There is a lack of opportunities to form intergenerational relationships in the general public; however, this gap is intensified in the LGBTQ+ community where family ties may not provide such relationships organically. This thesis examines this phenomenon by questioning how queer knowledge is shared between generations [in NYC] and asking how that affects queer community, identities, and rights.

As a Design Research Apprentice with the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission, I created a package of user research to be used as the basis for a complete user portal redesign.

In my final MFA studio we prioritized making something that would be tangible and beneficial to the community of Red Hook in the short time we had available. We didn't design an object or experience, but an attempt to create a methodology on how to work with a community within the constraints of an educational design studio.

As a Co-Design Fellow with Reboot, a social impact design firm, I helped to take their first online course on co-design from an idea to a reality. Through a focused research spring and user interviews we completely reshaped the format and curriculum of the course to match user needs. I conducted user interviews, assisted in synthesis, and researched and wrote a case study.

A project spanning two classes I examined the question: What is the purpose of Pride and is it effective? I conducted secondary research and first person interviews, held a design-led research workshop, and created a website with the outcomes.

Through the Transdisciplinary Design Studio, we partnered with the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) and explore potential design interventions that would offer BPL new opportunities reaching communities having had personal experience with the criminal justice system.  

In 2015, as part of a grant from the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery, the Center created FloodHelpNY.org to provide easy to understand flood risk information to all NYC homeowners.

How can speculative design principles be instrumentalized to impact conversations about futures for governments and systems of governance? In the Speculative Design studio final, we engaged with this question. Our group chose to focus on how bipartisan organizations are engaging (or not) with extremist groups.

In a speculative workshop we attempted to understand collectively what it means for higher education in the future(s) through discussions and co-creation with our community partners (students, faculties, administrative staffs, and other interested parties).

As part of the Center for NYC Neighborhoods’ anti-scam campaign, I proposed an interactive play to MONTH2MONTH. The play was accepted and performed in May 2016. The play sought to show the audience how hard it is to differentiate between true help and a scam, in order to minimize the stigma of being scammed and raise awareness about free help available.