Million Dollar Blocks

Researchers and designers at Columbia University's Spatial Information Design Lab (SIDL) have gathered hard-to-access data on inmates and their last residential address to combine an innovative graphic tool. Million dollar blocks illustrates blocks in 5 major cities where the combined cost of incarcerating residents of specific blocks costs more than $1 million per year. At a time when more than 2 million Americans are incarcerated, this is a compelling illustration of a critical issue!
To see the work, click here.

An ant colony and the loss of its Queen

This New Yorker piece, by renowned scientist E.O. Wilson, is absolutely captivating. Especially when we consider that it basically tells the story of a colony of ants, faced with demise after its Queen has died and another colony has come to attack it. But the writing is so eloquent and paints this picture with such clarity and purpose, it comes across as the tale of a town confronting its own dark future. Well done. See it at http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2010/01/25/100125fi_fiction_wilson.

San Miguel de Allende

A week ago Carmen and I were invited by our friend, architect Federico Vidargas, to attend a conference in SMA. Federico, who is from San Miguel but has lived and raised family here in Chicago for many years, was concerned about how the city is growing, some poor developments have been allowed in recent years, growing traffic, and water quality, affordability and availability. The conference he put together, called SMASH, was an intriguing model for a convening meant to target specific issues and produce concrete suggestions and action steps. Federico secured funding, convened a great group of people (majority from SMA, a number from the U.S. and other countries) and set up an itinerary meant to shed light on critical issues and to address them. Along the way, we got to meet (in addition to numerous other outstanding people) his brother, sister and mother - all very committed to the city. We'll write more here when the conference web site is loaded with photos and video.

To see an audio slideshow on the conference, click here: http://smash2009.webng.com/

Sociologists Aim at Climate Change

Interesting piece in Nature Reports on the sociology of climate change - what urges people to take action at the community level, the household level, etc. Has ramifications for policy makers at various levels, as well as for advocates and targeting media campaigns. See the story at http://www.nature.com/climate/2009/0908/full/climate.2009.73.html.

North Lawndale Youth Target Food Deserts

Chicago's Free Spirit Media has just posted its latest video piece, done in collaboration with UMOJA, online. It's at:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM7t132j0Hg. This 10-minute piece explores the issue of lack of affordable, healthy food and includes a community survey, interviews with experts, conversations with people on the street. Well done all around.

IJJ Fellowship Links

IJJ’s Current Fellowships

http://www.justicejournalism.org/fellowships/index.html

American Prospect

http://www.prospect.org

Bay State Banner

http://www.baystatebanner.com

ColorLines

http://www.colorlines.com

The Grio

http://www.thegrio.com

KMEX-34/Los Angeles

http://www.univision.com/content/channel.jhtml?chid=9450&schid=9451

Metro San Juan

http://www.metrosanjuan.com

Michael Eric Dyson Show

http://dysonshow.org

New Orleans Data Weekly

http://www.ladatanews.com/welcome.php

NPR West

http://www.npr.org

Sho-Ban News

http://www.shobannews.com

Yale Forum on Climate Change & the Media (Chicago workshop)

http://www.yaleclimatemediaforum.org/2009/05/meteorologists-weathercasters-weigh-climate-science-chicago

CNT's Housing + Transit Affordability Index
http://www.cnt.org/repository/H+T%20Index%20Chicago%20Fact%20Sheet2.pdf

PPIC's "How much do California's low-income households spend on transportation?"
http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/rb/RB_704LRRB.pdf

TCDP: Climate Change and Low-Income Communities
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/blog/2009/06/25/climate-change-and-low-income-communities.html

U.S. News & World Report: Cleanest & Most Polluted U.S. Cities
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/2009/04/29/health-buzz-cleanest-and-most-polluted-us-cities-and-other-health-news.html

Chicago Magazine: How do we compare? The myth of green space
http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/June-2007/How-We-Compare-Green-Space

LA Times: California's poor neighborhoods push for parks
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/urban_parks

Justice in the Air: Toxic Pollution in Our Neighborhoods
http://college.usc.edu/geography/ESPE/documents/justice_air_web.pdf

ALA's Most Polluted Areas
http://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.50752/k.D532/Rankings.htm

Environmental Justice in L.A.: A Timeline
http://www.edf.org/article.cfm?ContentID=2816

Open Source Green Activism

A fascinating idea from Ald. Manny Flores - citizens can get online, post their ideas for building the city's green economy, then watch as others critique, improve and advocate for them. Visit http://www.greeneconomychicago.com - there are already some great ideas posted.