UA Geo Spatial Planning Project, a collaboration with BuildUP^ Tucson & Beyond

While the TENWEST Festival was wrapping up the UA Collaboration Leadership Summit on Poverty was taking place.  It's impossible to be in both places--which is why it's so important to connect through social media resources.  And that's what Iris Patten and Anita Fonte have been doing since the first BuildUP^ Tucson & Beyond gathering in April.  Through the summer BuildUP^ gatherings face-to-face, the first UA GeoSpatial Project meeting in July, Facebook pages, and yes, the occasional phone calls, the trajectory of the UA's effort has been generating next steps.

Last week, through site visits to two neighborhoods (Barrio Anita and Barrio Blue Moon), 10/27-28 Summit sessions on how to measure project outcomes and how to impact local policies, how to frame the project with authentic community-based language, the effort is designing these actions:

• With the two, and possibly other engaged neighborhoods, conduct an "energy challenge" which measures concrete "energy" elements (water use, electricity, etc.) as well as the less concrete element of neighborhood activities/social capital. January 7-March, 20, 2017 
• Note:  The conclusion of the initial challenge will coincide with 3rd International Day of Happiness 
• Develop a partnership with Tucson Electric Power and other energy corporations.
• Apply for seed money 
• Create a University of Arizona "Planners in Residence" Program with graduate students embedded in the participating neighborhoods 2017 and into the future.

For more information on how to get involved in this effort, contact Iris Patten at ipatten@email.arizona.edu

One of several groups at UA GeoSpatial Summit, photo by Iris Patten

More highlights from the TENWEST Festival  www.tenwestfestival.com Field Notes by Anita, will be coming in the days ahead.

Photo by Anita C. Fonte

Updates for BuildUP^ and Intro to TENWEST "my notes from the field"

First of all--we are postponing our Innovate Our Neighborhoods/BuildUP^ event, originally scheduled for 11/12.  Look for a new date in early 2017--delayed for a few weeks since the holiday season "officially" begins with Halloween-New Year and folks are busy with other commitments.

Second--it's been an exciting week at the 2nd Tucson TENWEST Festival.  I have pages of notes to share (just my highlights) and will be making several short posts to cover them.  Please go to www.tenwest.com and www.startuptucson.com for continuing info on TENWEST going forward into 2017.

Here's a few of my smartphone photos to tweak your interest and short comments.  More will be coming next week.

Planning for the many sessions and events began in late Spring at Startup Tucson/CoLab.  Here is one of the Festival leaders, Greg Teesdale, and another event planner eyeing the schedule as we began our detailed sessions.

Here's an example of just one of this week's sessions where there was standing room only!  Sessions were held at CoLab or (as in this photo) at the UA SBS building, both locations in downtown Tucson.

For only $35.00 for all sessions (and Friday's Rialto events/TEDxTucson), Festival participants received this laser-cut id. badge.  And these are the first pages of my notes.

Updates for BuildUP^ and Intro to TENWEST "my notes from the field"

First of all--we are postponing our Innovate Our Neighborhoods/BuildUP^ event, originally scheduled for 11/12.  Look for a new date in early 2017--delayed for a few weeks since the holiday season "officially" begins with Halloween-New Year and folks are busy with other commitments.

Second--it's been an exciting week at the 2nd Tucson TENWEST Festival.  I have pages of notes to share (just my highlights) and will be making several short posts to cover them.  Please go to www.tenwest.com and www.startuptucson.com for continuing info on TENWEST going forward into 2017.

Here's a few of my smartphone photos to tweak your interest and short comments.  More will be coming next week.

Planning for the many sessions and events began in late Spring at Startup Tucson/CoLab.  Here is one of the Festival leaders, Greg Teesdale, and another event planner eyeing the schedule as we began our detailed sessions.

Here's an example of just one of this week's sessions where there was standing room only!  Sessions were held at CoLab or (as in this photo) at the UA SBS building, both locations in downtown Tucson.

For only $35.00 for all sessions (and Friday's Rialto events/TEDxTucson), Festival participants received this laser-cut id. badge.  And these are the first pages of my notes.