CUP: Recent pages

Cu Ps Annual Benefit

Sam Holleran — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:53:44 -0400

NewsAndEvents/CUPsAnnualBenefit

Partnering For Impact

Christine Gaspar — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:59:59 -0400

The Community Development Project at the Urban Justice Center, the Center for Urban Pedagogy, and the Hester Street Collaborative are pleased to announce an upcoming conference and exhibit: Partnering for Impact: Innovative Collaborations for Effective Organizing.

Tuesday, June 4th
9:30 am – 5:00 pm : Conference
5:00 – 7:00 pm : Reception & exhibition

The New School
55 West 13th Street
New York City

Join us in New York City in June for a day-long conference to explore how grassroots community organizations and resource organizations can partner to organize for justice and social change. The conference will include panel discussions, interactive case studies and hands-on workshops to build skills and explore innovative examples of participatory research, planning and design.

Partnering for Impact will conclude with an exhibition of examples of innovative, collaborative projects. We are issuing a request for proposals for projects to be featured in this exhibition. Those that are selected will be able to share work with other resource allies, potential project partners, and funders. The exhibit will be open to conference attendees and participants, invited foundations, and members of the press, and the projects will be displayed in posters and a booklet documenting the event.

The conference is free, but space is limited. Register today at: http://partneringforimpact.eventbrite.com

If you have any questions, contact Ben Palmquist at bpalmquist@urbanjustice.org.

Open Call For Public Access Design Fellows

Clara Amenyo — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:13:47 -0400

NewsAndEvents/OpenCallForPublicAccessDesignFellows

Through Public Access Design, designers work collaboratively with CUP and a community organization to break down a complex policy or planning issue for the group’s constituents. The partners collaborate to create an accessible visual tool on the issue, which organizers and advocates then use in their work. Projects take the form of either a printed publication, an interactive graphic, or a short video or animation.

The 2013-2014 Fellowship runs from July 2013 to June 2014. Fellows attend an introductory session on CUP’s methods for collaborative and participatory design, and are invited to attend quarterly special events and gatherings throughout their Fellowship year. All Fellows receive an honorarium of $200, and Fellows that collaborate on projects receive an additional $2,000 stipend.

Find out more and apply online at publicaccessdesign.org.
The deadline for applications is Monday, June 10th at 10 pm.

Home

Sam Holleran — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:28:22 -0400

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

CUP collaborates with designers, educators, advocates, students, and communities to make educational tools that demystify complex policy and planning issues.

We believe that increasing understanding of how these systems work is the first step to better, more equitable, and more diverse community participation.

How It Works

Clara Amenyo — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:45:22 -0400

Projects/PublicAccessDesign/HowItWorks

Just as public access television puts the means of communication in the hands of communities, CUP’s Public Access Design program puts the power of design in the hands of community organizers and advocates.

Public Access Design projects result in visual tools that go directly to communities whose access to information, or lack thereof, can have major consequences for their health, livelihood, and well-being. These tools help ordinary residents of the city better understand and participate in democratic processes, creating real social change.

For Advocates

Clara Amenyo — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:44:38 -0400

Projects/PublicAccessDesign/ForAdvocates

The Public Access Design program is open to New York City-based community organizations and advocacy groups working on complex policy or planning issues that need visual explanations.

Applicants should propose topics that relate to particular advocacy or education efforts, and have a credible plan for distributing the completed project to their target audience. Applicants are also encouraged to have access to the target audience for feedback during the design process.

A jury will meet every two months to select one project proposal and pair a Public Access Design Fellow with CUP and the advocacy partner.

The project team will then collaborate to produce a final product over the next four to five months. Advocacy partners should expect to attend regular meetings during the project period, and to provide the background information for the project.

For Designers

Clara Amenyo — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:40:35 -0400

Projects/PublicAccessDesign/ForDesigners

The Public Access Design Fellowship allows New York City-based artists and designers to apply their design skills to contribute to social change. Fellows collaborate with CUP and a community organization to produce innovative multimedia tools that make information about important social justice issues accessible to historically underrepresented communities. We’re looking for designers interested in a collaborative process who can bring unique visual solutions to the design challenges presented by these issues.

In the summer of 2013, a jury of advocates and designers will select a small group of designers to be Fellows with the Public Access Design program for a one-year period. This year’s fellowship runs from July 2013 to June 2014. Over the course of the year, six Fellows will collaborate with an advocacy partner and CUP staff to produce six projects.

