is hosted every two months. Each training is run by the Innovation Officer. These training sessions are announced on the OpenForum.NYC web portal. 13

Website The OpenForum.NYC web portal is a social network that facilitates both digital and real-world dialogue by providing online communication tools for people and groups working to make change in their neighborhood. The portal includes: • A calendar and forum specific to the user’s neighborhood (e.g. Arverne, Edgemere, etc.)

•

An evolving library of projects for the greater Rockaway area populated

with ideas that can be collectively discussed and nominated for funding by the microgrants.

•

A collection of toolkits for both workshopping and facilitation.

The goal of the web portal is to foster idea-focused dialogue with a larger audience that can become acted upon with the help of the microgrants.

Microgrants & Impactgrants The Microgrants and Impactgrants are managed and allocated by the Innovation Committee. Each microgrant is valued at $500.00 and these are awarded to either workshopped projects or to those that have received the highest number of nominations on the OpenForum.NYC web portal.

Engagement.” Santa Cruz Sentinel, Web. 28 Nov. 2015). Every year, the four most successful microgrant nominations are awarded a $3,000.00 Impactgrant to further develop and refine these projects. This funding process is called the “Build/ Sustain” model.

The decision to make the microgrants $500.00 is not arbitrary, it is a model that has proven to be successful in Watsonville, California (Masters, Ryan. “Big Returns on Community 17

Community Needs Assessment From the standpoint of assessing community needs, the goal of the OpenForum platform is to shift the current paradigm away from a reductive quantitative analysis towards a system that captures tacit knowledge and transforms it into implementable ideas. This new paradigm introduces mechanisms for residents to better assess and address their own needs. This is about reframing the fundamental assumption inherent to the very idea of ‘Community Needs Assessments’ that 18

there exists a ‘community to assess’ in the first place. OpenForum lays down the foundation for a future in which assessment is integrated into the existing civic infrastructure as opposed to a distinct quantitative diagnostic procedure.

Value Web

User Experience

Success Road Map

By designing responsive infrastructures that allow citizens to realize the efficacy of their own voices, we may begin to reorganize the ways that the desire and the capability for participation is produced.

Photo Credits: Page 10 - Bjoertvedt via Wikipedia Page 13 - Wikipedia Page 14 - (Wireframe background) Adam Lerner Page 15 - (Wireframe background) Rebuild By Design Page 17 - Marc A. Hermann for MTA New York City Transit Page 18 - The New York Times

Rockaway Tied Denilyn Arciaga | Mariana Bomtempo | SungMy Kim | Jack Wilkinson Transdisciplinary Design Projects Studio 1 & 3 + Urban Ecologies Studio 3 Fall 2015 ROCKAWAY TIED

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

“When I came out here it was a wasteland. There was no commercial space. I would sit in my car outside this space and in an hour maybe six cars would pass by. I saw this burnt-out hole here and just wanted to build something. Sometimes it is not the safest place, as many people know. We’ve been kind of waiting for the community to build and grow. But we’ve been growing with the community too.” Joan Robinson, The Rockaway Times, November 2015.

ROCKAWAY TIED

Introduction The Rockaways have not had an easy existence. Time and again the once great tourist attraction of the early 19th century has battled adversity both of natural and manmade causes. Even before the Hurricane Sandy in 2012, “businesses located in Rockaway had the capacity to meet only about 30% of local demand in food and beverages, forcing residents to shop elsewhere” (Source: American Planning Association, May 2013). While some areas have had assistant, the areas east of 79th street have mostly struggled on their own. Our area of focus, from 76th to 69th street, the heart of the Rockaway neighborhood called Arverne, has not been spared. Since Robert Moses the area has transformed from a vacation town of bungalows to a challenged combination of lower-to-middle income and public housing. It has

been ravaged by decades of failed urban renewal. Furthermore, like much of the Rockaways, Arverne was devastated by Hurricane Sandy, but they have been slow to rebuild. South of the train line is a very different story. Costing $1 Billion dollars, the Arverne by the Sea oceanfront development looms over the area. Although they have created a transit hub and a built a multi-million dollar YMCA, their presence has mixed feelings. Instead of sourcing businesses locally, they mostly populated the transit hub with fast-food chains and banks. Arverne have a dichotomy between one side that is being heavily invested in and the other side that is struggling to make a living.

