Million Dollar Blocks, more

On Tuesday night I attended the weekly Chicago Hack Night event, and learned of a new web resource called ChicagosMillionDollarBlocks, The site focuses on the high costs of incarceration, and looks at this on a block-by-block level. The maps communicate a message that is also shown on other maps I've pointed to on this web site. If you're in a poor neighborhood, you suffer more than if you're in a more affluent neighborhood.

I encourage you to browse the map and become familiar with the information.

In my Twitter feed today I saw another map-based resource. The US Department of Education has created a set of maps to help people understand public school discipline and suspension and how this differs in different places, and for different students.

I'd like to see each site that host interactive data maps host a presentation like the one below, showing people how to zoom into the maps, to create jpgs that can be used in 'map-stories' that build greater understanding, increase the number of people interested in the topic, and increase the number of people spending personal time, talent and dollars trying to create change.

How to Use Chicago Tutor/Mentor Program Locator to Make Your own Maps by Daniel F. Bassill

If you're interested in the topic featured on these maps, or in any of the other articles I've posted on this blog, send out a message on social media encouraging people you know to take a look at the articles and the web sites. Do this once a week and you're already taking an active role in making change happen.