OUR WORK

Listen First: Turning Local Voices
into Insight, Clarity, and Action

It started with a concerned parent who asked a simple but urgent question: How can we make the walk to school safer?

Spark Ripples teamed up with El Puente and the MS50 PTA to co-design a rapid, human-centered engagement. In just one afternoon, we surfaced real concerns, revealed patterns, and laid the groundwork for policy change—using low-tech tools, thoughtful prompts, and community voices.

Services Used: Spark 1 — Understanding People, Patterns & Possibilities

Step 1: Map the Journey, Surface the Risks

Participants first shared how they get to school—walking, biking, bus, subway, car—giving us a quick read on neighborhood mobility.

Then, using a large printed map, they marked where they feel unsafe along those routes. With post-its and brief conversations, we captured the reasons behind the dots: speeding traffic, low lighting, confusing crossings, and more.

The result? A shared visual of real, lived risk.

Step 2: Listen Deeper — Stories, Strengths & Priorities

With a shared picture of the current state in hand, we invited participants to go deeper—sharing personal memories of moving through the neighborhood. We shifted the lens from problems to possibilities by asking: What makes you feel safe, seen, or joyful here?

People responded with vivid, personal stories: block parties with water balloons and music, kids skateboarding in the plaza, dancing competitions, and spontaneous play in backyards and courtyards. These memories revealed the emotional ingredients of safety: light, presence, connection, and care.

Next, we asked: What could make spaces like this feel good again?

On a large board reimagining Continental Army Plaza and LaGuardia Playground, participants proposed grounded, creative ideas—like a skate park, climbing walls, yoga spaces, checkers tables, more lighting, and even music under the bridge.

These weren’t abstract wishes—they were specific, joyful, and deeply informed by lived experience. The ambition wasn’t just to fix what’s broken, but to reclaim what’s possible. Together, the ideas offered a vision the community could feel proud of—and ready to build toward.

Step 3: Connect Insight to Action

Finally, we grouped takeaways from both the mapping and storytelling into key themes—blending emotional insight with concrete safety concerns.

As we stepped back, patterns began to emerge—highlighting not just specific locations, but deeper issues beyond traffic, which is where the conversation began. These themes helped translate raw community input into actionable direction—grounded in both lived experience and shared aspiration.

Outcomes: Clarity, Direction—and What Happens When You Start with People

This engagement set out to understand how students and families experience safety on their way to and from school. What stood out to us was how quickly the conversation moved beyond crosswalks and traffic lights—into neglected spaces and their impact on how we feel.

What We Learned

Students use a mix of transit options to get to school—but the area that consistently emerged as most unsafe wasn’t a transit hub. It was the walking path between Marcy Ave station and the underpass near the BQE, including the underpass itself.
Safety concerns weren’t just about traffic. They reflected a broader experience of neglect—poor lighting, unkempt walkways, and chaotic intersections that made everyday routes feel unsafe.

Despite their age, these middle school students were willing to share deeply personal stories—from near-misses with cars to experiences of harassment—underscoring how present and personal these issues really are.
Students were willing and proactive in proposing thoughtful, grounded ideas for change: improved lighting, added greenery, music under the bridge, seating, climbing walls, skate features, and simplified bike lanes.

What Happens Next

Civic advocacy: These insights form the basis of a petition to NYC DOT, Community Board 1, and elected officials—backed by real stories and clear patterns.
The school is in. After reviewing the workshop outcomes, school leadership is now committed to exploring how students can co-design improvements and help shape solutions for the identified area—as part of their curriculum.

The resounding enthusiasm and participation we experienced—and the school team’s commitment—mark a natural transition into Defining and Prioritizing Opportunity Spaces, with the community already aligned and ready to focus.

Bridging the gap between vision and practical action is exactly what Spark Ripples is here for. If this engagement sparked even a small step forward, we’re proud to have played a part—and excited to support what comes next.

Page updated

Google Sites