Mapping Compton

Mapping locations is large part of the process of developing community stories for Departures. In past installments, students were asked to map their communities, first by hand-drawing their neighborhoods and exploring the subjective element of place. Then, they collaboratively inserted their most meaningful places onto a Google Map, allowing them (and us!) to see a new sets of relationships - between the students and their places, as well as between each of the students.

For the Departures: Richland Farms student producers, the stories they will be producing will often sit outside the realm of their personal memories and experiences. The students involved are not from the area, but they've taken up the challenge of researching this community within Compton. They will research online and also travel out to the Richland Farms area and explore the neighborhood first hand. This means that understanding Richland Farms and how it is situated on a map are essential to students' research as they explore the area. With that in mind, we had the students practice looking at the area in Google Maps while also attempting to locating meaningful places in relationship to Richland Farms.

To view these places, click on the image below and you will see the Student Producers' collaborative Google Map.