The following pages document my responses to the online discussion questions in the Spring 2017 version of ARC 211 American Diversity and Design at the University at Buffalo – State University of New York.

1. Kelsey Opiel
University at Buffalo - State University of New York
ARC 211 - American Diversity and Design - Spring 2017
Online Discussion Questions
Photo: Pixabay

2. As a Diversity and Design student, I look at design differently. I ask
questions like "how can a disabled person patron this store
easily?" and "is there a better way to build a fork?" Most things in
life are designed and every design can be improved. Whether it is
your daily planner, your vehicle, a relationship, or a highway
system, its design can make your life, and the lives around you,
easier, more fluid, and more effective. It's particularly compelling
the importance that design plays into the lives of minorities and
designers who fail to recognize this are potentially having
devastating effects on an already devastated group of people. I
look at the world differently and wonder the designs that I have
overlooked, and am overlooking, and what I can do, as a future
mathematician, to help solve these design problems. The following
pages document my responses to the online discussion questions
in the Spring 2017 version of ARC 211 - American Diversity and
Design at the University at Buffalo - State University of New York.
Photo: Kelsey Opiel

3. On “What is design?”from Hello World: Where Design MeetsLife by Alice Rawsthron
The author openedher chapter withthe example of Ying Zheng, the ruler of the Qin empire,
one of the mostpowerful and enduringempires I the history of China. She explainedhow
designinnovationcontributed to Ying Zheng’s success. For example, in the development of
weaponry, he resolvedmany problems by standardizing parts, and this single innovation
gave his armies greatadvantage over other armies.
For this discussion, let’s move away from 246 B.C. China, and into the U.S. Describe an
innovation or invention (can be current or historical) thatgave advantage to a groupof
people in the U.S. or to the population as a whole. What were the social impacts of this
innovation?Were any groups negatively impacted by this innovation? For example, the
telegraph, developed and patentedin the United States in 1837 by Samuel Morse, permitted
people and commerce to transmit messages across both continents and oceans almost
instantly, withwidespread social and economic impacts. This heightened communication
speed allowed business persons to make decisions withup-to-date information, often
resultingin big profits. Those without accesshad to rely on out-dated information, which put
them at a disadvantage.
The "Square" credit card processor is a small, square device that
hooks into a headphone jack and allows business owners to take
credit card payments virtually anywhere by using their cell phone.
This invention gave small business owners the flexibility to take
credit card payments when they would otherwise need to only
accept cash. Not only does it provide a convenience and way to
make more profit for business owners, it allows the consumer to
worry less about constantly having cash in their wallet. Services
like food trucks, artists with tables/tents at festivals, and shops
which need something cheaper than a large credit card system (for
example, boutiques) can all be readily consumed by people only
carrying credit cards. Not only does it provide both sellers and
consumers with flexibility, it allows users to sign for their purchases
directly on touch-screen phones/tablets, and then emails the
consumer their receipt. In today's highly technological world, this
streamlines the purchasing process for many consumers who like
to shop with small businesses and who don't want to have to stop
at an ATM before doing so. Those businesses without "Square"
risk losing profit from buyers who primarily use credit cards.
Photo: Pixabay

4. On “Introduction” from Diversity andDesign:Understanding Hidden Consequences:
The editors state that “diverse participation in the designprocess, from both professionals
and public citizens alike, yields more equitable results.”This makes sense, buttypically has
not beenthe case. Nonetheless,many marginalized groups have impacted designin ways
that have changed our visual and physical worlds as well as our systems, policies, and
institutions.For example, in the 1960s, disability rights advocates designedmedia events to
raise awarenessaboutbarriers in the physical environment. They persisted with their efforts
for decades, and, finally, in 1990, the Americans withDisabilities Act became law. It
mandatedaccessibility in public accommodations suchas restaurants and stores, public
transportation, communication, and other areas of public life. This dramaticallychangedour
physical environment (from curbcuts to ramps to automatic doors) andthe results made
public life more equitable.
Now it’s your turn. Describe a design that was impactedby a diversity group. How and why
did it change form and/or circumstances? (Note thata designcan be anything requiring
planning and developmentprior to the productionof an action, system, visual, material
object, or environment. Also, keepin mindthat, for our purposes, a diversity group is a group
of individuals whoare underrepresented in society in some way—children, older adults, the
economically disadvantaged, those with cognitive disabilities, etc.
Caps (for bottles) have been impacted by children for their safety. After
children had been ingesting harmful substances from household items
such as cleaning supplies or prescriptions, the government enacted the
Poison Prevention Packaging Act in 1970. To combat the issue and
follow the law, companies began using child-resistant packaging, such
as child-lock caps, which were invented in 1967 by Henri Breault.
Usually, a cap would just twist off, but for the protection of children, some
caps have features that enhance safety and limit who can open
containers. Some child-lock caps require the user to push down on the
bottle before twisting off the cap, or to line up a triangle on the bottle with
a triangle on the cap in order to open the container successfully. Though
these caps keep children from opening hazardous bottles, they can
prevent the elderly, feeble, or disabled from opening bottles that might
include important medications, especially because some can be very
confusing, even for able-bodied adults.
Photo: Pixabay

5. FROM: Chapter in M edia/Society and TEDTalk PhotosthatChanged the World
Where wouldyou place the images shownin PhotosThatChanged the World intoCroteau
and Hoynes' diagram entitled“Model of Media and the Social World”? Identify a mass media
photographtakenin your own lifetime that has served as an icon of an event. (Feel free to
add an attachment.) What roles does this photo play in the communicationof the event?
The photographs fall under the media message or product category, as it is the actual
physical source ofthe message being translated,like a TV show or a newspaper article.I
chose this category because Ibelieve the readers or audience categorywould include
those viewing the photograph,the media industry would be the photographers ofthe
photos,and the technology would be the camera and digital photography,perhaps also
Photoshop.
The photo of the “falling man” during the attacks of 9/11 was an iconic photo taken during
my lifetime.Everybody is familiar with the photos of the World Trade Center buildings on
fire or collapsing,or the first responders sifting through debris,butthere are very few, if
any, photographs thatspecificallyshow the victims of the 9/11 attack while the attack was
happening—notafter on the ground.This is perhaps because there were no camera
phones in 2001,or internet/live streams on cell phones.
The “falling man” photograph is so striking because itmakes the viewer internalize what
the victims went through on that day. The viewer knows the man in the photograph will
not survive. He is upside down with the backdrop of the building.When one sees the
photograph,they are forced to imagine having to jump outof a skyscraper as a last-resort
effort to save their life. How sad to think about.It really puts into perspective the panic
and dread the victims musthave faced in their lastminutes on 9/11,not knowing what
was exactly happening and having to watch death creep up on them so blatantly.
Though you cannotsee the definitive features of the man,you still “feel” for him,put your
mind into his,and wonder how manyothers had to face the same fate and how much
courage it musthave taken to jump.The entire event of 9/11, and terroristattacks in
general,is in this single photograph.Though other 9/11 photographs are similarly
striking,they fail to give as much of a sense of“humanity” of the event and how individual
lives were horriblybroken and ended so tragically. The photograph makes you wonder
how many actually jumped on that day and if we’ll ever know who jumped,fell,got moved
along by the building debris,or who burned alive, and how painful that is for families to be
left without definitive answers.This is both a powerful tool of photographyand mass
media,notto mention a camera that could record a shotthis precise,when the man is
mostlikelyfalling quite quickly.
Photo: Richard Drew