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

ROCKAWAY TIED

As investors have recognized, Beach 67th has immense potential to be a driving economic force for eastern Rockaway. As one of only two legal places to surf it can become the premier location for summer fun at the beach. It is also one of the shortest walks to the water from the train and the traffic at the 67th street subway stop has seen the largest increase of any other on the island. Once the boardwalk is completed traffic will only continue to increase.

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

Unfortunately, walking the streets of Arverne one might find it easy to say there are little to no businesses. Remnants of Hurricane Sandy clutter the landscape. Closed storefronts and dead end streets do not garner faith in a potentially vibrant economy.

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Opportunities

Goody’s BBQ stands as a shining example of how to start a business from the ground up in Arverne. Started in 1989 they have become a destination eatery. While places like this are few and far between they set a precedent and provide inspiration for others.

From day-cares to pizza places, the unsung heros of the Arverne economy are the many businesses that operate out of people’s homes. They may not have storefronts but they undoubtedly drive, economic value to the area. Perhaps the most veteran is Mariann Smith who has run Just Bubbly, a soap company, out of her home since 1988.

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

While rare, new business do open up. Their success can mostly be attributed to business partnerships. For some, the partner is Arverne by the Sea, but others are independent, like Manny Loncke who opened a Smoothie Shop out of his father’s church.

Other businesses are just getting started, or little more than an idea, and with the right access opportunity, education and promotion the hopes of entrepreneurs like Louisa Louis, a photographer who sells her clothes and makes body lotion, can become a reality.

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Present State GOVERNMENT

$$ $

FRANCHISE

NYC

$$ $

$ $

$ DEVELOPER

$ $

RELATIONSHIP

MONEY FLOW

STRONG

C RO

AYS W KA

WEAK

LOCAL CUSTOMER

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

LOCAL YOUTH

TOURIST

LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER or ENTREPRENEUR

How might we cultivate a new environment of economic growth?

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Our mission Rockaway Tied seeks create an economic ecosystem by uniting local businesses to support one another and foster new economic growth. A strong local economy does not start with just one business. It requires a network of businesses, new and old, working in collaboration to strengthen each other. As more investment begins to enter the Rockaways this network must be created, in order that they insulate themselves from gentrification. To do so, economic value must be attracted, created and invested in the local area.

There are various degrees of need in the Arverne economy. Some need help from the ground up. Some need help acquiring space to grow. Others could simply benefit from more traffic. All add value to the system. Using current successes as our precedents we have developed a platform through which new businesses can be created, existing businesses can be grown and more customers can be engaged. As more businesses are created, the system is strengthened and a vibrant local economy can emerge. In this way, Arverne can become a premier destination for visitors, with the economic value staying in the hands of the locals and a vibrant community to live in.

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

Ideal scenario

Networking

App Eletronic Membership card Mentorship ROCKAWAY TIED

Future State $ GOVERNMENT

FRANCHISE

NYC

$ $

DEVELOPER

RELATIONSHIP

MONEY FLOW

STRONG

C RO

AYS W KA

WEAK

LOCAL CUSTOMER

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

LOCAL YOUTH

TOURIST

LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER or ENTREPRENEUR

Rockaway Tied platform is a system of solutions based on criteria developed from the needs of the local economy. The solutions were developed to meet multiple criteria in small ways, so that needs could be met in every stage of implementation.

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Opportunity

Education

Inspiration

Promotion

Connection

Engagement

use the spaces and other opportunities that are available in the neighborhood

promote educational activities for entrepreneurs

inspire entrepreneurs and customers by the success stories and humanize the local economies

create awareness about the local economic activities

create and reinforce relationships among local business owners

leverage the hopeful energy of the local residents

The website primarily functions as inspiration to seek connection at events and education in our programs. The entrepreneurship program primarily functions to educate would-be entrepreneurs and in doing so allows them to enter the market place.

Inspiration Want more info?

The booklet primarily functions to promote local businesses but it also drives interested locals to the website and functions as a ticket to events.

Want to start your own?

WEBSITE

The marketplace provides opportunity for entrepreneurs and is promoted by the booklet.