All Fellows attend an introductory session on CUP’s methods for collaborative and participatory design with CUP staff and designers from previous CUP projects. Fellows are also invited to attend special events and gatherings throughout the year. These include opportunities to meet and network with past CUP collaborators, and other notable New York City-based design professionals and community advocates.

People

Sam Holleran — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:25:00 -0400

CUP’s core staff supports the organization from day to day, but CUP projects are designed and implemented by teams of artists, designers, educators, activists, and researchers.

Public Access Design

Clara Amenyo — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:37:11 -0400

Projects/PublicAccessDesign

Public Access Design is CUP’s new series of multimedia projects that use design to make complex urban issues accessible to the New Yorkers most affected by them.

Public Access Design projects are short, intensive collaborations of CUP, an artist or designer, and a community organization that is working to break down a complex policy or planning issue that affects its constituents. The collaboration results in a visual tool that meets an advocate’s organizing needs as they arise—getting information directly to communities where they are, and when they most need it.

The goal is to put more, and more kinds, of powerful visual tools in the hands of people working on critical social justice issues.

Es Tu Dinero Decides Tu

Mark Torrey — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:16:47 -0400

Projects/MakingPolicyPublic/EsTuDineroDecidesTu

There are so many different ways to borrow, save, spend, and get money—from informal services like check cashers to more mainstream services like banks and credit unions. What’s the difference between them? Navigating the dizzying array of services can be overwhelming, particularly for non-English speakers. Though access to the mainstream banking system is fundamentally linked to economic prosperity, Latino immigrants in the United States broadly lack such access.

CUP collaborated with Remás and designers Mary Voorhees Meehan and Neil Donnelly to create Es Tu Dinero, Decides Tú to dispel some of the myths about financial services and give immigrants the tools to make choices that expand their financial opportunities. The publication demystifies some common questions about banking and immigration status, and offers detailed pros and cons of formal and informal financial services. The publication is currently available in Spanish and in English.

CUP and Remás launched the MPP at a members’ meeting at Si Se Puede, an immigrant women’s housecleaning cooperative in Sunset Park. Remás is now distributing the publication to financial literacy organizations, consulates, and local businesses in Sunset Park.

“Sometimes, the [banking] information is all in small print. And it’s hard to analyze your options. Americans always investigate down to the tiniest print. We should do the same. I’d like my community to be just as informed.” – Sandra, Si Se Puede member

You can get your copy here.

Advocate Application

Clara Amenyo — Wed, 08 May 2013 17:58:04 -0400

Projects/PublicAccessDesign/ApplyNow/AdvocateApplication

Apply Now

Clara Amenyo — Wed, 08 May 2013 17:54:51 -0400

Projects/PublicAccessDesign/ApplyNow

Language Rights Are Civil Rights

Clara Amenyo — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:42:17 -0400

Projects/PublicAccessDesign/LanguageRightsAreCivilRights

New York City is home to communities from every corner of the globe, speaking a myriad of languages. More than a quarter of the city’s population is not proficient in English. How can you access the city’s basic services for its residents if you don’t speak English? New York City and New York State have passed innovative laws that guarantee everyone the right to an interpreter when accessing government services. But most agencies are only creeping toward compliance with these laws, and many immigrant communities are unaware of their right to an interpreter and routinely denied access to services because they don’t speak English.

In the fall of 2012, CUP teamed up with the Language Access Project at Legal Services NYC and designer Melissa Gorman to create a tool that helps people stand up to discrimination and access the services they need. Language Rights are Civil Rights! is a wallet-size foldout that explains language rights laws and that can be used to ask for an interpreter. The foldout is fully translated into Spanish, Chinese, Bengali, Russian, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Urdu, Korean, Polish, and French – the 10 most commonly spoken languages of the city’s limited English proficient population.

Language Rights are Civil Rights! is being distributed by Legal Services – NYC and partner organizations throughout the city.

We Care

Sam Holleran — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:12:42 -0400

Projects/MakingPolicyPublic/WeCare

In 2010 New York State passed the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights, the first law in the nation giving domestic workers legal rights in their workplace – our homes. But who does the law count as a domestic worker? What rights do they now have? And how will they find out about them?

CUP, Domestic Workers United (DWU), and artist Damon Locks worked together to create this issue of Making Policy Public. The goal was to create a portable tool that could be distributed to this decentralized workforce and help them to know their rights so they can claim them. In addition to breaking down employees’ rights (including those of undocumented immigrants), the poster provides guidance for the many employers who want to provide a supportive work environment, but aren’t sure where to find information on these issues. To reach the many domestic workers who speak English as a second language, the fold-out poster explains the law in five languages commonly spoken by DWU’s membership – English, Spanish, Hatian Creole, Nepali, and Tagalog.

