How BIPOC New Yorkers can use data to organize for neighborhood change using NYC government’s Equitable Development Data Explorer (EDDE).

Community Partners

<h2>What’s the issue?</h2>
NYC rezonings during the Bloomberg and DeBlasio administrations led to development that produced inequitable outcomes. BIPOC residents were priced out of their neighborhoods, and long-standing businesses were shut down. When advocates complained to the City that their neighbors were being displaced, the City said, “Show us the data.” But there wasn’t any data that measured the racial impact of new development.
The Racial Impact Study Coalition (RISC) advocated for a law that now requires the City to provide communities with data broken down by race. RISC worked with the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the NYC Department of City Planning to make this data available to the public for free through <a href="https://equitableexplorer.planning.nyc.gov/map/data/district">EDDE</a>. EDDE provides information about housing, land use, the economy, and quality of life, and breaks down information by race, place, and time. It also provides a map showing the risk of displacement by neighborhood. 
<h2>What did we make? </h2>
The new law says that when a new development proposal requires a zoning change, the developer must attach relevant data from EDDE to their application so the racial impact of their project can be considered. But to get the most out of EDDE, advocates citywide would understand how to use it to find data that backs up the changes they experience in their communities. 
RISC collaborated with CUP, designer Arthur Kim, and illustrator Jonathan Muorya to create Stories + Data = Power, a fold-out guide that explains what EDDE is, how it came to be, what kinds of questions it can answer, and how it can be used to find data and take action.
<h2>How did we make it?</h2>

We explained what kinds of data EDDE holds. EDDE’s Community Data section is made up of five categories of information, and each category is made up of different data tables. Many of the data tables have titles that may not be easy to understand for people new to demographic data. To make the information more accessible, we translated the titles into questions, and then connected each question to the data table in EDDE that can answer that question. Community members said this approach was helpful.
We illustrated the relationship between different geographic areas. The two sections that make up EDDE—Community Data and the Displacement Risk Map—show data by different geographic areas. Community Data shows data for by community district, by borough, and citywide. The Displacement Risk map shows data by neighborhood. To show the relationship between these geographic areas, we included an illustration that visualizes the relationships. Community members said the diagram was helpful.

We demonstrated how to actually use EDDE. RISC needed the poster to show practical ways BIPOC New Yorkers could use EDDE to find data and take action in their neighborhoods. To make the process feel approachable, we invented three characters from different boroughs and showed how they each 1) get curious about different issues relevant to their communities; 2) use EDDE to find data about that issue, and 3) take action to organize in their neighborhoods.
Because of the way EDDE is set up, to compare data across race or place, you have to physically write down data for one racial group or geographic area, and then go back and search for a different racial group or geographic area. The case studies show this process by following each character click by click, so readers can watch Andrea, Tony, and Jesse ask specific questions, record relevant data, make strategic comparisons, and ask follow up questions.
We tested these case studies with community members by asking them to follow along in EDDE, and to then ask their own questions about their neighborhoods and use EDDE to answer them. We heard that the case studies were easy to follow, and that the characters were endearing. We also heard that when they got to EDDE, they missed seeing the characters from the poster, and suggested the characters be added to the website.

The project emphasizes everyday New Yorkers taking an interest in their neighborhood by searching for data. Throughout the project, data is always shown in a pink accent color. On the cover, characters are shown marching with data and interacting with data in their homes. On the first spread, characters are shown taking their data to city hall.

Check Out the Project

11 Digital RISC final

CUP
<a href="https://welcometocup.org/people/genea-foster">Genea Foster</a> 
<a href="https://welcometocup.org/people/agustín-cepeda">Agustín Cepeda</a>

Community Partner
<a href="https://welcometocup.org/people/the-racial-impact-study-coalition-risc">the Racial Impact Study Coalition (RISC)</a>

Designer
<a href="https://welcometocup.org/people/arthur-kim">Arthur Kim</a>
<a href="https://welcometocup.org/people/jonathan-muroya">Jonathan Muroya</a>

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Hyperakt is a purpose-driven design and innovation studio that elevates human dignity and ignites curiosity. Since 2001, co-founders Julia Zeltser and Deroy Peraza, along with the Hyperakt team, have been partnering with change-makers moving society forward. We believe in design’s power to build a future filled with courage, optimism, and honesty.

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The Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) is a nonprofit organization that uses the power of design and art to increase meaningful civic engagement in partnership with historically marginalized communities.

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