BOOKLET

Ready to grow?

Connection EVENTS Engagement

MARKET PLACE

Online shop

Promotion

Success stories

The events meet two criteria. They provide a space to connect with others and create engagement with the marketplace.

Education ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM

This system is not implemented all at once, but instead evolves in complexity as the platform grows with resources.

Ready to launch?

Opportunity

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Strategy of implemention Customer Related

Beachhead

Near Term

up to 3 months

Narrative booklet + coupons Stamp card (monthly)

Mid Term

from 6 to 9 months

Membership card

Narrative booklet + coupons (bi-weekly)

Criteria Opportunity Education Related to both publics

Inspiration

Social network Explaining the platform

Promotion

Social network Updates about the platform Website How to start your own business

Connection Engagement

Entrepreneurs & Business Owners Related

Stickers identifying the partners Posters about the project

Legend Offline component Online component

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

Long Term

Really long term

from 9 to 12 months

from 1 to 2 years

Entertainment activities as prizes for the stamp cards

Market Place

Inspire youth as entrepreneurs in the neighborhood

Online Commerce

Website Online mentorship and tutorials

The platform will be strong enough to have its own app with all the features. The membership card will be an eletronic one to get the points to participate of the events. Maps and calendar with the events and the places will be eletronically updated.

Incubators spaces

Support for the new entrepreneurs

Networks nights out

Events to connect the business owners

To achieve the criteria a strategy of implementation has been created with both an online and offline presence that evolves through time as Rockaway Tied gets bigger. We believe that a strong network must go beyond the technological world and target people on the field to humanize the, at times, daunting task of entrepreneurship.

We called these features offline components. Each of these elements is bolstered by an online component as well to help connecting the complex social environment where we are operating. In this diagram, we are also showing how these features are outcomes of the project criteria.

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Beachhead The initial goal of Rockaway Tied is to create awareness, for both owners and customers, of the local business community. With minimal resources, promotional stickers and a Facebook page are the first step in a networking campaign. From our member stores, customers can acquire a booklet which provides a vehicle for creating both promotion and inspiration. Each month it highlights a set of local businesses, sharing their stories, locations and offering discounts. Because businesses are often hidden or spread out they are in need of publicity. For example, when asked where to get pizza in the area we were always directed to Boardwalk Pizza. People simply did not know that Last Dragon Pizza existed mostly because it is operated out of someone’s home and they have a minimal online presence. Inspiration Want more info?

WEBSITE Rockaway Tied Stickers.

Promotion BOOKLET

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

Rockaway Tied Facebook Page.

While creating awareness of businesses, we can also provide inspiration by sharing their success stories. At times, entrepreneurship seems impossible. Stories of success provide both encouragement and humanize the possibility. If success stories are illuminated than potential entrepreneurs can be inspired.

Current promotional materials are ineffective. They are scattered online and not well publicized which means both locals and tourist have limited access. The booklet gives these promotional materials a home and serves to drive customers to the businesses that have been highlighted. They further incentivize the engagement with the local economy.

As some of the businesses operate out of non traditional storefronts people simply do not know where they are. The map points out business locations and where people can redeem coupons. The map also makes it easy for non-locals to find businesses.

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Near Term As a result of the Arverne economy being so disconnected, most businesses operate independently. Many owners are not only unaware of other businesses but they view them as their competition. For a successful economy to emerge these independent actors must begin to act as one. An example of success has been Smoothie Haven which launched out of a local church. It offers its healthy smoothies to YMCA members at a 20% discount. As a result of these connections it has successfully leveraged the existing members of both the church and the YMCA. This successful model should be scaled to incorporate other businesses.

Inspiration Want more info?

WEBSITE

Want to start your own?

Promotion

Education

BOOKLET

ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

The stamp card is a means to promote the businesses together as one entity. Instead of being a card for recurring members of a single place, customers collect a stamp from each location and become regulars of the Arvern economy at large. Once a consumer gets one stamp from each participating location they receive a discount on their next purchase from any Rockaway Tied member store.

To further awareness of the local economy, posters will be placed at the 67th street subway station. As both locals and tourists exit the subway they will be made the offerings in the Rockaway Tied booklet and where they can get one to begin exploring the burgeoning local economy.