6. FROM: “FashioningProtest for the Women’s March on Washington”and “The Worst Design
of 2016 Was Also the Most Effective”
Typically, we do notthink of hats as elements of mass media or social media. However, the
two hats (redand pink) discussed in the articles certainly have taken on thatrole. Why are
the twohats (redand pink) mentioned in the articlesvehicles of communicationdesign?
What meanings do eachof the two hats carry? In termsof communicationdesign, how are
they similar? And how are they differentfrom one another?
State: Communication design uses specific designs to communicate a certain ideal or
mindset.
Elaborate: In other words,designs on clothing or colors mayindicate thata person
belongs to a specified group.
Example: Beyond the hats of the Donald Trump campaign and the Women’s March on
Washington,two notorious gangs,the Crips and the Bloods,have blue and red colors,
respectively, and use clothing items and designs ofthose colors to give off a meaning—
that they are a member ofeither gang.
Infer and Think Deeper: The communication design between the “Make America Great
Again” hats and the Pussyhats are similar because theyuse their design to show off the
ideals ofthe person wearing or using the design.
Donald Trump’s hats symbolize a “down-to-earth”,simple,easyto understand,non-elitist
or metaphoric middle-class trucker-hat-wearing American.They are targeted towards
blue collar Americans who see the hat as a sign of being hardworking,no-nonsense,
non-"intellectual"Americans. Whereas Hillary’s logo mightbe seen as a true symbolic,
metaphoric,arrow to the next presidential era,itdoes take a bit of “thinking aboutit” and
brainpower,for lack of a better term. That’s not what the Trump campaign soughtto
achieve. They wanted their messages clear-cut,where one didn’thave to scrape through
much,if anything, to understand whatwas going on.The hat was made for an ordinary
American,in what is probablyan ordinary American hat factory, and had a very ordinary
design because of that.
The Pussyhats,though similar to Trump’s hatin a communicative design facet,tie in to a
much larger historyof women using clothing while protesting their rights.Suffragettes
wore white clothing and pants,ridding themselves ofthe typical “skirted” female
stereotype, making more ofa “visual” statementthan,say, a political one.While women
were marching on Washington,these hats created a sea of pink for viewers at home
watching from above, they also served as identifiers on airplanes before the
event.1
Pussyhats were used as more ofan “I’m with you and we’re here together”
symbol,whereas Trump’s hatwas designed to say“I am here, this is whatI believe”,
which is more of a personal symbol rather than community-building symbol.Notonly that,
each Pussyhatis individuallycreated and different in subtle ways, which reinforces the
power of a single individual and allows the user to feel more involved with its meaning
and purpose,while Trump’s hatis one where “you know what you’re going to get”—
though that was his platform.
Photo: Pixabay
1
https://www.buzzfeed.com/juliareinstein/plane-full-of-nasty-
w omen?utm_term=.fk1GZXZQX#.kgM4ZOZPO

7. In his chapter on industrial design (writtenin 1987), historian JohnHeskett claims that the
methods of mass productionintroduced by Henry Ford in the U.S. involved new concepts of
the standardization and integration of the production line thatwere adoptedacross the world.
With Ford’s method, work couldbe completedby relatively unskilledworkers;it was more
efficient and withthis method, products were made more quickly and cheaply than
previously possible. What were some of the social consequences of Ford’s productionline?
In other words,how did this systemchange our U.S. society? Do any of those changes
remain withus today? Now consider Maurice Conti’s TEDTalk, and the predictions he makes
about production. How do you think manufacturing processes will change in the nexttwenty
years?How do you think these changes will affect our U.S. society?
Some of the social consequences ofHenry Ford’s production line were the creation of
jobs for unskilled or uneducated workers,which provided a decentliving to a lot of people
that would’ve needed some sortofformal training otherwise.These “blue collar” jobs
gave access to benefits,unions,decentwages,and an avenue for upward mobility.
However, it also created a large divide between “white collar” and “blue collar” workers
that we’re dealing with today. One could argue that movements such as OccupyWall
Street are the aftermath of the divide between white and blue collar jobs growing too
large,especiallynow that many of the production line jobs are now obsolete.
Another consequence ofthe production line is the environmental toll it takes.Though
everything is more efficientusing a production line,it produces a lot of waste.This waste
not only comes from pollution via the gas,and chemicals thatit uses,assemblylines
leave plenty of waste from the number of units that go through many quality control
systems,to be simplythrown out, and also from using onlya portion of a material
(stamping) and then discarding the remainder instead ofcycling the material back
through for use.Imagine making cut-outcookies butnever throwing the dough
surrounding the cut-outs back into the bowl for reuse.Over the pastapproximately100
years, millions ofbusinesses have been working in similar assemblyfashion.The waste
adds up and starts taking over landfills,the air, and water supply,hurting humans,
animals,and vegetation.
The changes in manufacturing processes in the next twenty years will probably make
mostproduction and blue collar jobs obsolete.This will leave manywithout work and
withoutthe skillsets to excel in other positions.Many are not highly trained in things that
there will be employmentfor (programming,engineering,marketing,design,etc.),
resulting in a high number of unemployed older-middle aged folks.Notonly that, it will
require that almosteverybody obtain a higher education degree and will further the
importance ofgraduate school degrees,rather than simplya bachelor’s degree.Jobs
relating to higher education will probablyincrease,and the use of coding/computers will
probablybecome general needed knowledge for everyone. With college prices as high as
they are, it will be difficult for a lot of lower income students to compete with their
wealthier counterparts for education,and in turn, jobs.
Also, with CAD design and Conti’s prediction thatwe will only be manufacturing products
that are the “crème de la crème” of what is possible,as well as mostefficient.Hopefully
these products will lastlonger and use less material,or more sustainable
materials/production methods.The problem we are then left with is the consumer
constantlywanting “more”,“newer”,“novel” products.
Photo: Pixabay

