A few things to know this week: July 9, 2021
This week’s things to know:
This Community Foundation Wants to Change the Face of Who Controls Wealth
via next city.org
There is a lot of talk right now about advancing racial equity in cities, changing outcomes for marginalized groups, and knocking down barriers. The problem is that talk doesn't make those things happen. Action is a required ingredient. Something else we know to be true is that so many cities are putting resources towards projects and policies that do not necessarily address the goals they adopt through comprehensive and strategic plans.
This piece shares a great story about Red-Horse Mohl, the new CFO for the East Bay Community Foundation, and shares how she is advocating for putting dollars into investments that align with the Foundation's mission - a shift that not only highlights the critical role community foundations can play, but also underscores the way cities should be thinking about the alignment of their resources and vision. We're glad to be able to be part of those discussions for cities that are seeking guidance and facilitation. –AJ
The great New York Subway map debate of 1978
via designboom.com
It's not everyday that we are able to listen in on the discussions and debate about how we present map information to an audience. But in 1978 Massimo Vignelli, one of the most influential graphic designers of the 20th century and John Tauranac, then the head of the MTA's Map committee spent an evening debating the merits of a minimalist vs geographically representative map for the New York City Subway system.
This article presents an interesting interview with Gary Hustwit, a filmmaker and designer who put together a book commemorating and exploring this historic debate. Hustwit is the Director of the films, Helvetica, Objectified, and Urbanized among others.
As a follow up to that article this is an interesting docu-short about the task of redesigning the NYC subway map for the 21st century and the challenges and technology involved. The Map — Gary Hustwit –Marshall
I have ‘pandemic brain’. Will I ever be able to concentrate again?
via the guardian.com
Anyone else feeling like they're running through a fog in a sprint just hoping not to run into something with every step? Okay, good, I'm not alone. The times that we have all been living in, compounded by a surplus of stress around the well being of our personal communities, has affected all of us more than I think we truly know. Whether it is trying to retrain ourselves to engage in our normal habits again, or adapting to 'the new normal' we can all be thankful for how 'plastic' our brains truly are. It is known that a community of like minded people can help to grow a culture and camaraderie for the better, so let's use this opportunity to come back stronger and better than ever. Be ready to see more from us as we all get back to seeing clearly, no fog, and building out our team for the future! –Ryan
Here's the standard disclaimer: We always encourage our team members to freely share their thoughts and opinions, both in these newsletters and elsewhere. Given that, opinions expressed by any one member do not necessarily represent the views of the company as a whole.
Do you enjoy these weekly roundups? (Why wouldn’t you?) You can get them sent straight to your email inbox every Friday, if you’re into that.
Want to learn more about how fiscal analysis can help you make your city stronger financially?
We created a new sister website showcasing how we use math, maps, and money to help cities communicate your resource gap and explore ways to increase tax revenue and improve service efficiency without necessarily raising taxes.
Hey, friends in local government:
Hey, friends who love cities! If you're looking for a place to discuss these topics (and more) with like-minded peers who want to help create a more resilient community, check out our Community Cultivators Network. It's free to join, and we are currently working to build new features for our 2021 relaunch, so stay tuned! We'll arm you with the content, ideas, and support to take small impactful steps to cultivate change.