As more resources are gained a website is launched and the online presence continues to evolve. The Facebook remains a place for comments and concerns but now a website creates a permanent home for information in the booklet and a to find more information regarding entrepreneurship particularly entrepreneurship specific to the Rockaways.

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Mid Term By increasing engagement, we can now leverage the network to create opportunities for local entrepreneurs. From personalized membership cards to robust online content the platform evolves to be the primer sight Arverne businesses and potential entrepreneurs. The addition of monthly events engage members offline and give them an opportunity to socialize and network. The events include regular entrepreneur meet-ups and also the monthly movie night. The other parts of the system continue to evolve, driving more people to local businesses and the website. Locals look forward to getting the booklet.

Inspiration Want more info?

WEBSITE

Want to start your own?

Promotion

Connection

Education

BOOKLET

EVENTS

ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM

Engagement

Personalization increases engagement. By personalizing the cards we demonstrate a sense of belonging to the local economic ecosystem. Local citizens do not always feel like a part of the business community. When we shared the personalized cards with students they were overjoyed to have something with their name on it. Through the website people can sign up for membership for free and receive their monthly stamp card in the mail.

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

With few classes about entrepreneurship, education is a barrier to action. While information will continue to be offered online, the website will now also offer video tutorials which prospective entrepreneurs can watch them in their free time.

Membership card check-in

Local restaurants Residents and visitors Entertainment options remain the largest opportunity in the Rockaways. When polled the thing local youth wanted most was a movie theater. The nearest movie theater is almost an forty minutes away by train. The outdoor theater meets a local need and also drives traffic to the market place. The field behind the YMCA plays host to an outdoor movie night a completed stamp card grants a person a free ticket in.

The movie night also includes booths for local entrepreneurs. The money made at these events helps them to eventually grow their business. It also helps to attract possible investors. An information booth for Rockaway Tied will also be set up with information on entrepreneurship and how to get involved with programs.

It also is a draw for tourists because after a long day at the beach nothing is better than relaxing in the summer moonlight to watch a movie. Tickets are only $5 for people without a membership card.

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Long Term With money coming in from events and grants Rockaway Tied is has become self-sustainable. With acquisition of regular meeting spaces classes can be held and a program which takes aspiring entrepreneurs from idea to storefront can be implemented. A typical entrepreneur may learn of Rockaway Tied in various ways both online and offline. They attended classes and launch their business online. If things go well, they have an opportunity to launch at a seasonal fair which is held under the elevated.

Inspiration Want more info?

Ready to grow?

Success stories

BOOKLET

Connection EVENTS Engagement

MARKET PLACE

Online shop

Promotion

Want to start your own?

WEBSITE

Education ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM

Beginning with classes aspiring business owners learn the fundamentals of local entrepreneurship. Successful local entrepreneurs, such as Jean from Goody’s BBQ, give talks and provide mentorship.

Ready to launch?

Opportunity

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

An online marketplace provides a space for people to sell products and bring value from outside to the Rockaways. Rockaway Tied helps facilitate the shipping and each package contains information that it was made in the Rockaways.

Local entrepreneurs

Membership card

Raffle box for members

Residents and visitors

Local talent is underutilized do to lack of opportunities. When given a marketplace locals thrived. A local jamaican chef wanted to sell food as a fundraiser for their child’s school trip but had no place to host the event. Rockaway Waterfront Alliance allowed them to throw a BBQ and the family made over $1000 before they sold out of food. Eaters clamored about the food telling

the family they should open a restaurant but the family simply had no ability or means to. What they lacked was start up capital and an ability to raise it, or even a way to raise the interest of investors. The seasonal fair provides an opportunity for local entrepreneurs to have a pop-up store. They can test the market, generate capital, and network.

A completed stamp card gains members access to a raffle to win local products and gift certificates. To drive more traffic and interest tourists, each fair contains in entertainment component whether it is an ice skating rink in the winter or surf competition in the summer.