8. Which of the 2016 IDEA Gold Award products seems to defy the Cradle-to-Cradle concept
developed by architect William McDonough and chemist Dr. Michael Braungart?How does
this product resistor disregardthe concept? Provide an example of any products that
embrace Cradle-to-Cradle design, please describe and cite your source(s).
State: The Zebra TC8000 barcode scanner disregards the cradle-to-cradle concept.
Elaborate: The Zebra TC8000 barcode scanner is notmuch differentfrom a generic
barcode scanner in terms ofsize, materials,and manufacturing.
Exemplify: The Zebra TC8000 is about the size of an average barcode scanner and is
not advertised as having any green or renewable materials used in it. The manufacturing
aspectof it does not seem renewable or green either,according to the Zebra website.
This productalso serves as only a barcode scanner/computer,notsomething completely
different, like a barcode scanner and forklift in one (odd, but you get the point). Perhaps if
this intricate system,which seems to be the selling pointofthe device, were put into an
app that could be downloaded onto a warehouse worker’s pre existing smartphone,it
would save materials and production waste and follow the cradle-to-cradle concept.I
understand thatit is supposed to be a “rugged” product,but could this have been solved
by using an app and a rugged phone case? The lightness ofthe product would probably
serve as a “waste eliminating feature”,butthat aspectof the design doesn’tseem to be in
the forefront of why it was created.234
State: The Bone-Aid case embraces the cradle-to-cradle design.
Elaborate: As opposed to more commonlyused casts,the Bone-Aid castis much less
bulky and uses far less material.It is also stored flatand can be used on various parts of
the body.
Exemplify: The packaging ofthe Bone-Aid design is flat, which means itcan easilybe
transported to remote locations,as well as non-remote locations,and saves both gas and
pollution,as it requires less transportand space per product.It also allows the doctor to
use this single castfor arm,leg, and ankle fractures,therefore eliminating the need to
transportor build specific casts,which saves on production materials,gas,energy,and
though it does not specifyin the write-up, it appears to be reusable on the body part it’s
builtfor. Family members and friends would be able to “share” casts,should the need
arise,eliminating useless waste or materials.56
2
http://www.systemid.com/learn/zebratc8000/
3
https://www.zebra.com/us/en/solutions/manufacturing-solutions.html
4
https://www.zebra.com/us/en/solutions/manufacturing-solutions/safety-environmental.htm
5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCFnRbtIB8w
Photo: BoneAid
6
http://www.businessinsider.com/boneaid-cast-heals-all-fractures-2016-8

9. Your readings and viewings this week presentdifferent ways of thinkingaboutarchitecture.
Mies Vander Rohe describes architecture as “The will of the epoch translated intospace.”
Andrew Ballantyne describes architecture as the background for life. Jeanne Gang describes
it as the act of building relationships. All agree thatarchitecture can change based on
context and culture. Choosetwo works of architecture from any of your materials this week—
one withsensibilities aboutthe pastand one withsensibilitiesaboutthe present and/or
future. How do each of these buildings either reflector challenge their cultural contexts?
(Use the SEE-IT method to respondto this question.)
● State:The w orkof architecture, Pavillon de l'Esprit Nouveau, has sensibilities about the
present/future.
● Elaborate:This w orkof architecture focused on the future by redesigning the w ay in
w hich people thought the function of architecture was supposed to be, rather than relying
on old or historic elements of architecture.
● Example:This w orkof architecture used custommade furniture, w hich included various
styles of chairs to compliment various sitting positions. While ceilings w ere averaging
about 8'-10', this w orkhad ceilings that averaged 18' and brought a more spacious and
open feelto design. Another w aythe architect made the building feelmore spacious and
open w as that he moved it further awayfromthe road, w hile most architecture of the time
w as positioned closer to the road. This building w as designed for specific lifestyles and
needs of the person living in it, under the idea that houses should be constructed as living
machines. There w as no "extras" in this w orkand everything inside of the home served a
specific purpose towardsthe lifestyle of those living inside it.
● Infer:Though this building w as horribly received and in turn, demolished, it does put forth
a unique w ay of design and I think later in history (this w as fromthe 1924), architecture
moved tow ardsthe architect's ideals.
● Think:What in my life is "unnecessary" in terms of design? How w ould my life be different
if I only had shelves for things that I truly needed? Why do I like higher ceilings? What
feelings do they give off to me? What are the w aysIcould change my home to become
more usefulto MY specific lifestyle?
● State:The w orkof architecture, The Arcus Center for SocialJustice Leadership, has
sensibilities about the past.
● Elaborate:This w orkof architecture focused on the past by recreating ancient and historic
methods of both building and meeting.
● Example:This w orkof architecture used past methods of building, for example, w ood
masonry. This is a low -tech and inexpensive, sustainable wayto build. This technique is
not new and brings a sense of "basic building" and design to the building. This space also
w as designed as a place to convene for socialjustice meetings in informal settings. The
designers tookhistorically common "meeting areas", such as a living room, church
basement, a table, etc. and brought that design into the Center. By adding common items
like circular seating and fireplaces, as w ellas kitchens, techniques such as creating
spaces where people w ould be close enough to "bump into one another" and create
conversation, inviting scenery, and familiar settings, this architecturalw orklooked to the
past to help create a better designed building.
● Infer:It's important to look to our past to sometimes find the best w ay of doing things. This
saves time, effort, and allow s "old" ideas to be complemented w ith new technology to truly
fix the w ays that it could have been lacking in effectiveness.
● Think:What are spaces around UB that invite me to gather and come up w ith ideas? Why
is it that most classes are not taught in circles, even if they could be? How w ould my
college experience change if I felt that our buildings w ere designed to have me THINK
w ith other students (in circles, in comfortable seating, around gathering places) and w ith
designs that felt a lot less "bland" and more "homemade"?
Photo: Fondation Le Corbusier

10. Andrew Ballantyne and Peter Zumthor presentideas about architecture thatseem to value
the sensorial and material elements of life. How are Ballantyne’s and Zumthor’s viewpoints
on architecture alike?More importantly, how do they differ?(Use the SEE-IT methodto
respondto this question.)
● State: Ballantyne and Zumthor are alike in their assertion that architecture is more than
simply just function or structure, it also has ties to emotion, though they differ on w hich
emotions it draw supon, or should be draw n upon.
● Elaborate: Both Ballantyne and Zumthor agree that architecture is a very human and
personalexperience that has affectslives and has lasting impressions on a person.
Ballantyne asserts that architecture and living spaces are definitive of the person living in
the house. Zumthor believes that architecture tends to define a person's beliefs based on
how it impacts them.
● Exemplify:Ballantyne draw sparallels to animals and their shells. Not only do they define
the animal, they serve a specific purpose in that organism's life. He believes that
architecture should be the same w ay, serving as purposefuland life-enhancing, using
emotions as tools to help shape architecture that w ould be best for the user. A building is
molded and becomes w hat it is based on the life of the person inside of it. On the other
hand, Zumthor had a more internal emotional take on architecture, claiming to be moved
by the "pow er of ordinarythings" and that their meaning in our lives comes once w e look
at them long enough to see it. On a simpler level, Ballantyne believes that a person "puts"
emotion INTO the architecture by interacting w ith it and Zumthor believes that architecture
GIVES OFF an emotional meaning w hich a person inherits into themselves. Both believe
that architecture is intrinsically tied to emotion and feeling, and that a structure needs to be
more than just a "structure", it also needs to have a story, either in its past or w ritten in its
future.
● Infer:I think both of their takes on architecture are valid and useful. I think both can be
true w ithout lessening the other. Architecture is a very personaland meaningful topic and
as very artistic in a w ay--each person experiences it in a different way and gets out of it
various things.
● Think Deeper:Were certain neighborhoods designed to "give off" specific feelings, or
w ere those feelings created by the people w ho live there? For example, is Elmw ood
Avenue quaint, cute, holistic, forward-thinking, "the center", and accepting because it w as
designed to be that w ay, or were people w ho associate with those things drawn to the
design and architecture of the space and give off that feeling?
Photo: Pixabay

