The document discusses the importance of empathy and civic engagement. It notes an observation of a man struggling to access nutrition assistance through a bulletproof glass barrier in San Francisco. The document calls for people to look, listen, and learn; to get outside their normal perspective; and for small teams to shape how communities are designed and engaged through teaching, networking, and prioritizing good people over just good design.

1. THE EMPATHY CHALLENGE
@abhinemani
Image/Map Credit: Stamen Design

2. Image Credit: John Stossel

3. “So there I was: In San Francisco — one of the
greatest and most prosperous cities in our
country — watching a man on his knees,
struggling to hear through bullet proof glass,
trying to access nutrition assistance from our
Federal government.
-Jake Solomon

4. @abhinemani

5. @abhinemani
EMPATHY

6. @abhinemani
LOOK. LISTEN. LEARN.

7. @abhinemani
LOOK. LISTEN. LEARN.

8. “Smart” bike lockers in Santa Cruz

12. @abhinemani
SHOW, DON’T TELL

13. @abhinemani
LOOK. LISTEN. LEARN.

14. @abhinemani

15. @abhinemani
WORKSHOPS POSTED ON OPEN DATA

16. @abhinemani
IMMIGRATION WORKSHOP VISUALIZATION

17. @abhinemani
BECOME SOMEONE’S HERO.

19. @abhinemani
LOOK. LISTEN. LEARN.

22. @abhinemani
GET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
COUNTER.

23. @abhinemani
SO… HOW CAN SMALL TEAMS SHAPE
THE WAY WE DESIGN AND ENGAGE
COMMUNITIES IN THE CIVIC SECTOR?

24. @abhinemani
LOOK. LISTEN. LEARN.
TEACH.

25. “We have a scarcity of empathy
but an abundance of capacity.
@abhinemani

26. @abhinemani
TURN YOUR SMALL TEAM INTO A
BIG NETWORK.

27. @abhinemani
GOOD DESIGN COMES DOWN TO
GOOD PEOPLE.