Belonging in the Field:
A Toolkit
Why this guide?
Levels of loneliness are rising at unprecedented rates. Communities are divided, increasingly pushing out the “other” in the name of fear and differing points of view. Perhaps you have experienced this first hand. If you’ve been moved to the margins you know the feeling of being silenced or ignored. You know the pain of being the other.
Diversity is our future and in the face of adversity, it is also our strength. Imagine a world where differing points of view fortify communities instead of dividing them. What would neighborhoods look like if curiosity lead to celebration instead of fear? We believe this world is possible when communities are engaged and belonging is centered.
This field guide is a primer for community-centered design that centers the idea of belonging. In these pages you will find a a series of tools to create new ways of being with your community.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Diversity is our future and in the face of adversity, it is also our strength. Imagine a world where differing points of view fortify communities instead of dividing them. What would neighborhoods look like if curiosity lead to celebration instead of fear? We believe this world is possible when communities are engaged and belonging is centered.
This field guide is a primer for community-centered design that centers the idea of belonging. In these pages you will find a a series of tools to create new ways of being with your community.
What’s in the Kit?
Definitions of Belonging
Belonging is being seen, heard, and valued, but above all the work of the Othering & Belonging Institute showed us that belonging is agency– having the ability to create and shape the world around you. When we have agency, we are equipped to solve the biggest problems our communities face.The need for belonging has compounded as communities become more diverse. Belonging opens doors and conversations, allowing new communities to be strengthened by cross cultural exchange
The Power of Belonging
The desire to belong somewhere is a fundamental human need. When we find it, we become grounded.And when we can offer it to others life can begin new again.
Belonging is Complex
These are difficult waters to wade into. We have to contend with power struggles, prejudice, and systems designed to oppress instead of empower. Beyond that it can be deeply emotional work and can be a reckoning. There is much to be mindful of as we start this important work. The building blocks to this work start with the Manifesto of Belonging.Community Centered Design
Community-centered design is a methodical approach to solving problems, shaping what is, and creating what’s next from a community’s perspective. It allows communities to leverage their voices as experts in their own narratives and interventions.But for this method to be successful there a critical element that is needed.
The In Common™ Toolkit and all related material is the product of the capstone project for the MS Strategic Design and Management program at Parsons School of Design.
Authored by Annyelica Diaz, Kelly Ernst, John Jaimes and Kelly Lukes under the guidance of Assistant Professor Christian Schneider
© 2022