11. John Levy’s article, “An Overview:The Need for Planning,”discussedways in which
planning can determine the characteristics of a place. For example, some smaller towns
restrictthe heights of buildings to maintaina certainscale. How did planning define the
character of the place in which you grew up?
I grew up in a very suburban neighborhood that was comprised mostly of
families, many with young school-aged children. My neighborhood was tucked
away off of a busy road, giving it less traffic and making it safer for children, and
also gave it the ability to have families take walks, ride bikes, and do other
outdoor activities without fear of getting hurt. I remember many times playing in
the street (hockey, rollerblading, etc.) and only having to move over when a car
came by. Most people in my neighborhood were under the same mindset that
traffic was to be slow and you had to watch out for children playing, as most had
children on the street or had children who grew up on the street. This would've
been nearly impossible on a street with more traffic or with residents who were
not under the same mindset.
Most of the houses in my neighborhood are two stories and were built around
the same time, so many of them look similar and it's clear that most people on
the street have generally the same level of income.
In the center of the neighborhood (the street goes in a giant circle), is a
playground and baseball/soccer fields. This allowed the neighborhood to
convene and have "block parties", and gave the children some place to go.
During the summer months, there was a functional recreation building in the
park that took children on field trips and did activities with them during the day,
and also provided jobs for many of the high school aged students in the
neighborhood.
The shape of the neighborhood, a circle with a stem off of it, which connected to
the busy street it was off of, allowed residents to walk/bike around the circle
without having to "turn back around" or having to come into contact with the
busy street. Having the park in the middle allowed residents to cut through to the
other side of the neighborhood without having to travel the full circumference of
the circle. As many homes had their backyards facing inwards towards the large
park, it felt as though you had plenty of "breathing space", although houses were
about 40' from one another. You could be close to your neighbors without
feeling like a sardine.
Photo: Pixabay

12. Imagine that you are part of a urbanplanning and designfirm workingwithEmily Talen
(author of “Design ThatEnables Diversity”) and Kent Larson(who gave the TED Talk
"Brilliant Designs to Fit More People In Every City" The thee of you have beentasked with
developinga plan to rebuild Pruitt Igoe in St. Louis. City officials told the three of you that
that they want to do it right this time. Identify three strategies for rebuilding Pruitt Igoe in
ways that promise to be more successful. What would Talen do? What would Larsondo?
What would you do?How would your strategies differ from those of the original urban
planners/designers of the project? Why wouldyour strategies be more effective?
I w as really bothered by the Pruitt-Igoe story and it w as frustrating to w atch and comprehend how it
w as almost systematically set-up to failand leave so many people in danger and poverty. The
bottom line for many of the problems of Pruitt-Igoe is flat-out racism, and that’s not an easy problem
to solve w ith 3 simple solutions. Much of racism’s problems are deeply imbedded into the
consciousnessof the community, the builders, the funding, the structure, and it’s like a food w eb,
w here one thing is tied to everything else. I found it incredibly difficult to come up w ith only 3 things.
It w ould take a complete re-design and re-consciousnessof WHY w e need subsidized housing,
because it doesn’t seem like the builders of Pruitt-Igoe really understood the needs of the people
living there. Understandably, money is a huge factor, but some things like not allow ing TVs or the
FATHERs of the families to be around is flat-out racist, unheard-of, and BACKWARDS.
My ideas:
Most importantly, the people living in this housing should have a say of w hat would workbest for
them, not just the developers and planners.
● 1) Have planned jobs that need to be done (ie. Janitors, gardeners, law n maintenance,
garbage disposal) and hire the people w ho live there to do the jobs. Not only w illthey care
more about their job, since their families and communities live there, it’s an easy w ay to fill
jobs, secure that there is funds for the building maintenance (people can pay their rent),
and secure that there is maintenance for the building. It’s cyclical. People are more-or-less
living there for free. This heightens the sense of community and allow s people to know
their neighbors and the w orkersof the grounds. It’s less likely that someone w illlitter w hen
they know their friend’s dad, w ho is also their hall-mate, is the one w ho has to clean it up.
If you’re living in a community that is clean and doesn’t feellike your life is inside of a
garbage can, you are in a better state of mind, feellike you’re w orthy, want to help make
things better, and are appreciative. Other things could be added to the buildings for added
revenue, like shops w here people could both gather and sell things. Many people spoke
on how women would cookand bake and the smells w ould overtake Pruitt-Igoe. Why not
put them to w orkand allow them to have a little restaurant at the bottom of a building? It
w ould hire cooks, w aitresses, busboys,and w ould give purpose and community to the
space.
● 2) I w ould space the buildings so that they are either in one giant circle or square w ith a
large courtyard in the middle. This courtyard would have a playground for children, green
space to enjoy and play sports, and w ould be a centrallocation for the buildings. The
buildings w ould not be divided; there w ould be one large space in the middle. Dividing the
buildings leaves more room for people to not interact w ith each other and to partake in
activities that are illegal or hinder the sense of community.
● 3) I w ould put all stairw ells facing in tow ards the center courtyardof the circle and they
w ould either be entirely outdoors and not-enclosed, or they w ould be inside but w ith a
glass panel running fromtop to bottom, so that you could see inside. This prevents men
frompreying on unsuspecting w omen and leaves everyone in the community w ith a larger
sense of ease. If you can see people in the stairw ells before you enter them, you’re less-
likely to be caught in harm's-w ay. Also, if people looking into the courtyard can see people
in stairw ays, those trying to do harm by hanging out there are not only more likely to be
caught, they are less-likely to go there in the first place because they know they willbe
seen.
Photo: U.S. Housing and Urban Development

