if you're interested in attending a mapjam, fill out this form!
Want to learn more about MapJams? Stay tuned to join an info session.
Interested in attending a MapJam session? Click here to fill out our interest form and get your organization on our map!
Would you like to host a MapJam? Fill out this form so we can start planning!
Do you have other tools and resources that have been helpful for movement building and grassroots organizing? Add them to the padlet!
Have a question about MapJam? Reach out to info@nesawg.org.
August 2023
What is a MapJam?
The concept of MapJam was created by the organization Shareable hosting easy-to-organize events where a small, dedicated group of people get together for a few hours to map as many sharing services in their city or town as possible. Shareable has kindly allowed NESAWG to use the term MapJam for our regional mapping of the Northeast farm and food system.
NESAWG's MapJam is the creation of community-led GIS mapping through movement building for a racial equity transformation of the farm and food system in the Northeast region.
We would like to share how we are working collaboratively with groups and organizations (and continue engaging more folx!) to roll out MapJams -- the regional mapping of the farm and food system in the Northeast with the establishment of a BIPOC regional stakeholder group, local hubs, and an interactive website.
We are doing translocal organizing work using digital tools for grassroots organizing - including GIS and AI technology. We would also like to share the benefits and resources that our MapJams can provide for the larger community, and share some of the digital tools that are making this possible.
During these MapJam sessions, we will also have a discussion focusing on:
- How can we leverage our knowledge, our skills and our networks to create long-term farm and food systems change?
- How can we create a system that is regenerative, replicable, and scalable?
- How can we support each other’s work as we build a food and farm system for all?
The data from these sessions will be mapped out and shared publicly as a resource for the Northeast region.
Why NESAWG MapJams?
The NESAWG MapJam is a powerful tool for our movement-building work in our Racial Equity Transformation (RET) effort of moving the Northeast farm and food system from an extractive to a regenerative economy in a racially equitable and just way.
Some other benefits of regional mapping are to:
- Help develop a platform where people can communicate, share their stories & their networks to collaborate, find collective solutions & build power.
- Map collaborative efforts
- Map skills and much-needed technical assistance
- Share networks
- Share priorities
- Share your stories
- Communicate & build local, trans-local, and regional power
- Map grassroots solutions
- Support and resource campaign organizing, mobilizing & direct action
-
And much more!
Check out some mapping projects that show what could result from a MapJam: