Mapping for Civic Activism

For our first Maptime of the new year, Kent Johnson will teach us about mapping for civic activism.

Cambridge, Somerville and Boston all maintain open data portals with a wealth of information about each municipality. Since the launch of the Cambridge Open Data Portal (http://www.cambridgema.gov/departments/opendata) in 2015, Kent has been exploring the Cambridge portal, using open-source tools to create maps that inform civic engagement. In this talk he will show maps and associated analyses based on available Cambridge data and talk about the challenges of using City data.

Kent Johnson is a lifetime software developer who loves maps and data. In collaboration with other residents, he uses open data to answer topical questions about civic life. He feels lucky that he has found a way to use his hobby interest and programming skills to influence public policy.

Thanks to CIC (https://cic.com/) for donating space to this meetup

Maptime is, rather literally, time for mapmaking. Our mission is to open the doors of cartographic possibility to anyone interested by creating a time and space for collaborative learning, exploration, and map creation using mapping tools and technologies.

This open learning environment for all levels and degrees of knowledge offers intentional support for the beginner. Maptime is simultaneously flexible and structured, creating space for workshops, ongoing projects with a shared goal, and independent/collaborative work time.

Inspiration for Maptime comes from both hack nights and knitting circles. Both are models of spaces for people to create and learn together. Our goal is to provide this space with an open heart and without pretension. You can bring your own projects to work on, or just hang out and socialize or ask questions. Some people are experts, and some people are just getting started, but all of us are learning, so why not do it together?

----Maptime is hands-on, so don't forget to bring your laptop!