GIS For Good in The Bronx, New York
We at RomoGIS use GIS in the Bronx to inspire leaders and advocate for social change in communities. Using GIS For Good in NYC means applying Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for community impact, equity, and justice. It also creates opportunities for the next generation to make a change and to lead. GIS For Good NYC connects neighborhoods with the tools to map what matters — from food insecurity and gun violence to housing access and youth opportunity. By combining GIS, drones, and community-driven data, we turn local insight into action. Whether it's students using drones to map green space or advocates tracking eviction trends, GIS For Good helps New Yorkers shape a fairer, more resilient city.
GIS For Good: Advancing Community Safety
In The Bronx, our GIS For Good programming focuses on youth-led public safety innovation and civic engagement. Through our partnership with the Angellyh Yambo Foundation and La Central YMCA , we collaborate with local schools, business improvement districts, and advocacy groups to amplify student voices and guide positive urban environment changes in The Bronx. Our Leadership and Community Mapping program teaches local youth to turn their local knowledge and expertise into actionable data by analyzing their neighborhoods, identifying safety concerns, and proposing improvements for public spaces.
At the beginning of the program, student leaders explored their neighborhood on foot with local historian Alexandra Maruri . Then, through urban planning, spatial analysis, and digital storytelling workshops, students used GIS mapping and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to identify community needs, reimagine public spaces, and build safe routes to school in an effort to support local community safety efforts. For example, student leaders designed a Youth-focused Community Center with space to do homework, host community gatherings, and support local business with vendor spaces.
The Leadership and Community Mapping program culminated in final presentations that showcased our students’ GIS skills, highlighted their local expertise and provided solutions to improve public safety in key community spaces. Students presented to local community leaders and decision-makers, including The Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark . By presenting data and AI renderings alongside community voices, students learned that they could tell their own stories and influence policymakers to push for systemic change. The vision of our program is to create a support system for youth to feel safe, heard, and encouraged to create positive change in their community.
We seek to support our students by offering pathways to economic mobility, civic action, and personal leadership. Our Leadership and Community Mapping program helped students to leverage civic engagement as a tool for social mobility and leadership, as well as urban planning tools for community impact and workforce development. Importantly, students who participated were paid for their time and expertise. Student leaders were also recognized by local news organizations, such as Norwood News for their community improvement efforts to end gun violence. Our GIS For Good initiatives with the Angellyh Yambo Foundation in The Bronx continue to demonstrate the power of community-led spatial analysis to confront inequities in community safety and inspire collective problem-solving.