Dear COMD Community,

The COMD Futures Collaboratory, which aims to engage COMD faculty and students in emerging technology research, is collaborating with the augmented reality/AR app membit to support the memorial project, Say Their Names NYC. 

In association with the San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art, we are looking for New York volunteer ambassadors to participate in the project. This AR monument remembers African Americans killed by police brutality and racist violence and runs from Sept 17 – Oct 15. The memorial is geolocated in an area of Central Park that was once the thriving African American community, Seneca Village. 

After a short training session, ambassadors will help by engaging park visitors, demonstrating how to use the AR app, membit, and providing support as needed. This video explains how visitors can interact with the memorial.

Students are encouraged to participate via application to the Emerging Scholars Program, which provides a $500 stipend for full-time students and a $250 stipend for part-time students for conducting research with a faculty member. First-year students may receive additional funding through the Robinhood Foundation Grant.

If you and/or your students are interested in participating, please contact Prof. Jenna Spevack for more information.