The Future City Lab exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York was not what I expected. I thought their would be more art, whereas the exhibit focused on city statistics. Their were interactive programs and it had unique formats however it felt less like a museum and more of a informative space. However I think it is good that this exhibit was in a museum because I feel like more people would see it and be interested in it than anywhere else.
I chose these two pictures to reflect on because the information in them was very new to me and I found them extremely interesting. It’s awesome that the city issues identification cards for those who don’t have any. For immigrants, it gives them a sense of belonging and entitlement when they can show a photo ID. Even though New York is a sanctuary place for immigrants, the cards aren’t solely meant for them. The city didn’t want the cards to only be for undocumented citizens because then they’d be treated as they were before they had the IDs. The card can be used for legal interactions with the police and to open bank accounts at some banks. In this way, they can take out loans and develop their credit.
Sometimes when I’m in sustainable class, I get a sense of helplessness. I feel like I can’t change anything because all of our systems are destructive already. However when I learned about the enlarged pedestrian area in Times Square, I became intrigued. In 2016, the state removed five blocks of vehicular traffic and replaced it with space only for pedestrians. This was just one action the city has taken to being more people friendly and less car friendly, which I totally support. It’s awesome that with all the improvements the city needs to make, they took the time to work on this one. You might think, “Well they only did it because it’s a big tourist area.” But it makes a difference for everyone living in the city. I don’t go to Times Square often, but whatever their reasons for do this were, it makes me feel like the city cares about the people that live here and they want to create safer and healthier environments for us.
