This project is a super example of institutions, non-profits, and advocates exploring “what’s next,” in community engagement. While at LivableStreets Alliance (a transportation advocacy organization), we fostered and led a partnership with Northeastern University’s Data Theatre Collaborative. The collaborative consisted of university faculty and students, who collaborated with LivableStreets Alliance as a “real world non-profit partner.” The Collaborative applies methods from theatre to “humanize” and “retranslate” data so it is easier for the “everyday” person to interpret. We participated in a university workshop, testing out methods using data collected during LivableStreets engagement activities. Read more about it here.

Months later, LivableStreets and the Data Theatre Collective worked with a Boston-youth non-profit, Hyde Square Task Force. In this afternoon workshop, local teens used participatory theatre methods to provide feedback on the Southwest Corridor Park Action Plan (see more on this project).

LivableStreets Alliance was awarded Northeastern University’s CommUNITY award in 2024 for the partnership.