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Observe

Observe Update from Girl Scout Troop 67374

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Observe Update from Girl Scout Troop 67374

We send a big congratulations to Troop 67374 in Lexington, MA for completing the Observe Patch Program a few weeks ago.

A note from their Troop leader, Pauline:

The Juniors Troop (4th Graders) were very enthusiastic and enjoyed both the learning and independence they gained from the walk. The girls realized that, while most buildings had clearly marked accessible entrances, those entrances were often in the back of buildings and the girls felt this kept members of our disabled community too separated/hidden. They thought much more welcoming signage or moving the ramps was important.

The girls first learned from our local arts center how to make maps. They then did a Jane Jacobs Walk and observed the town and community. They then came together again and made maps of what they saw, along with observations of what was important to them: improving the look and feel of ADA entrances.

The arts center gave us space near the entrance to display the maps, information about the walk the girls took, and what they thought was important to change. It was a nice way to include another organization, as well.

Another cool thing that happened on our walk was that the girls were able to watch a protest and counter-protest going on in one of our town's public spaces. We actually didn't realize it was taking place, but the idea of civic engagement and physical space being intertwined was enhanced significantly through this experience.

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Observe Home Edition + Partnership with Asia Initiatives

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Observe Home Edition + Partnership with Asia Initiatives

The Center for the Living City (CFTLC) partners with like minded organizations to help expand its OBSERVE program, with the goal of helping many young people to realize their agency in improving their neighborhoods and cities- now, and as they grow up to become active citizens. So the Center is pleased to announce its partnership with Asia Initiatives which will help grow the Observe India program to Asia Initiatives’ various projects in India. The Observe India team, under the leadership of CFTLC board member Vidhya Mohankumar and Jane Jacobs Fellow Vidhya Venkatesan, has designed an online 8 week module that includes videos and practical fun projects for young people to critically look at the issues of water, waste, and other neighborhood matters important to them.

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Understanding Jane Jacobs: Q&A with Roberta Brandes Gratz

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Understanding Jane Jacobs: Q&A with Roberta Brandes Gratz

To those who work in historic preservation, Roberta Brandes Gratz is well known as the author of several books examining how neighborhoods and cities have revived over time. Her most recent book, We're Still Here Ya Bastards: How the People of New Orleans Rebuilt Their City, takes a deep dive into New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, outlining how local people, more than government officials or policy experts, led the rebirth of that city. She is also the author of The Battle for Gotham: New York in the Shadow of Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs, which made her the perfect person to ask about her work and the legacy of Jane Jacobs as part of our series on women in historic preservation.

Throughout our conversation, Gratz emphasized the importance of Jane Jacobs’ philosophy in thinking about the places in which we live, a philosophy Gratz continues to advocate as a co-founder and governing board member of the Center for the Living City.

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Observation & Action Network Grants Program | India

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Observation & Action Network Grants Program | India

OBSERVATION & ACTION NETWORK (OAN) Grants Program is a collaboration with the Center for the Living City, the Urban Design Collective and NASA India that invites students who are extremely passionate about transforming their cities/towns for a better tomorrow. This program will utilize skill-sets and tools that both inform action and support students’ developing voices. The OAN strives to create a network where students can involve themselves directly with identifying and solving real urban challenges with people in their neighborhoods while also connecting with other creative leaders throughout the world. The Grants Program is an inaugural part of the OAN, as the three winners become the first 2020 OAN Fellows. Each of the winning individuals or teams will be awarded $500 USD for the implementation of their proposals.

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04 Observe India workshops at public schools in Chennai

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04 Observe India workshops at public schools in Chennai

The Observe! workshop series is now live in the city of Chennai in India. This time we have initiated the workshops with students from public schools or otherwise called government/ corporation schools. These schools are run by the city corporation and it is unlikely that they get as much exposure as the students in private schools. Consequently, it is only fitting that Jane Jacobs’s vision, ideas and the Observe! workshop reaches them first. We aim to empower these children to take up responsibility of their neighbourhoods and work with the government in making their neighbourhood and the city of Chennai a better place to live.

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03 Observe India Workshop at Shrishti Vidyashram

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03 Observe India Workshop at Shrishti Vidyashram

One of the interesting discussions was about the dried up Paalar river in Vellore. On questioning them as to why the river had dried up, they had many intriguing answers to it. While some said that it was because of the pollution and excessive heat, others pointed out that the water was held in dams and reservoirs and only during heavy rains would water be released into the river. This led to a conversation about how dried up water bodies in cities are urban commons and must be left as is for water retention in the event of rainfall and floods. We also discussed how Chennai (the capital city of TamilNadu) faced the dreaded 2015 floods as the city filled up most of its urban commons and built buildings on it.

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