13. Ideas fromTalen:
● 1) The building w ould be built w here there is already diversity. If one of the main reasons
that poor people remain poor is because of the lack of diversity in their population,
including people w ho give them something to aspire to, the start of a netw ork, and a less
abrasive/gloomy surrounding, as w ellas money going into the economy surrounding, then
it w ould be smartest to build the building not in the poorest of neighborhoods, but in an
area w here there are diverse needs met.
● 2) The beginning of the project w ould consist of concentrating on w hat can be enhanced,
diversity w ise, by design. She argues that building up diversity through deliberate social
mixing in programs like scattered site housing are based on the belief that revitalizing poor
neighborhoods solely through community development has "almost universally failed.". If
diversity is thought of in the beginning, less focus needs to be placed in the back-end
thinking about how to properly make the housing successful.
● 3) The building w ould allow non-government subsidized rentsto allow for a more diverse
crow dto live there. This w ould mean that rent is more likely to be paid on time and the
expectation w ould be that the landlord (government) w ould fulfilltheir duties of providing a
clean environment w ith w orking lights, utilities, and elevators. Shenanigans and crime
w ould not be tolerated, because people w ould move out if they don't need to live there.
The incentive to keep the place up and functioning w ould be to fill the apartments that are
not subsidized by the government.
Ideas fromLarson:
● 1) The rooms of the apartment w ould convert into other rooms. This w ay, the apartments
could be smaller and the housing units could fit more people. This w ould increase the
amount of rent coming into the building, though it w ould be costly on the front end.
● 2) The rooftops of the buildings w ould serve as usefulgreen spaces forvarious activities,
saving space and giving low er-classpeople a "view ". Perhaps there could be gardens on
the rooftops, or a pool. If the gardens w ere big enough, the food could be used in the cafe
(as mentioned in my idea), or sold for a cheap price to the residents of the complex.
● 3) There w ould be faux sunlight coming into all apartments w hen needed to make them
seem larger and more happy places. The sunlight motivates people, makes them feel
safer, and can take aw ay some of the anger felt by the poverty and crime stricken people.
As the man in the film mentioned, he lived to seekrevenge for his brother's death. I can
see this feeling of depression and anger being heightened by lots of shadow sand
darkness, w hich might subconsciously indicate being unseen or unw anted.
Photo: LA Times

14. Displaying his plan at the 1876 Centennial Expositionin Philadelphia, Frederick Law Olmsted
statedthat "Buffalo is the bestplannedcity, as to its streets, public places, and grounds, in
the United States, if not in the world." What was the basis for this claim?Would Olmsted still
make that claim today?Why or why not?
Buffalo uses both the Joseph Ellicott radial and grid systemof streets and parkways, which allow s
spectacular viewsfroma w ider arrayor areas. This design makes the park systemseem to go on a
lot longer than it truly does, tricking the eye. The city also has an Olmsted park system, one of such
is Delaw are Park. Here in Buffalo w asthe first urban parksystem. No city before Buffalo had this. All
of Olmsted's parks are connected by parklike parkw ays, that give off the feeling of stillbeing in a
park, although you're not in one any longer. His idea w as to make a city inside of a park, rather than
a park inside of a city. The view sfrominside the parks seem to mesh so that no matter w here you
look, you get the longest possible view of a park, even if a road is cutting betw een green spaces.
Olmsted w ould definitely not make this claim today. Much of the great w orkhe did has been ruined
by industrialization and highw ays. Cutting through Delaw are Park is the 198 Expressway, which is
half trying to be an expresswayand half trying to be a parkw ay. Not only that, Buffalo is cut directly
in half by Humboldt Pkw y. One side is home to the poorest in Buffalo, and the other side a more
affluent group. As they're divided by a highw ay, it's difficult to interact or have a heavy influence of
one side to the other. It is almost like a physical segregation tool. It's upsetting to think w hat w asand
could've been if w e hadn't demolished the parkw ay for a highway. Idon't imagine that sitting w ell
w ith Olmsted. Other designs seem unusualto me, also, such as the 190. It is next to great view sof
the w ater, yet it is a highw ay and there is no room for realestate or building to use those view s for
anything useful. Not to mention, the 190 is a very narrow highway, so it is not designed to be "pretty"
or "scenic". In fact, it seems as though it w as a secondarythought and only put there because "that's
w here it fit".
Luckily, now that Buffalo is in its revivalstate, I am seeing more care go tow ards the parks. For
example, the Richardson Complex just returned its Olmsted-designed South Law n backto its
original state, as it had been turned into a parking lot previously. Hopefully more of these areas w ill
be returning to their former glory, though, as stated in the video, it's difficult to convince people to
spend tax money on green space w hen it involves tearing dow n infrastructure that might cause a
decrease in jobs--especially in a blue collar city like Buffalo.
Photos: Pixabay

15. Identify something thatshouldbe memorialized either on UB's campus or in your hometown.
Imagine that you are the personwho will oversee this project, andthat you are usingWalter
Hood's 'triadof investigations' as your approach to the project. What would your landscape
interventioncommemorate/memorialize?How will you use Hood's 'triadof investigations' to
designa new landscape intervention? What do you imagine that the design will be? (Either
written or visual descriptions are acceptable).
I w ould make a parkfor the homeless that w ould subtly provide necessaryshelter and items for
them. Homelessness is a huge problem in Buffalo. More than 5,000 people are homeless. This
w ould be a parkmemorial that the w hole public could use but it w ould also be a resource for the
homeless by providing food and shelter. See below .
Everyday and the Mundane: This w ould be like any other park. Green space, in the city, open
entrances, hills, places to play.
Commemoration: I w ould have a formerly homeless artist fromBuffalo create a series of sculptures
that kids can play on but that can serve as shelter at night to the homeless. You'd have to be able to
craw linto them or they w ould need curves in w aysthat blockthe w ind and elements. An artist w ho
used to be homeless w ould know best how to create usefulart for this purpose. Instead of sleeping
next to a building or in an alley w here they are uncovered,they could be in a similarly poor situation,
no doubt, but at least be covered up top and less likely to be throw n awayby police.
Life Ways: When entering the park, it w ould be unw ritten but expected that folks drop off a bag of
food that w ould otherwise go to w aste. This could also include items like coats. There w ould be
poles w ith pegs (think oversized coat hanger) upon w alking in w here you hang your bag of spare
food. I throw away so much decent produce and food because Ijust don't eat it all. This w ould save
a lot of food w aste and let anyone in need take bags home w ith them, even if they aren't homeless,
just struggling. There w ould have to be rules that I think most people w ould follow, like no home
cooked foods, no opened foods, for health reasons, but maybe this could cut dow n on both w aste
and hunger. It w ould be w orthwhile to bring my extra food here, since throwing out $30 of produce
every w eekis really annoying and feels totally w asteful. We could have 7 poles for each day of the
w eek, then you'd know how long the food has been sitting there. It could be noted in a large
permanent sign how this systemworksand to please toss bags lasting longer than a w eekin a
receptacle very nearby.
Photo: Pixabay

