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Scoop.it!
DEMOGRAPHICS OF HOMELESS VETERANS
Seth Dixon's insight:
Things to remember on Veteran's Day...homelessness is a major problem for the urban geography of most American cities and veterans are disproportionately affected (including Providence, RI). Let's remember them on the 364 other days of the year too. 
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While touring Kevin Babola's art studio yesterday, I found this thought-provoking piece entitled ‘Political Landscapes.’ I greatly enjoyed my conversation with the artist about the political, economic and urban visions that went into this painting. The conceptual idea behind this painting started when the artist was exploring the neighborhoods of New Bedford, MA and noticed how a sense of place can change very quickly. I dare say most cities have areas similar to the one portrayed here where the socioeconomic character changes very abruptly. While physically it might be very easy to cross from the side of the street with tenements to the neighborhood with single family homes, making that transition permanent is incredibly difficult.
Questions to ponder: what leads to cities having abrupt changes in the urban fabric? What might this chasm represent to people on either side of the divide? How does this impact the neighborhood institutions (schools, local government, etc.)? Please visit the artist's webpage at: http://www.kbolaillustration.com
Cynthia Williams's curator insight,
July 29, 2013 12:33 PM
The picture ‘Political Landscapes,’ is a portrait of the haves and the have not’s and it illustrates the widening chasm of socioeconomic levels with the top 1% gaining and the rest steadily losing ground.
The decline of industry very often leads to the decline in jobs, schools and local government. With the erosion of the tax base cities are no longer able to maintain these institutions. 
Donald Dane's comment,
December 10, 2013 8:41 AM
this picture meant a lot to me simple due to the fact that I've lived in the city of providence for the last three years now. everywhere I look in the city shows an identical view to this picture that protrays inner-city compact houses vs grass and space of the kind of suburbs. on the right is the inner-city version where houses are only separated by a one car width driveway and are two to three stores high to accommadate more families and people. the left side of the picture protrays a more suburb area of the city. but this area isn't necessarily the suburbs because it would be an area just minute outside of the busy city center like a north providence or east providence area. in north providence yes you technically have a yard and grass but it is so small that you mine as well have scissors to cut the lawn. with a bite more space houses being more single family oriented this is more luxurious than the left side of the picture
Denise Pacheco's curator insight,
December 17, 2013 1:27 PM
This pictures shows the difference between the city and suburbs. Even in the same city, you can have some parts that look more economically wealthier. But looking at it from a political view, I would guess that the whole in the ground that divides the two neighborhoods would be the line that divides democrats and republicans. City folk tend to vote more democrat because they want the government to assist the people. WHile Republicans tend to look out more for themselves.
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I live in the Providence metropolitan area so this particular blog posting about urban planning and economic revitalization hit very close to home.
Rhode Islanders: how accurate do you feel this perspective on Providence and it's economic assets (and deficiencies) is? What other aspects would you discuss in trying to understand the economic geography of the area? What are the biggest obstacles for improving the city?
Kenny Dominguez's curator insight,
December 12, 2013 12:20 AM
Well the providence area we are seeing a boost when it comes down to people getting jobs and also more people are coming to providence because of all it has to offer. Providence has lots to offer. One good thing that providence has to offer is one of the best schools in the area. Many people come and see and take in the scenery that just blows your mind. Also the economy seems to be getting better because this city seems not to be in such of a bad deficit. The city of providence in a couple of more years we will see a tremendous growth that the city will benefit from. 
Anhony DeSimone's curator insight,
December 19, 2013 9:52 AM
This article shows how you can improve a city to not only make it bigger but to make it better. not better in the sense that it has to beat out other cities and have the best buildings etc. but to allow the city to be more people friendly which means getting rid of congestion and traffic. |
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This is a link from the Rhode Island Geography Education Alliance now on Twitter.
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"[Historic local icons in Providence, RI] are all here— as postcard pictures, that is — resting on wooden slats that jut out from the walls of a gallery at Brown's Granoff Center for the Creative Arts. And they are all on display together for the first time — a drizzly Friday evening that marks the opening for the Providence Postcard Project."
What postcards would you include in creating a local historical geography? This would be a fun way to analyze changing landscapes and history with a local twist.
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Being a Marine myself I think of it everyday already. Its sad that at a young age of 17 with parent consent and a high school diploma or 18 on up a person male or female can enlist into the military and put their life on the line regardless of wartime or not and somehow or someway find themselves homeless or worse homeless with substance abuse and mental illness all at the same time. Keep in mind this was not the issue before enlisting. This, if I am not mistaken as always been a problem for all the years we had a military. Marine Corp birthday 10 November 1776.