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Candy Chang

Co-Founder, Civic Center

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If you could ask one question to all of your neighbors, what would you ask?

Live TED Conversation: Join TED Fellow Candy Chang

Candy is a public installation artist, designer, and urban planner who likes to make cities more comfortable for people. She's passionate about redefining the ways we use public space to share information that can improve our neighborhoods and our personal well-being. See more of her at http://candychang.com and http://civiccenter.cc.

This conversation will open at 3pm EST on Monday, August 1, 2011.

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Topics: Civic Engagement Live Conversation
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    Candy Chang 500+

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    TED FellowTED AttendeeTEDx Organizer
    Aug 1 2011: I'm curious if anyone has reached out to many people in their area? Flyers? Community meeting? Public installation? Local event? What about and what came of it?

    • Kay-Lynne Schaller

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      Aug 1 2011: Yes, I recentluy hosted a "Delivering Happiness Town Hall Meeting" complete with funny cheap prizes, smiley face cookies, and a brief session of laughter yoga. We discussed things that make us happy, and decided to continue the group meetings every other month. The feedback has been terrific....my hopes for the group are to gather bi-monthly and share opportunities to do good work for the community, in addition to "sharing happiness" of course.

    • Aaron Stackpole

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      Aug 1 2011: I advertise TED and bring it up in conversations frequently, however, most people don't appear to care much. The only time I get decent response to TED talks is when I e-mail a specific link to someone.
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        Bernd Fesel 30+

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        Aug 1 2011: When I tell from TED in Germany - people are very curious and fascinated - maybe I was lucky so far... smile
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      Bernd Fesel 30+

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      Aug 1 2011: I am organizing what i call an evening "BRING TOGETHER". the friend I invite has the obligation to bring a friend with him to my house, he always wanted to meet but did not have time to do so. So at my party 50% knows eachother, the other do not know eachother - though we are all related by only one friend.

      this is great fun - and you meet many new people !
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      Annabeth Orton

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      Aug 1 2011: I recently planned a project called 'Fancy a Pint'? to try and get people talking/meeting in my apartment block. Unfortunately the management company weren't up for it and didn't even give a reason... :( All I wanted to do was put a poster in the lobby and invite people to share their interests and leave messages for each other as a precursor to maybe meeting up. I think my mistake was in asking for permission!The project is here: http://www.glittermouse.co.uk/fancy-a-pint.html
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        Candy Chang 500+

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        TED FellowTED AttendeeTEDx Organizer
        Aug 1 2011: Hey Annabeth - You've struck a related nerve! I've created community-based projects that would benefit from promotion through flyers, yet the neighborhood association considers them illegal. This is a common knee-jerk reaction - that all flyers are litter. But there's a lot of constructive information we could share if given the chance... Businesses can shout about their products on an increasing number of public surfaces, while the flyer about the community-improving event is illegal. How can we change the perception of informal messages in public space?
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          Annabeth Orton

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          Aug 1 2011: Well I think one way would be to be more assertive about doing it and then be noisy about demonstrating the benefits! Making transience an inherent part of the method of delivery might also help make it less threatening. Chalk, shadows, bread crumbs! :D
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      anne kristoff

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      Aug 1 2011: I did a project last year in Ozark, AL called My Wish for Ozark. It's coincidentally very similar to some of the things you do. But I really had to go out and get wishes from folks physically which was fun. The powers that be thought I was "that kooky girl from NY" but ultimately asked me to give them a copy of the wishes so they could see what the people wanted. http://www.mywishforozark.com/

    • Natasha Makowski

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      Aug 1 2011: This is a great conversation, thanks for having it. I have been interested in what my neighbors, or just people nearby, locally and globally wish for everyday or on special days, at different ages and different places. I started an idea called I wish, and its a start on mywishport.org where you can send a wish anonymously.Then with a great team we created freestanding digital sculptures that we call Culture MINEs and the dream is to have them placed in public spaces so others can see the wishes- that are locally searched or from around the world. Along with the public wishes we feature the wishes from local and global non-profits so everyone has a little wish from someone in need for the day. We hope to get funding to get this project out there, and then you can find wishes on Culture MINES in your local train stations, public buildings, schools, shopping centers, everywhere we can get 4SF of space. For now you can just send a wish and see it on http://www.mywishport.org Send us your wishes text iwish to 41411

    • Y Lau

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      Aug 3 2011: I recently started a community page for the neighborhood to share information like lost pets, garage sales, good baby sitters, etc. Ideally, local police departments, gov't representatives, etc. would also connect via this page and be able to dialogue with citizens more easily and directly.

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