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Ideal State GOVERNMENT

NYC

FRANCHISE

$ $

DEVELOPER

$ $

RELATIONSHIP

MONEY FLOW

STRONG

C RO

YS A W KA

WEAK

LOCAL CUSTOMER

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

LOCAL YOUTH

TOURIST

LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER or ENTREPRENEUR

Conclusion We have great aspirations for Rockaway Tied. We currently are talking with Rock Soup to develop this as a vehicle to assist the entrepreneurs they help get started. Rock Soup is a monthly potluck where locals pitch ideas and locals vote to see who gets the door cover. It is a powerful way to create the initial start up capital for local small businesses. Rockaway Tied compliments that idea by creating a platform to help launch these business and integrate

them into a supportive local economy. We know that it is not easy to build a resilient economy in such a sensitive place, but we believe that the strength that connects people can overcome the disinvestment threats to the neighborhood of the Rockaways.

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Appendix

Workshop 1 (10.05.15): Sense-making

Our first workshop was an internal collaboration, utilizing our colleagues as our participants. After researching several design methodologies, our group decided that a Descriptive Value Web would be the best format to understand the current scenario in the Rockaways, an area prone to traumatic disasters like Hurricane Sandy. This process constructs a network diagram showing how value is created and exchanged in the context. Prior to the workshop, during our research phase, we discussed possibilities of empowerment among the local residents situated in our site. Once narrowed, the four thematics to frame these empowerment strategies were: Eatery. Education. Economies. Entertainment. We decided to build four descriptive value webs, thus resulting into splitting the class into four separate groups. We pre-divided the students according to their background and interest on these fields. Our 30 minute workshop was two-fold. First, each group separately created their Descriptive Value Web. Second, together we place the four diagrams next to each other to discover connections. The first part was step-by-step so the participants did not get overwhelm: Add stakeholders, then their attributes and last, draw lines of their relationships and the flows. The second part helped us to find opportunities and raise questions about our site.

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

Workshop 2 (10.25.15): Ideation

This workshop was developed and led by Sungmy and Jack. After gaining more insights during our research period, our goal was to develop criteria and generate as many ideas as possible. One week before this workshop, we discovered a relationship between YMCA and the Smoothie Shop. This powerful insight helped develop the framework for the workshop. This workshop was broken into four segments. At first, the participants were asked to list as much activities that have been happening in the Rockaways. Second, they placed these activities around the 4 places that we chose from our site: Stop & Shop, YMCA, Arvene Pilgrim Church and Breakwater Surf Shop. Third, the participants had to connect the existing activities with the places, create and name these new activities. Finally, the participants took these newly created activities and further developed and expanded their features. From this workshop, we got 31 ideas that we could analyze and shape towards our project goals.

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Workshop 3 (11.02.15): Collaborating with Partner Organizations

Our third workshop took place at the Rockaway Waterfront Alliance with two sessions. The first session was working with RWA and Design Trust as well as other participants who worked or lived in Rockaway. For the second session, we had the Shore Corps (high school students) as our participants. Thus, it was necessary to design two different workshops. We saw the first session as an opportunity to understand the “experts” experiences that come with projects i.e. the successes, difficulties, limitations, etc. This would be the first part of the workshop, followed by an ideation session for local businesses. Instructions were not as clear as we had hoped. In the beginning, when each group in our class explained their topics, it seemed that the participants were excited about our ‘local business’ theme. This energy was quickly lost at the start of the workshop since the first half was not directly related to the theme. It then became a process of trying to regain that initial energy. It also seemed that the participants had envisioned their own idea of how the workshop was going to be. There was difficulty in explaining the second half: their type of knowledge was difficult to fit in the presented framework. Rather than pull insights from our framework, we had to interview them directly about the local businesses and extract insights from that. We ended up with 11 ideas with feature from this workshop, some of them where reframed to get into our project.

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

Workshop 4 (11.02.15): Collaborating with Partner Organizations

For this workshop, we had students from the Rockaways Waterfront Alliance Shore Corp as partners. We planned an activity similar to what we have done in the second workshop with our classmates. First, we asked the students to write their daily activities on post-its. Then, they grouped it accordingly to the people who also shared in these activities. After observing their daily activities, we asked the students to add things that they would like to do in the neighborhood, to connect different activities and name these new ideas. In the second moment, the students took their ideas, expanded and detailed them adding the features that would compound these projects and a drawing of could be the final scenario of this idea. To wrap up and discuss the opportunities that we had in our hands, we asked the students to present their ideas as if they were selling them. Students took well to the instructions and were active about sharing their thoughts. The level of framework could have been adjusted to their level of activism and knowledge in the Rockaways. If we knew this fact before the workshop, we could have planned a more intense and challenging session.

