Community Engagement for Equitable Public Space in LA's Diverse Communities

Community Engagement Equitable Public Spaces for LA’s Diverse Communities 

The enhancement of LA’s public spaces should begin with qualitative, ethnographic, and sensory-based community engagement, not design. These often-informal used public spaces reflect the memories, needs, and aspirations of these communities. When the City attempts to create public space, they become standard, one size fits all. These public spaces fall short of meaning and authenticity for many of LA’s diverse communities. We need to give our communities of color the agency, vision, and tools to become the designer, planner, and engineer of their public space.

From my work at LA Metro, community organizing, and current practice, I have learned there are two types of community engagement: 1. Information sharing (transactional, quantitative) 2. Knowledge producing (qualitative, ethnographic, sensory-based)

Information sharing is the most common. Agencies, municipal government, or advocacy groups use it, to inform people about issues, programs, plans, and sometimes get feedback. We are all familiar with transactional engagement.

Knowledge producing community engagement or Place It! is a new category. It’s a deeper form of community engagement that taps into people's lived experience, emotion, and imagination. I developed it based on my curiosity for people. In addition I want participants to both physically and mentally feel why planning, design, and their voice matters. 

It's what I don’t see, that is just as important as what I do. What drives individuals and communities out of bed, and what is their social, and emotional pattern language of a community? How do culture, climate, geography, technology, and activities shape people and their public spaces. However most designers, architects, planners and engineers are not interested in this information. 

Place It! is designed for people who would never attend a public meeting and let alone speak out at one. I believe, however, this audience must be reached because far too often designers, planners, architects and engineers have the design and planning power! 

Place It! is mainly a non-verbal form of communication, that taps into visual, and spatial thinkers by using objects, storytelling and play. Through the placement of the objects participants have a new way to express a story in a meaning way. Their dioramas reveal their emotional and physical connections to the environment. This tool captures physical details and patterns of public space that are overlooked through other approaches such as maps and words. Participants quickly realize they are their own expert ‘designers and planners’ of their environment. While their story is the hook the model becomes the physical information to design public space.

Place It! workshops do not have an agenda, mission, nor does it push information. Therefore it's not beholden to anyone, just the participants. This takes the pressure off for organizers, communities and participants. Nothing to lose, only to gain. Rather it produces knowledge on the spot through a series of reflective, sensory, and collaborative activities. 

What kind of public space will 20 women, 25 Latino immigrants, or 30 LGBTQ members produce at any given moment? 

 I have facilitated over a thousand workshops and built over five hundred interactive models all over the country, which cover just about every demographic, issue, and place. 20% of my collaborations have been with municipal agencies, advocacy groups, for projects, plans, and issues. 80% of my collaborators are teachers, librarians, artists, curators, and concerned residents. They have different needs and aspirations for community engagement, and use Place IT! as community therapy, hands-on-learning, or social practice art. This opens new opportunities and applications for community engagement LA’s public spaces through various venues.  

All of our work is through word of mouth or from previous participants. Most of the clients are women and a few men of color because I believe they want an engagement tool that breaks down barriers and build relationships amongst each other, as well as be themselves to freely express themselves. 

Conclusion: Bringing the community together for one hour to share their memories, needs, and aspirations is a healing experience that reinforced their social cohesion, uplifted their intuitive knowledge, and encouraged self-determination to enhance public space. Participants realize they are stronger together and this spirit should be reflected in LA’s public spaces.