Domestic Workers United is spreading knowledge of the rights of domestic workers by distributing the MPP through their network of sister organizations, giving them to DWU members, and handing them out in public places to domestic workers and their employers.

Designer Application

Clara Amenyo — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:02:46 -0400

Projects/PublicAccessDesign/ApplyNow/DesignerApplication

Jury

Clara Amenyo — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:47:19 -0400

Projects/PublicAccessDesign/Jury

We Are Public Housing

Christine Gaspar — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:44:02 -0400

Projects/MakingPolicyPublic/WeArePublicHousing

Over 400,000 people live in public housing in New York City. Together, they have the potential to form a powerful coalition of voices. But in 2009 Community Voices Heard, a member-based organization of low-income people including many residents of public housing, released a study finding that the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) violated federal laws on public housing resident participation. CVH and its members wanted to improve NYCHA’s accountability and increase resident participation.

CUP worked with CVH staff and members, and designer Jeff Lai of Office of Jeff, to create We Are Public Housing. This issue of Making Policy Public breaks down the two paths to resident participation: NYCHA’s system of resident representation and the grassroots activism approach.

The first two panels unfold when CVH members share the information with tenants during door-knocking outreach. Residents can then take the pamphlets inside and unfold them further to find out more details about the systems of participation.

The poster side features examples of how people are getting involved, as well as the call to action: We Are Building Power!

You can get your own copy of the poster here.

Know Your Lines

Christine Gaspar — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:23:01 -0400

Projects/MakingPolicyPublic/KnowYourLines

Know Your Lines goes behind the scenes of the largely invisible redistricting process in which politicians often get to choose their voters, instead of the other way around. Who’s actually drawing the lines? What does the shape of a district mean? What does a good redistricting process look like?

CUP collaborated with the Brennan Center for Justice and design team We Have Photoshop to produce Know Your Lines, a fold-out poster on the ins and outs of redistricting and how to make it work better. If you care about political power, representation, or public policy, then you care about redistricting.

Know Your Lines is aimed at helping communities and advocacy groups across the country to understand how they can play a role in making the redistricting process fairer, more transparent, and more accountable to the public. CUP and the Brennan Center launched the project with an outreach event for “grasstops,” the leaders of community groups who are now using this information in their own organizing work.

Learn how you can make a change with your own copy.

About

Sam Holleran — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:03:45 -0400

The Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) is a nonprofit organization that uses design and art to improve civic engagement. CUP projects demystify the urban policy and planning issues that impact our communities, so that more individuals can better participate in shaping them.

We believe that increasing understanding of how these systems work is the first step to better and more diverse community participation.

CUP projects are collaborations of art and design professionals, community-based advocates and policymakers, and our staff. Together we take on complex issues—from the juvenile justice system to zoning law to food access—and break them down into simple, accessible, visual explanations.

The tools we create are used by organizers and educators all over New York City and beyond to help their constituents better advocate for their own community needs.

Mpp Call For Advocates13

Sam Holleran — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:33:46 -0400

NewsAndEvents/MPPCallForAdvocates13

Learn more about Making Policy Public and download the full submission guidelines here: makingpolicypublic.net

Fall13 Ta

Sam Holleran — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:09:58 -0400

NewsAndEvents/Fall13TA

CUP is seeking teaching artists to lead Urban Investigations in the fall of 2013. The teaching artists will work CUP and with high school students from two New York City public schools to a question about how the city works.

Urban Investigations are the flagship program of CUP’s youth education work. They are intense project-based curricula that enable students to explore fundamental questions about how the city works through collaborative research and design. Each Urban Investigation begins with a key question about the city. To find answers, students go beyond standard classroom learning and engage in rigorous field research, visiting real sites, and interviewing decision-makers and stakeholders. Students then collaborate with the teaching artist to produce innovative, engaging works in a variety of media. These projects are taken up by neighborhood organizations and advocacy groups and used to educate others.

Call for teaching artist for Urban Investigation on school decision-making | Vanguard HS | Manhattan

The Urban Investigation will take place between September 16 and December 12, meeting two times a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. The position pays a project stipend of $7000.

Students will investigate “who makes decisions in NYC’s public high schools?” Classes will meet at Vanguard High School in Manhattan and will also travel throughout the city for interviews.

