Community Analysis Project & Civic Engagement Letter
Statement of Problem & City Demographics
City: Westlake, LA
Focus: chilcare
Purpose:
You will use various research tools and immerse yourself in a local urban community in order to identity challenges, resources, and strengths within this neighborhood. Research tools will include collecting census data, reviewing articles, and other information sources.
Using the data collected, you will identify an important issue you will want to focus on that affects this neighborhood. For this assignment you will take a stance on the issue of your choosing and write an advocacy letter to an elected official that represents this neighborhood. The purpose of this advocacy letter is to help garner support regarding this cause.
Some examples of topics could range from your stance on issues, policies, or needs in mental health, the prison industrial complex, educational funding, immigration, housing, women’s rights, healthcare, child-care, or any other class topic.
Criteria for Success:
This assignment is worth 10 points total; 5 points for the Statement of Problem; 5 points for the identification of city statistics. Points will be deducted for spelling and grammatical errors.
Submission Format:
Must be submitted as .doc, .docx, or .pdf – Other formats (rtf, .pages, .gdoc, .xls, .txt, etc.) cannot be opened with Canvas and will not be graded.
Statement of Problem (5 points):
Once you have collected data (city statistics), identify an important issue you will want to focus on that affects your chosen neighborhood. The Statement of Problem should be presented in a scholarly fashion; a paragraph with a minimum of 5 sentences. State why you have chosen this issue, how it affects the community, and how you plan to garner support regarding this cause.
Please insert your paragraph below:
Identify City Statistics (5 points):
You may provide graphs, charts, and figures as data. Bullet points are preferred, except when responding to: b. Describe why this city is considered urban (this description requires full sentences). You may use the links I have provided or other websites with highly reliable data. YOU MUST CITE THE WEBSITES/SOURCES FOR ALL DEMOGRAPHICS LISTED!
Statistics should remain in the order they have been listed on this template. Insert data directly below individual bullet points (.25 points will be deducted for each city statistic that is left blank).
Provide a map of the city:
Describe why this city is considered urban:
Indicate who lives in this city/neighborhood using census data: http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/
Population
Income level (above or below poverty level)
Age
Sex
Race
Housing
Education
Kids (i.e., under 18)
Identify unemployment rates:
Identify crime:
