Monica Rizk (M Arch 2022) and Rand Zalzala (M Arch 2022)
New Grant, New Phase:
Flourishing Communities to Build Mobile Learning Lab
Last year, Julie Kim's team won a $180,000 grant to continue collaborating with the English Avenue community, identifying needs and planning solutions. This year, they’ve won another $180,000 to build on the momentum of their work. Their approach extends current efforts, focusing on the following: 1) understanding of socio-economic issues; 2) advancements in technology and production; and 3) energy performance, resiliency, and sustainability.
The grants, from New America's Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN), are intended to place diversity, equity, and inclusion in the heart of technology development. According to PIT-UN, "If not designed and used responsibly, technology can inflict harm on people, especially vulnerable communities who are often left out of technology and policy decision making."
Kim's lab, the Flourishing Communities Collaborative, is a natural fit for this grant. For over a year, Kim's team has been doing extensive field research and getting to know pillars of the English Avenue community.
"We're working hand in hand with the community," Kim said. "We're providing them with specific tools that allow them to use design thinking to solve their problems."
"This year's winning projects share a common attribute. They center on the needs of communities," said Andreen Soley, director of Public Interest Technology at New America. "Our equity and inclusive focus is the engine that drives all Challenge projects. It means modeling the development of technologies through co-designing with the communities and individuals that are meant to be recipients of the tools being deployed."