CUP teaching artists work with CUP staff to develop course ideas, schedules, and lesson plans. Teaching artists are responsible for training students in research and documentation skills, taking students on site visits, and shaping and managing the execution of the final product. There is a separate budget for materials and other project costs.

Call for teaching artist for Urban Investigation | topic TBD | International Community HS | Bronx

The Urban Investigation will take place between September 17 and November 27 of 2013, meeting three times a week afterschool at International Community High School in the Bronx (from 4:00 to 7:00 pm on Tuesdays, and from 4:00 to 6:00 pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays).

The position pays a project stipend of $7000.

The topic for this Urban Investigation will be determined with the school, teaching artist, and CUP staff.

Making Policy Public Call For Community Advocacy Organizations Is Open

Sam Holleran — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:01:22 -0400

NewsAndEvents/MakingPolicyPublicCallForCommunityAdvocacyOrganizationsIsOpen

Applications are due July 12, 2013.
For submission guidelines, visit: makingpolicypublic.net/advocates

Resources

Valeria Mogilevich — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:19:11 -0400

The Baum Forum organizes annual conferences about food and farming issues and invited CUP to its 2008 conference on Schools, Food, and Community.

The Brennan Center for Justice is a non-partisan public policy and law  institute that focuses on the fundamental issues of democracy and justice.

Bway.net is an independent ISP founded with the goal of providing the highest quality Internet service for the residents of New York City.

The Center for Court Innovation is a nonprofit think tank that helps courts and criminal justice agencies aid victims, reduce crime, and improve public trust in justice.

The Center for Financial Services Innovation is the nation’s leading authority on financial services for underbanked consumers.

The Center for Media Justice provides training, resources, and support to grassroots community organizing groups to develop creative, effective, and participatory communications and media activism strategies that support the fight for racial justice, economic equity, and human rights.

The Child School is a K-8 school on Roosevelt Island.

Citizen’s Guide to the Airwaves is a report by the New America Foundation that aims to educate the public about the tremendous value, government mismanagement, and impending giveaway of the nation’s airwaves.

Community Voices Heard is a member organization of low-income people with experience on welfare, building power in New York City and State to improve the lives of our families and communities.

Credit Where Credit is Due provides financial counseling programs in response to the growing financial disenfranchisement of Upper Manhattan.

Damayan Migrant Workers Association is a grassroots organization of Filipino migrant workers, primarily women domestic workers.

Damascus Citizens for Sustainability (DCS) is a collaborative endeavor to preserve and protect clean air, land and water as a civil and basic human right in the face of the threat posed by the shale gas extraction industry.

Domestic Workers United is an organization of Caribbean, Latina, and African women, and women of African descent, working as nannies, housekeepers, and elder care providers in New York, who are organizing for power, respect, fair labor standards, and to help build a movement to end exploitation and oppression for all.

Families for Freedom is a New York based multi-ethnic defense network by and for immigrants facing deportation. It is a source of education and action for directly affected families, and an organizing support center for directly affected communities.

Fast Trash is an exhibit on the Roosevelt Island AVAC system, created by Juliette Spertus.

The Fortune Society supports a broad array of alternative-to-incarceration and reentry initiatives for people with criminal records.

The Greenpoint Manufacturing & Design Center is a nonprofit developer of industrial space.

HUD – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines the numbers that determine affordability throughout the country.

Instituto de Educacion Popular del Sur de California organizes and educates immigrants concerned with solving problems in their own communities.

Jetro Cash and Carry is a wholesale supplier for food businesses and nonprofits, servicing many of New York’s bodegas.

Labor Notes is a media and organizing project that has been the voice of union activists who want to put the movement back in the labor movement.

Brad Lander is a member of the New York City Council representing the 39th Council District in Brooklyn. He is working on a proposal to map out city-owned facilities and related health issues online.

Legal Services NYC’s Language Access Project works to ensure that low-income New Yorkers with limited English proficiency (LEP) have access to programs and services for which they are eligible.

The Longshore Workers’ Coalition is a movement of International Longshoremen’s Association members and retirees organizing to build a stronger and more democratic longshore union.

The Lower East Side Ecology Center works toward a more sustainable New York City by providing community-based recycling and composting programs, developing local stewardship of green space, and increasing community awareness, involvement and youth development through environmental education programs.

Cup Seeks New Advocacy Partners For Public Access Design

Sam Holleran — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:56:45 -0400

NewsAndEvents/CUPSeeksNewAdvocacyPartnersForPublicAccessDesign