SPARk: SOCIAL INNOVATION SUMMIT | AVENUES

d4i (design 4 impact) hosted the 'Social Innovation Summit' at the Avenues School in Chelsea, Manhattan today. I was lucky enough to be invited to host a booth at their Innovations Fair during which I was able to showcase my work and engage with some students, activists and educators and discuss the future of education in New York.

Throughout the day there were presentations from students, policymakers and activists who are all doing their part in improving education in NYC through design. The panel discussions (made up mostly of young activists and teachers) were the most interesting parts of the day. There were discussions about segregation and inequality and the shortcomings of government funding when it came to public education. The day was wrapped up with a talk from the event's keynote speaker, Jocelyn Wyatt, CEO of ideo.org. She provided insights into how to implement design ideas in the real world and how to help marginalised communities through design and effective business planning.

Overall, the event was a huge success. I was able to make new contacts with contemporary activists and leaders, and set up potential projects for my upcoming trip in the summer. Some connections I made include Deborah Chang from NYCEDU, and Whitney Stephenson from Teens Take Charge -- two organisations that give young people a voice in their community. Many people were intrigued about the idea of bringing architecture and design into the education discourse -- many agreed that some of New York's public schools need better spatial planning.