16. The abolitionist poster, the Brookes, is an iconic image thatoftenis includedin exhibits that
explore issues of race and power. It was commissioned by Thomas Clarkson in 1788, and the
Committee of the Abolitionof Slavery usedit to inform and shock the public. While some
consider the poster as an importantcomponent of the abolitionist campaign, it recently “has
been strongly criticizedby someindividuals and groups of African heritage as providing a
very limitedview of the history of the transatlantic slave trade, resistance and abolition
(Hudson 2007).” The lesson here is that howa viewer sees an image isdependent upon
his/her social, economic, and cultural position. Keeping this in mind, findanother iconic
graphic that addresses racial issues and postit for others in your groupto view. (Add it to
your response by clicking on the picture in the tools section. Do not add it as an attachment
that needs to be opened.) How do you interpret the graphic? What is its meaning? Now
imagine that someone from a racial and cultural background differentthan your ownis
looking at the same graphic. Briefly describe this person. How mights/he interpret its
meaning?How might this differ from your interpretation? What are the possible reasons for
these differences?(Consider the three assessmentprinciples mentionedin the article to help
you:a technology of vision, an instrument of empathy,and a symbol of control.)
This graphic is by Emory Douglas, the Minister of Culture and director of art for the Black Panther
Party. The Black Panther Party w as founded by Huey New ton and Bobby Seale in 1966 to provide a
more direct and actionable response to racismand impoverishment, using self-defense. This poster
symbolizes the BPP's mindset that they do not tolerate or accept less than their non-Black
counterparts. The Panther w as the symbolof the party and can be interpreted by a w hite person
both as a threat (though the party w as much less violent than many w hite people of the time w ould
argue) and a pow er symbol. Panthers are strong, fierce, fast, and perhaps, mysterious. You don't
w ant to mess w ith a panther. That is w hat the image symbolizes. The w ords, "Move on over, or w e'll
move on over you" are cautionary to many w hite folks of the time, w ho were under the impression
that the Black Panthers w ere violent/stereotypicalto uphold this message. It sends a direct message
to w hite people that messing w ith the black community and trying to meddle or suppress the
evolution and grow th of the blackcommunity w illresult in a proper backlash and consequence from
the Black Panthers. The black community w ould have seen this as a foundation for empow erment
and self-defense. The panther shows their strength and grit, and proof that they are united as a race
and not accepting of oppression and injustice. It w ould have been a w elcomed image for those
seeking justice.
Photo: Tumblr

17. Critique either the MLKMemorial or the National Museum of African American History and
Culture using equityXdesign’s core beliefs and/or design principles. (Use the beliefs or
principles that are mostrelevantto your critique rather than all of them.)
Using equityXdesign’s method of historical context (see), I would like to
critique the design of the MLK Memorial. Taken from the reading, “We
must see both who we were (our historical selves) and who we are (our
current selves)”. The United States people and government that MLK
fought against was not a pretty one at the time, and the memorial is more
reminiscent of celebrating King’s unique ability to unite both black and
nonblack people together for the cause of civil rights as portrayal of a
“calm, collected, mild-mannered, well-spoken, and educated man” than
for the true rebel he was. His portrayal is mostly stereotypical traits that
make it very comfortable for white people to accept King as a figure to
look up to., when in reality, he really had to go against the grain and risk
death for himself and his family. MLK, for much of his lifetime, was
pegged by the US Government as being a radical or troublemaker,
someone who needed to be kept quiet and docile. This aspect of his
struggle, remaining collected, strong, and productive in the face of these
monstrosities, was not portrayed in the memorial. Perhaps King could
have been standing proud over resemblances of what tried to tear him
down? Also, King’s greatness was his unification of a race, millions of
people. It’s odd that he is standing there alone with his arms crossed. It
would be more fitting to see a statue of King that shows this major
platform of his work. Perhaps he would be posted arm-and-arm with
other civil rights activists of his time, or with resemblances of himself at
protests that he led.
Photo: MPR New s

18. First, let’s start with your ownhome. Describe a place in your home (indoors and/or
outdoors) thatyou think of as representative of your own ethnic backgroundand discuss
why you consider this place to be ‘ethnic’. –OR-- Describe an object in your home thatyou
think of as representative of your ethnic background and discusswhy this object is
considered to be ‘ethnic’. (If possible, add photo/s.) Is this objector place something thatyou
will keepor continue when you establish your ownhome?Why or why not?
Now let’s move intoyour community. In “Landscape Stories,”the authors showhow
landscape architects develop a historical narrative that sifts through and interprets the
culture and material of underrepresentedgroups. Think about the community where you
grew up. Describe and discuss any evidence of cultural influences on the physical
environment in your community. If possible, describe evidence of the cultural influence of an
underrepresented group. (If possible, add photo/s.)Is this cultural influence being
acknowledged or preservedfrom future generations? Why or why not?
A place in my home that feels the most ethnic to me is the kitchen. My mother is
very Italian and loves to cook big meals. We always eat dinner in the kitchen as
a family, never in front of the TV or in another room. Lots of Italian dishes were
made in the kitchen- sauce, meatballs, lasagna, etc. When we have family over,
we always gather in the kitchen and sit around the table while the meal is being
cooked, enjoying each others' company. A lot of Italians are the same way, in
terms of putting a lot of time and effort into food preparation, spending time with
a large family, and entertaining people, most importantly, entertaining them with
a lot of food.
As for the landscape of where I live, growing up in Buffalo, it is a very humble
town. Many buildings growing up were run-down, vacant, or boarded up. I think
this spoke to the culture of being almost "forgotten" or "a thing of the past".
Think of the grain silos that used to sit empty and thought of nothing more than
eyesores. Now, since our cultural mindset has changed to one where the people
of Buffalo view it as in a resurgence, we're choosing to think of these buildings
as unique, part of our history, important, and re purpose them into usable
spaces that reflect the style of Buffalo.
Photo: Pixabay

19. Recent controversies about sports branding focus on ethnicity. The Washington Redskins
team is just one example of the larger controversy, but it receives the mostpublic attention
due to the name itself beingdefinedas derogatory or insulting in moderndictionaries, and
the prominence of the team representing the nation’s capital. Should sports team branding
designers use ethnic references (Fighting Irish, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Braves,etc.)? Why?
Why not? What are someof the complexities of this issue?
I certainly agree that the "Redskins" name should 100% be changed. It's
hard to argue with that point. As for all the other branded teams, perhaps
it doesn't hurt if the ethnic reference is shining a positive light on the
ethnic group- but that is always up for debate and leaves a very large
gray area. It would probably be smarter to just stop sports teams from
using ethnic references all together so that there is never any confusion.
It's not very hard to come up with a name that has nothing to do with an
ethnic group, so I don't see why it's a problem. Though, I can understand
some of the displeasure with the idea of name-changing teams (minus
the Redskins, that should be changed), What is the cultural price we pay
when trying to save money on not having to re-brand a team? Both for
the branded ethnic group and for groups who feel a strong emotion
towards a specific team? I wonder how Buffalo would react if we were a
team that had an ethnic name, and loving our football team as much as
we do, what would happen if the rest of the country really wanted us to
change the name of it.
Photo: USA Today