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MVP 1

Project Rockaway Tied, Buy Local booklet

Our first idea to prototype was a booklet that could be easily distributed to residents. This booklet features the stories of three business owners: Joan Robinson (Goody’s BBQ Chicken and Ribs), Manny Loncke (Smoothie Haven) and Nigel Davis (former owner of Breakwater Surf Shop). The intentions of including their stories were to help humanize the businesses they operated. Their is also a map pinpointing the location of these businesses as well as other locally-owned shops. Our intention with this is to have these places become partners with Project Rockaway Tied. Lastly, the booklet includes coupons as promotions.

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

MVP 2

Project Rockaway Tied Membership Card

The second prototype was an electronic membership card that would work in conjunction with our partners. Each swipe would add points that would be an incentive to continue shopping locally. Any resident interested in obtaining this card would be able to get it through the Project Rockaway Tied website. To test this MVP, we typed and printed several of these cards with the names of our partnered Shore Corps teenagers. The excitement from them generated more ideas about how to further develop this idea with led to MVP 3.

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MVP 3

Project Rockaway Tied Buy Local booklet + Member Store sticker

The third MVP was a re-design of the first MVP. During this phase, we discovered more businesses that operated out of their own homes i.e. Just Bubbly or Last Dragon Pizza that has been added to the map. This booklet also features a Stamp Card, an idea that arose from feedback about MVP 2 and turned into a fun puzzle game where each member store would have a different stamp symbol. Once solved, the answer would reveal special events i.e. outdoor movie night. The Member Store sticker would be placed on the storefront windows of Rockaway Tied partners. This prototype was taken to Thai Kitchen, Goody’s and Breakwater Surf. The feedback was very positive with many questions about getting involved and becoming a partner.

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

Feedback Rock Soup Event

On December 12th, we went to the first Rock Soup event. We have heard about this project through Facebook and decided to check this as an opportunity to present and partner-up with locals to implement our platform. Rock Soup started in Detroit as a way to micro finance ideas of local entrepreneurs to leverage businesses proposals. It was a good timing to see how entrepreneurial spirit can be powerful and how what we have been trying to pursue with this platform can be achievable. We were able to meet locals who are trying to connect and support each other to bring more comercial life to the Rockaways, showing us that our assumptions about the entrepreneurs’ needs were accurate. We got feedback on our prototypes and felt inspired to improve our platform to be as close as possible to the reality.

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Team

Denilyn Arciaga

Mariana Bomtempo

Denilyn obtained her BA in Architecture at the University of Illinois in Chicago and is currently in her second year of the Design and Urban Ecologies program at Parsons. With an eclectic résumé, her passion has grown around endangered slum communities due to globalization.

Mariana is an architect and urbanist from Brasilia, Brazil. She has experience working with architecture, interior design, building renovation, graphic design and urban planning. Nowadays she is pursuing a Master Degree in Design and Urban Ecologies and her final project focuses on urban pedagogies.

arcid331@newschool.edu

mariana@newschool.edu

DENILYN ARCIAGA, MARIANA BOMTEMPO, SUNGMY KIM, JACK WILKINSON

Transdisciplinary Design Projects Studio 1 & 3 + Urban Ecologies Studio 3 _ Fall 2015

SungMy Kim

Jack Wilkinson

Sungmy is a thinker and maker. She studied industrial design, and worked as a chair designer in Fursys Group in South Korea. After six years of working, she is pursuing an MFA in Transdisciplinary Design program at Parsons to design for equity. She is interested in humanitarian design, social justice, and sustainable ecosystem. She loves experiencing new things.

Jack believes in design as a revolutionary act, effecting social change via individual transformation. With a background in both entertainment and psychology, he seeks to utilize design to create an entertainment industry that consciously aims to transform rather than distract. Jack is also an avid traveller and occasionally moonlights as a stand-up comic.

kims214@newschool.edu

wilkj803@newschool.edu

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