Community Partners in Residence (CPR) Program – Meeting 11

On Tuesday, May 14, 2024, the NSF Center for Smart StreetScapes (CS3) held its eleventh Community Partners in Residence (CPR) Program workshop. The session was moderated by Sharon Sputz, which was the last one focusing on highlighting their work in the Harlem community as well as insightful two presentations from the industry side. The presentations during this session would include Sharon Sputz, Industry Outreach Lead CS3, and Andrew Smyth, Principal Investigator & Chair, CS3, Misato Hattori, Senior Business Development Manager, NEC Corporation of America, Yonette Lewis, CPR, Director of Operations, Harlem Independent Living Center, Angela Dews, CPR, Political Retiree, Journalist, Novelist, Environmental Activist, Gus Chalkias, CPR, Coordinator, Computer Center for Visually Impaired People. 

Sharon Sputz initiated the session with opening remarks and passed the first presenter over to Andrew Smith, who presented about GridMatrix, AI software for critical facility optimization and visual analytics which pulls out traffic information using existing cameras. He showed two case studies, one of which saves lives with existing cameras to prevent accidents and hazards, respond to accidents, reduce response times, and rank most dangerous intersections, while another case enabled existing cameras to track emission to improve air quality. 

The second presentation was delivered by Misato Hattori from NEC which has provided cash register technology, phone and internet technology, and biometrics technology. First she presented 5G network technology at smart intersection for road safety which uses cameras to analyze the risks, showing the video of a case study in Hawaii, where NEC worked with a local high school to brainstorm ideas on how to improve safety. She also discussed disaster preparedness and city resilience, mentioning the importance of mutual support across neighbors which accounted for 80% of how the citizens were rescued in the great earthquake in Japan in 1995 compared to public support or self-help accounting for only 20%. Inspired by this survey, she concluded that mobile digital tools could help with evacuation plans and support volunteers. 

Moreover, William Kenworthey from HOK, a design firm, presented their project to integrate design into the streetscape in Mexico City which brings cultural elements into public space using art.

Then the session moved to the presentations by CPRs, starting with Yonette Lewis, one of CPRs about Harlem Independent Living Center, a disability-focused organization that advocates for community change and empowers people to be independent. This organization is community based, non-residential, non-medical, peer approach to services while their programs and services encompasses benefits advisements and advocacy, youth services, deaf/hard of hearing services, and transitional support. The Transitional Support Program included housing services for mentally ill or substance abusers (HRA 2010e) and medicaid enrollment assistance, and finding an accessible home in the community, according to her. 

The second CPR presentation is delivered by Angela Dews, Political Retiree, Journalist, Novelist, Environmental Activist. Sharing her personal narrative to age in Harlem, she mentioned that landmarks have changed overtime, being hard to navigate home. Concerning what seniors need to step out of isolation, she raised six elements – “accessibility,” “bike lanes and bus lanes,” and “curb nuts and ramp bumps,” “park safety,” “preservation,” “utilities.” 

Another CPR, Gus Chalkias, Coordinator, Computer Center for Visually Impaired People, gave a final presentation of this session. Starting with his feeling of his isolation as a blind person, feeling alone in a crowd, avoided when walking with a cane or ignored, he has worked with Helen Keller Services for the blind, which teaches people how to use technology in their day to day lives as well as professional education at NYU for engineering students about assistive technology.  He introduced some accessibility including accessibility tools in iPhone which can do voiceover to read what is on the screen and flick through the apps systematically, “Seeing AI” app which reads printed material and paper money, and “Be my eyes” which can take a picture and use AI to describe what’s in the room. He concluded his presentation with the message that those tools should be also available on the street to everyone. 

The session then moved to the break-out groups discussion. There were several learnings shared by CPRs such as the importance of inclusivity with aging in place and proactive approach to landscape and spending, and the need of blind accessible technology.

CPR workshops are invite-only. If you are interested in attending a workshop or learning more about CS3’s community engagement process, please contact our team at streetscapes@columbia.edu.