Students Open Conversation on Improving Their Community

January 6, 2014

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Jenny discusses the creation of the LandBridge with a community member.

The last of the community placemaking workshops sponsored by the Northeast Los Angeles Riverfront Collaborative (NELA RC) occurred just before the holidays at Irving Magnet in Glassell Park. Community members were invited to identify and explore community improvement projects and discuss design opportunities for a future NELA Riverfront District. Youth Voices students from the Los Angeles River School took this opportunity to present their initial project ideas to the group that had gathered.

Students take part in re-imagining street intersections in Elysian Valley.

The students designed presentation boards that featured information on their community causes and photographs of the location they're investigating. Their projects included, making San Fernando Road more bicycle and pedestrian friendly, re-envisioning vacant lots, making the L.A. River cleaner and safer for residents and visitors, and the creation of a LandBridge in place of the current Figueroa/Riverside Bridge. Their objectives were to share their project ideas and request feedback that they could use to enhance their project plans, as well as identify community members or experts they could reach out to for support.

Pamela and Karina from Team Blue and Team Green talk to a community member about their respective projects to revitalize the L.A. River.

A community member leaves a comment for Team N.E.P. who are working on improving San Fernando Rd., by klxadm

Team Sizzle Uh Uh is working on improving a vacant lot in Glassell Park.

The group offered a few ideas for what the vacant lot could become including a community garden.

Social Media Campaign

Students invited participants to become part of their social media community by following them on Instagram, Twitter or at #kcetyv. The social media campaign the students have launched is an important component of their outreach. Student teams have shared photos and begun to ask questions related to their community causes. Similar to the community workshop, they hope to get feedback from their virtual community and begin an on-going conversation on how to improve their neighborhoods and revitalize the Los Angeles River in a manner that seeks and incorporates community input and ideas.

Below are examples of recent Twitter posts: