Barrio Innovation Initiative
The AZ(LAND) Barrio Innovation Initiative is our process and works to continue to cultivate this land and the people of this land as well as build innovative environmentally just and racially just communities. In doing so, this process that we have termed Barrio Innovation manifests into four different program focus areas. This includes a focus on building capacity through community led education, research and data collection, future building (design and development), action and advocacy.
The work of the B.I.I is to support the pre-existing innovation present in our barrios placing an emphasis on ancestral and community knowledge and practice. This includes instilling skills and fostering skills for community residents to not just be dependent on production of knowledge from other entities but to also possess the skills to produce and disseminate their own research based knowledge.
Our Process:
Identifying inventory of community assets to realize our strengths, expertise, interests, and skills
Understanding the past to future build
Building relationships and trust
Sharing and strengthening local knowledge through research and education.
Co-design futures which includes development, planning, infrastructure, and spaces.
Call to action-focus on public and private government entities, community leaders and advocacy.
Reflection-engaging in a cycle of reflection to inform the work.
