Always wanting to improve public engagement, we thought it made sense to take the social conversation one step further by asking the people who live, work, and contribute to our city to imagine their future NYC. So, we brought out our colorful markers and signs to provide BigApps attendees with a blank slate to concoct their #FutureNYC tech visions. The responses we received ranged from sketches of a connected city to app ideas to words depicting a sense of hope and innovation. After BigApps we took this idea to GenTech, a youth based technology program.
From there, the basic concept was retranslated to other events, from Far Rockaway and Inwood community meetings, to NYCEDC initiatives such as Best for NYC, all to broaden the dialog about topics that matter to New Yorkers.