First Spatial Justice Fellows announced
The Spatial Justice Studio at the Center for Design Innovation (CDI) has awarded $12,500 in grants for projects that focus on developing meaningful solutions to spatial justice issues in Winston-Salem.
"We are pleased to announce our first Spatial Justice Fellows,” said Dr. Russell Smith, professor of geography at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) and faculty lead for the studio. “These four projects will explore a wide variety of issues in our community and have the potential to create a more equitable future for all of Winston-Salem’s residents.”
Each fellow has been awarded a $2,500 stipend. Work will be completed during the 2018-19 academic year.
Spatial Justice Community Fellows
Brownfield Data Collection and Mapping in East Winston
Fellows: Paul Kron and Joseph Sloop
About: This project will support brownfield initiatives within low-income communities by making the brownfield database and mapping system for East Winston more accessible.
Measuring Green Infrastructure Equity for Winston-Salem
Fellow: Kristen Haaf
About: This project, part of a larger research effort, will assess the level of neighborhood equity for Winston-Salem's tree canopy and explore approaches to addressing any identified green infrastructure inequities.
Spatial Justice Faculty Fellows
Examining the Impact of Accessibility to Movie Theatres on Urban Communities
Fellow: Joanne Moore, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNSCA) School of Filmmaking
About: This project will examine access to Winston-Salem movie theaters and the impact on surrounding communities.
The Distribution of Public Recreation and Sport Amenities and Socioeconomic Characteristics in Communities: An Application of Distributive Justice Framework
Fellow: Sangkwon Lee, WSSU visiting professor of health, physical education and sports studies
About: This project will examine how public sport and recreational resources are distributed in Forsyth County. The findings could help inform policy-makers in local community agencies to improve equity of facility use and program design.
The Spatial Justice Studio is one of four studios that received start-up funding in 2018 from CDI, a multi-campus research center for the University of North Carolina located in Winston-Salem’s Wake Forest Innovation Quarter. The studio aims to explore alternative possibilities for urban areas and ways to achieve more equitable urban futures through active research, engaged teaching practices and community-based participatory research.
CDI was established in 2005 through a partnership between WSSU, UNCSA, and Forsyth Technical Community College.
About Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem State University fosters the creative thinking, analytical problem-solving, and depth of character needed to transform the world. Rooted in liberal education, WSSU’s curriculum prepares students to be thought leaders who have the skills and knowledge needed to develop innovative solutions to complex problems. Founded in 1892, WSSU is a historically Black constituent institution of the University of North Carolina with a rich tradition of contributing to the social, cultural, intellectual, and economic growth of North Carolina, the region and beyond. Guided by the motto, “Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve,” WSSU develops leaders who advance social justice by serving the world with compassion and commitment.