20. In their chapter “CommunicatingGender,” Maya Ganeshand Gabi Sobliye discuss two primary visual advocacy approaches:1) get the idea, and 2) stories in data. Find a new example of either of
the twovisual advocacy approaches to gender issues, and postit in this thread. Cite the source.
First, identify the approach. Thenexplainhow the designer uses the approachto communicate a gender issue. Is the approach effective in this example? Why or why not? How could this graphic
be improved?
The approach in this image is "get the idea" and the gender subject is domestic violence. The designer uses the "get the idea" by show ing a woman w ith bruiseson her face, clearly having been beaten (w e can
guess the attacker w as her partner). The dress she is w earing is a w ell-known internet meme w here people have a hard time distinguishing w hether it is blue/black or w hite/gold based on the lighting of a photo
taken of it. This w oman appears to be dressed up for an event or modeling--things w here you would expect a woman to be excited, positive, and feelgood about herself. Perhaps because of this "aura of
happiness" around these events, many people choose to look past their gut instinct, w hat is a "w idely known secret", or choose not to see the obvious. I think this approach is effectivebecause it plays off of a
w ell-known meme and it makes people realize that it's not that difficult to "say something if you see something". It doesn't help victims of domestic violence if you pretend you don't see anything--that's what this
message says. The graphic could be improved by show ing a w oman in the black and blue version of the dress w ith no bruises, especially for people who have never seen this meme before. The graphic w ould
still be relevant to them then.7
Photo: The Salvation Army
7
http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/news/inf060315

21. Last year, NorthCarolina Governor Pat McCrory signedinto law a bill that repealedlocal
LGBT anti-discriminationlaws, andrequiredpeople to use the bathroom that corresponded
with the biological gender written on their birthcertificates. This prompted massive backlash.
McCrory stated, “Youknow, we all have to make adjustments in life. Andwe’ve had the
proper etiquette situation for decades in our country, and all of a sudden throughpolitical
correctness we’re throwing away basic etiquette.”Just this past Thursday, the North
Carolina General Assembly passed a bill to repeal the law while placinga moratorium on
nondiscriminationmeasures.
Should people be required to use the bathroom that corresponds with the biological gender
written on their birth certificate? State why ANDstate why not. In other words, to receive full
credit for this question, you needto present an argument for bothsidesof the issue. As a
designer, how would yousolve this gender dilemma? Use the SEE-IT methodto respondto
this question.
FOR: You shouldn't have to use a bathroom that doesn't conformw ith what gender you identify with.
Most transgender people "look the part" of the gender that they conformw ith, so the idea that they
w ould be any sort of nuisance is not much of a valid argument. Being a w oman, I w ould be
uncomfortable to go to the bathroom w ith a bunch of men and in a male's bathroom. I don't think I
w ould thinktw ice about the issue, even if there w as a masculine female in the bathroom. I w ould
assume that almost 100% of transgender people go into bathrooms to use the bathroom, not to
make anybody uncomfortable to to cause any harm to anyone.
AGAINST: Transgender people should not use the restroomthat isn't assigned to them genetically
because it puts people, particularly w omen, in harm's w ay for anyone to just enter their bathroom
under the guise that they are transgender. Pedophiles or creeps may go into bathrooms legally,
claiming they are transgender, as this is not "provable" in any w ay. They could try to spy on w omen
or men or put them in uncomfortable/aw kward positions or harmthem if nobody else is in the
bathroom. Those w ith bad intentions may abuse this pow er.
As a designer, I w ould create bathrooms that are "open" plans, w ith an open doorw ay, available to
all genders and have fully-closeable doors to stalls that inside have a small mirror and tiny sink
(much like the Steer Restaurant). A larger sink area w ould be outside the stalls and w ith a larger
mirror, but the space is not fully enclosed by doors, so it w ould be much harder for a person to do
harm in one of these restrooms, as they provide less privacy in terms of a bathroom, yet they
provide more privacy to the individual person.
Photo: The New Yorker

22. Author Steven Flusty categorized five types of disciplinary architecture that perpetuate what
he calls urban spatial injustice:1) stealthy, 2) slippery, 3) crusty, 4) prickly, and 5) jittery. Go
out into the city of Buffalo, and find/photograph twoexamples from the list of five. Identify
what type of space you’ve photographed and why it mightdiscriminate againsta specific
population.Identify the locationwhere you took the photographs, and make certain thatyou
are in at least one of the two photographs.
The Walden Galleria is a public place that qualifies as "jittery" design. If you
appear to be under 18 years old, or anywhere close to it, security officers will
follow you around and question you for ID, sometimes multiple times in one mall
trip. If you are at the mall with a group of friends, this is another indication to
security that you may be under 18, wherein you cannot be in the mall without an
adult to accompany you. If your appear to be under 18 in any way, you are
definitely be sought out by security. If you reenter the building after being kicked
out, even if accompanied by a parent who is in a different store than you were,
you can be arrested. This not only limits a public space to people who are of a
certain age, it inhibits youth from having a safe place to hangout. Plus, as a mall,
there are obviously security cameras everywhere you turn. You cannot get away
from being "watched" in this mall, especially as a young adult.
This bench on Elmwood Avenue is a form of "prickly" design. It is separated in
half by a partition that serves as a barrier from homeless people sleeping on it.
In this part of the neighborhood, you will find many homeless people walking
around near or around this bench. It is on a main street where much of the
public passes by, so it is interesting to note that benches on Elmwood have
partitions, but benches in lesser-seen areas, such as within the woods of
Delaware Park, do not have partitions.
Photo: Reddit

