The day I heard the Urban Futures Lab Fellows would be giving an ABSTalk for the Public Matters family, deep, deep anxiety set in. What is an ABSTalk? Well, it’s a Public Matters spin on the popular TEDTalk series, but about half the time (10 minutes)....
Public Matters is a creative civic engagement studio that forms strong partnerships through unconventional measures as a way to redress social ills. My involvement as a Fellow in the two-year long Urban Futures Lab Fellowship definitely falls under this purview. This round’s cohort, which consists...
Imagine one day out of the blue somebody asks you, “What motivates you in life?” At first we stutter and think about the question so deeply that we come up with many things, or nothing at all. When I was asked that question for ABSTalk, an...
As we conclude this month’s module, I realize that the topic “creative civic engagement” has come to mean many things to me. First and most importantly, it emphasizes the importance of incorporating community voice into public projects. Although this framework may seem simple, it requires...
At least one week leading up to the Fourth of July and even some days afterwards, the city resonates with the loud “BOOM” of illegal fireworks. Annually I become part of a sacred pact, an unspoken agreement amongst neighbors to stomach intrusive sounds and react...
Coming into the Urban Futures Lab Fellowship has been nothing but incredibly exhilarating, and mind blowing. When I first learned about Public Matters last summer when I was at a Sunday Jump open mic (which is held at the Pilipino Workers Center), I never would...
Starting Thursday, June 13, 2019, Mike and Reanne will be at the annual Americans for the Arts Convention in the Twin Cities. Mike will be talking about Urban Futures Lab and leadership opportunities for people of color in a conversation with Demone Carter, Program Manager...
All jokes aside, on Monday, April 1, 2019, Public Matters welcomed a new cohort of three Urban Futures Lab Fellows! Ashley Ajayi, Brisa Aviles and Sabrina Im leaped into Public Matters' creative civic engagement practice, including a Week 1 tour with former Fellow Shirley Ramirez in...
The Call for Fellows is now closed. Thanks to all who applied! ****** Public Matters is seeking Fellows for its Urban Futures Lab Program. The Lab is a two-year paid fellowship training and mentorship program geared towards young adults of color ages 18-26 from under-resourced communities in...
On Wednesday, December 5, 2018, members of the Urban Futures Lab family gathered to celebrate the end the fellowship for Andy Alvarez, Christopher Barahona, Shirley Ramirez and Omar Vargas. Honoring their two years of hard work, a short program took place. It included the screening...