New Projects

Cara Michell

Policy Partner: Shanna Sabio, Co-Founder & Co-Director, GrowHouse NYC

Resurrecting Black Spatial Imaginaries: Participatory Mapping at the Flatbush African Burial Ground

In partnership with Shanna Sabio of the Brooklyn community arts organization GrowHouse, Cara Michell will facilitate a participatory mapping workshop series and research process rooted in the legacy of the Flatbush African Burial Ground. As part of Cara’s ongoing project, Black Psychogeographies, these maps will document spatial stories about Black memory, history, and future visions for the site. During the academic year, Cara will work with Boston teens and Brooklyn participants to analyze the mapping process and develop a youth participatory mapping toolkit. These community-based collaborations will lead to an academic publication that offers mechanisms for policymakers and urban designers to interpret artistic output as data that can inform culturally sensitive planning decisions.