23. After almost two decadesofpublic assistance, Tammy Crabtreetook herselfand her family offthe welfare
rolls. But her job cleaning bathroomsat alocal Burger King barely paid thebills. Crabtreewantedto do
better and hopesto go to college and become ateacher.
Imagine thisscenario. You are adesigner who worksat the well-knownfirm, iPD(Integrated Planning and
Design). You work on ateam with planners, urban designers, policy designers, architects, and social
designers. You have been tasked to develop/design away for Tammy Crabtree and her family (and others
with situationssimilar to Tammy’s)to move themselvesoutofpoverty. What will yourteam do tohelp
Tammy and her family achieve theirgoals? What approach will your team take to addressthisdifficult
problem?
To help Tammy's situation I wouldimplementthefollowing:
1) Mandatorypublictransportation in ruralareas. Even ifit's only oneor two busses that run, walking ten
miles probably takes herhours.Shecould cut her walking time dramaticallyifthere werea bus to takeher at
least 7or more of those per day. This time saved couldequal morehours at work or spentwith her children.
No one should haveto walk in the rain or snowto getto their job--let alonefor TEN miles! I'm sure she's not
the only person wholives inruralareas and cannotaffordto maintain a vehicle.
2) Educationis key.If one personin that family goes andgets a degree, a jobwithbenefits,andmakes a
decent wage, it's more likelythat the cycle ofpoverty willend. Tammyalluded to her father having to
provide for 22children and growing up very poor. Sheseems very dedicatedto working for hermoney and
providing an examplefor herchildren. Ifimportance inthecommunity andgovernments is placedon
education, if thereare scholarships and affordable ways toget an education,people aremore likelyto end
the cycle ofpoverty.To do this,I would implementlegislation thatrequires companies making a certain
amount ofprofit to require tuition assistance, scholarships, orstipends/wageincreases for employees that
wish to go to college. Manyfast food chains, grocery stores, and low-incomeemployers wouldfallunderthis
profit categoryand wouldbe required to help their employees attendschool,get a GED, go to a university.
3) Public schools need to begiven theresources to employpeople who solely help childrenapplyfor college
and financialaid. If youcome froma low-incomehousehold, itis unlikelythat your parents have dealtwith
applying tocollegeor trying toget financial aid. I knowfrom experiencethatifmy mother had not donemy
financial aidpaperwork (becauseshe hadto teachherselfhow to doit whenshe wentto college) thatI
would havea muchharder timefiguring that out. My father, whodidnotattend college,would not have
been muchhelp at all becauseheneverhadto usethat financialpaperwork and is not usedto things like
writing college essays,applying for scholarships, proofreading, anddeciding majors. Theseemployees would
be the "makeit or break it"services for a lot ofstudents whodon't have the know-how or at-homesupport
to apply to college, orjust ingeneralfindit too intimidating or confusing. Many,ifthey're just on the vergeof
wanting to go tocollege, might say "screwit"and throwin the towel.Ifstudents wererequired tomeet with
these collegecounselors, and the governmentrequired schools to hire them (and allocatedfunds todo so), it
might makeall the differencein someone's family trajectory.
4) There should besomesort ofcenterin every town for lowincome students who arebright to have a sort-
of"club", so to speak. They wouldget together as friends, learnfrom oneanother,andgo on "field trips"to
experience things together.This could beorganized through theschools.I think ifTammy's son, who seems
to be intelligent andyearning tosucceed,butvery embarrassedofhis poverty, met similar students whoare
in the sameboat,he wouldservehis household moreeffectively andkeep everyonefromtearing apart. This
would give him theempathy heneeds tounderstand where his mother is coming from interms ofhowhard
she works,as wellas learning to encouragehis brother rather thanpick on him for being a "lower class"than
he. As he stated, a lot ofhis friends are intheclass abovehim and sometimes kids justneed tovent to their
friends about their problems andto relatetothem--heprobably isn't experiencing that whatsoever. Ifhe
could oncein awhile besurrounded by like-minded,drivenkids who face the samestruggles,he would
recognize that his family's way oflifeis not so differentfrom manyothers. Itwould give him themental
strength tobuilda strong family and encouragehis motherandbrother toget their education,rather than
picking on her for notbeing rich.This might alsoallowTammy andher sons tofindsome similar friends,
whose kids aregood childrenandlooking to getaneducation, rather thanturnto othermeans ofsurvival.
Photo: Pixabay

24. In hisarticle, David Engwichtdiscussesthe fact that religions(ofall types)have played majorrolesin the
development ofour cities. Today, placesofworship are primary componentsofalmost all urban centers.
Author Lorne Danielwrites“From theiroften active role insupporting people who live incity centersto
their iconicinfluence on design and use ofspace,religiousstructurestell usalot about ourhistory,our
current needs, and wherewe might beheaded in thefuture. Thisisan aspect ofour urban futurethat
plannersand urbanistsshould attendto.”
Identify aplace ofworship with which you are somewhat familiar.(Ifyou are not familiar with any places
of worship, do abit ofresearch on onein your own city or town.)Show aphotograph ofthisreligious
structure. (You may use photographsfrom theweb.)What roleshasthisplaceservedin thedevelopment
of your city/town? How hasit influenced thedesign oftheareaaround it? How hasitsrole changed over
time? What rolescould thisplace ofworshipplay in thefuturedevelopment ofyour city/town
This is St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan. It was finishedbeing built in
1879 and isa prominent landmark in NYC. Much like the Trinity Church,
mentioned earlier, it serves as a unique architectural piece amongst so
many large and foreboding skyscrapers. It is one of the largest cathedrals in
North America, done in a neo-gothic style. This cathedral brings in a lot of
tourism, both to the actual church and the surrounding businesses. For
instance, the hotel across the street, Lotte New York Palace, has rooms that
sold based on their stunning views of the cathedral. Its location in a busy
part of Manhattan, right across from RockefellerCenter, is unnoticed once
you walk in the doors. The ceilingsare incredibly high and once the doors to
the outside close, it's hard to tell you're in NYC. The interestingthing about
the cathedral is how many people who are not Roman Catholic that attend
services and visit the cathedral. Its presence and architecture draw in so
many folks from all over.
Photo: Pixabay

25. Think about your own major and/or future profession.Whatis the biggest
challenge,problem,orquestionthat your fieldneedsto tackle right now?
What do you plan to do to addressthis challenge,problem,orquestioneither
as part of your studiesor professional life?
I thinkthe biggestproblemthatmathematiciansface isbothgettingnewand
diverse groupsinvolvedinstudyingmath,andalsounderstandingthe depthsof
math,giventhatwe have a lotof toolsnowthat will docomplex mathforus.
I believethatwe needtoteachmath and showmathas somethingthatisnot
onlyfor"verysmart people"or"people whogetmath",butthatit ishonestly
the same for everyone whotriesit.2+2=4 isthe same whereveryougo.The
difference ishowwe teachit,inwhat stylesandwhatour culture saysaboutit.
In the UnitedStates,we doa poorjobof tyingmath togetherandmakingit
relevant,cohesive,andmeaningful.Instead,we chunkitoutin waysthat lead
to forgetting,whichleadstofrustration,andultimately,shuttingaway
mathematicsassomethingthat"cannotbe done"or that someone is"justnot
goodat". We don't saythat about anyothersubject,really.
I'd alsolike topromote the understandingof mathona theoretical scale.
There'sno pointinhavinga computerdocalculationsif we don'tunderstand
whatis beingdone behindthe scenes.Ihope thatinour educationwe can
make math easiertocomprehendbyteachingitinmore unique and
explanatoryways.We needtoencourage studentsof diverse backgroundsto
getintomath and that theyare able to excel init.
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