Bridge 3: East Williamsburg Poster

For the creation of this representational poster of my research in East Williamsburg, I first answered all the questions of the checklist and then highlighted only the information that I thought significant about my topic. I am interested in three main subjects and how they connect with each other. These are the gentrification, the cultural diversity and tradition, and the environmental pollution of the area. When I narrowed down which information I wanted to use, I took into consideration my topics. I thought that this way, I will only include information that will smoothly transition my reader to the questions I have as the researcher.

I wanted the audience to be intrigued by the data, and not uninterested by numbers and facts. To achieve this, I first sketched on a piece of paper on how I thought I could organize the information on a page. Then, I tried it out in InDesign, but I felt it was not calling my attention as a reader. Therefore, I looked online for other ways of visualizing data and decided to include vectorized drawings for several parts of the poster that will represent percentages to make it more interactive. I created these drawings and the poster in Illustrator, which I thought produced a more successful outcome.

The poster has statistical data, historical sources, and my observations as the investigator. The historical background gives the reader an understanding of the life of the neighborhood. It talks about the renovation of a mainly industrial sector and the growth of the Latino culture. This information directly connects to the statistical data and my observations of East Williamsburg. The statistics talk about the current percentage of Hispanic and Asians in the neighborhood which references back to the time when the 1960s when the Latino population massively increased. It also relates to my observations when I visited the district, and found the area to be very cultural and diverse with a variety of restaurants, churches, and advertisements in different languages and from different cultures, mostly Hispanic. The statistical data also supports the historical background on the area’s gentrification with the percentage of houses built in the Brooklyn Community District 1, and the art/culture workers from 2007 to 2009. Also, the statistical data includes the median gross rent of East Williamsburg, which is high for Brooklyn. In my observation, I also noticed the gentrification by sensing the drastic change from the Grand St area that is very industrial to the one in Morgan Ave that is more artistic and up and coming. The industrial history of the area also connects to the statistic that East Williamsburg is the 8th Biggest Air Pollutant District of NYC.

The three types of data included in the poster are significant since they give the reader an understanding of the ethnic, economic, artistic, an environmental stand of East Williamsburg. With this information the audience to come up with their questions and concerns for the area.

While working on the poster, I found challenging to decide what information to include to not have a crowded poster. Looking for the answers to the questionnaire, I found new data that was interesting for me. For example, I learned about the environmental impact of the industrialization in the area, which made me wonder in which ways the area’s gentrification is affecting the ambiance. Additionally, I was fascinated by how most of my recollected information was related to each other, which permit me to make conclusions. Now, I am interested to know more about the industrial history of the area, and of the one-on-one experience, the neighborhoods have with the gentrification and the air pollution. I can find that information online, and interviews with the residents, shop owners, street artists, and Green Organizations of the area.

Bibliography (for the data on the poster):

“EAST WILLIAMSBURG, Briefly.” Forgotten New York. Accessed July 26, 2018. http://forgotten-ny.com/2011/07/east-williamsburg-briefly/.

NYC Population FactFinder. Accessed July 26, 2018. https://popfactfinder.planning.nyc.gov/profile/994/demographic.

“OldNYC.” OldNYC. Accessed July 26, 2018. https://www.oldnyc.org/#703401f-a.

“OldNYC.” OldNYC. Accessed July 26, 2018. https://www.oldnyc.org/#706309f-a.

“OldNYC.” OldNYC. Accessed July 26, 2018. https://www.oldnyc.org/#706315f-b.

  Ortega, Amanda. “Hofstra Papers in Anthropology.” Living/Learning Communities | Hofstra | New York. Accessed July 26, 2018. https://www.hofstra.edu/academics/colleges/hclas/anthro/hpia/hpia-ortega.html.

Strickland, Julie. “The Neighborhood Name Police: East Williamsburg.” Brooklyn Based. August 14, 2015. Accessed July 26, 2018. https://brooklynbased.com/2012/07/24/the-neighborhood-name-police-east-williamsburg/.

ThinkBrooklyn, and Studybrooklyn. “Community District 1 Brooklyn Neighborhood Report.” Issuu. Accessed July 26, 2018. https://issuu.com/studybrooklyn/docs/community-district-1-brooklyn-neighborhood-report1.

Ulrich, Katherine. “City Living: East Williamsburg Has a Multi-layered History.” Am New York. May 14, 2015. Accessed July 26, 2018. https://www.amny.com/real-estate/city-living/brooklyn/city-living-east-williamsburg-has-a-multi-layered-history-1.6820973.

“Welcome to NYC.gov | City of New York.” Zoning Districts & Tools : C6 – DCP. Accessed July 26, 2018. https://www1.nyc.gov/.

“Williamsburg.” Brooklyn Public Library: Brooklyn in the Civil War – Soldiers. Accessed July 26, 2018. http://www.bklynlibrary.org/ourbrooklyn/williamsburg/.

I am an international student from Venezuela that desires to communicate with the world around me visually. I hope that I can become a part of the global conversation where I can tell stories that are untold. With a background in business and languages, I have experienced how different fields will always connect at some points, and I aspire to reinforce that connection in my work. I believe that there is not one pure aesthetic, and therefore I have chosen to collaborate and learn from those around me to every day grow as an artist.

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