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Overview
Overview
Our team has conducted research throughout the 2022-2023 academic year on the significance of seven iconic spots around the city where important historical occurrences took place. These locations hold crucial racial history, and their stories are unknown to many.
Our project’s purpose is to enlighten the general public with this research and recognize the racial injustice practices that took place in the city in order to create positive change. Our common goal is to have the public understand the past to change the future through the educational resources our team has created.
Our team created a digital story map, a tech tool that uses a set of graphics and other media and their narratives to tell a digital story, to share these occurrences.
Solution
Solution
We created a digital story map that shows a visual narrative of the history behind seven Santa Cruz locations on ArcGIS, a story mapping platform.
We mapped out the different locations and constructed summaries that explain what makes each place significant in Santa Cruz history.
We also included audios of the summaries and extra resources for people who would like to further explore Santa Cruz's racial history.
Outcomes
Outcomes
Our story map will serve as a historical resource for residents of Santa Cruz to learn an unsanitized and truthful version of the history behind seven locations that are passed by every day by locals who don't have access to their stories. Furthermore, to lead our community onto a path of change, this resource will educate residents on historical events that are told in a way that centers the voices of those directly impacted by discrimination, not from the oppressor's perspective.
Additionally, several fourth-grade teachers that our team reached out to have responded with excitement about using parts of our story map in their lessons about California history for their students. Over time, students as young as nine years old will learn history from a more accurate perspective.
Milestones
Milestones
March 2022: Began conducting research on the different locations online and at the Special Collection Room at UCSC's library.
April 2022: Began ArcGIS project implementation
July 2022: Recorded audio to add to the story map
October 2022: Started tabling at various locations in Santa Cruz and passed out flyers, stickers, etc. We also reached out to local 4th- grade elementary school teachers to share our story map with them.
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
Heads
Heads
We wanted to bring awareness about Santa Cruz specifically because Santa Cruz County is one of the few to fully embrace teaching critical race theory, and also because we felt that people needed to know that the racism that exists here and in other places, doesn’t spring up out of anywhere. There is always a history of racial injustice and violence behind more current instances of racism.
Hands
Hands
Our team used three main tech tools including ArcGIS story mapping, WordPress website design, and Canva graphic design. All three were new territories for our team, but we focused on the impact our work in each platform would have on our community as well as the sustainability of our deliverables.
Hearts
Hearts
Our team's constant communication and vulnerability with each other helped us stay consistent in our work and completion of the project. None of us had experience in tech going into this project, but our desire for social change influenced us to continue working through the pivots and challenges.
Deliverables
Deliverables
ArcGIS Story mapping & WordPress website design
ArcGIS Story mapping & WordPress website design
The main deliverable of our project is our ArcGIS story map on Racial Injustice in Santa Cruz. Additionally, with the help of our organization partner Mo Dick, our team published a website page on the existing Gateways website through WordPress, a website designing platform.
Promotional Materials
Promotional Materials
Our team designed flyers, posters, and Instagram posts through Canva. Our organization partner, Mo Dick, designed the stickers shown in the picture on the right, with the phrases added by our team member Eileen Amador. These stickers use some of the trademark graphics that our team has used for our promotional material.
Impact
Impact
Our team's story map has received over 1000 views in total, with an average of 4-5 views every day.
Additionally, several fourth-grade teachers that our team members reached out to have responded with excitement about being able to utilize this resource for their students during history lessons.
Community members we have spoken with about this project have displayed great interest in sharing the story map with their friends and family.
Our Team
Our Team
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