Mosaic America x San Jose State University

ADVANCING
CULTURAL EQUITY
& INCLUSION

DATABASE | EXPLORER | STORY MAPS

[ Why? ]

Accurate and comprehensive representation of a community’s cultural diversity is key to cultivating equitable inclusion and belonging.

MOSAIC ATLAS

  • Supports equitable and culturally inclusive design and delivery of programs and services.
  • Connects funders with historically overlooked communities in need.
  • Empowers communities to advocate for their needs and for better representation.
  • Informs Mosaic America’s place-based programming aimed at building belonging.

[ What? ]

 

Mosaic Atlas is a suite of innovative cultural equity and inclusion tools created by Mosaic America in partnership with San Jose State University. It includes a comprehensive database of assets rooted in over 120 culturally distinct communities of the San Francisco Bay Area, an interactive explorer map, and a library of digital narrative StoryMaps.

[ What? ]

 

Mosaic Atlas is a suite of innovative cultural equity and inclusion tools created by Mosaic America in partnership with San Jose State University. It includes a comprehensive database of assets rooted in over 120 culturally distinct communities of the San Francisco Bay Area, an interactive explorer map, and a library of digital narrative StoryMaps.

MOSAIC ATLAS

The Atlas includes a comprehensive and growing database of assets – people, places, organizations and events – that are rooted in culturally distinct communities. This data is gathered by the Mosaic team using a combination of secondary research and primary outreach. A robust verification process ensures accuracy and currency of data.

ASSETS OF A CULTURALLY DISTINCT COMMUNITY

Using GIS technology, an interactive web explorer offers users a way to visualize assets on a map.  Base layers of demographic and socioeconomic data provide useful contexts in which assets can be located.

[ How? ]

 

Mosaic Atlas brings together the unique vision, cultural competency and deep community connections of Mosaic America under the leadership of co-founders Usha Srinvasan and Priya Das and the scholarship, research, and resources of SJSU’S Center for Spatial Analytics and Visualization, under the guidance of Principal Investigators Dr. Jan English-Lueck (Department of Anthropology) and Dr. Kerry Rohrmeier (Department of Urban and Regional Planning).

Through a combination of secondary research and primary outreach surveys, the Atlas team gathers asset data (people, places, organizations and events) that collectively help locate and understand each culturally distinct community.   The data gathered is put through a rigorous verification and quality control process to ensure accuracy.  Maintaining data currency and relevance is an ongoing effort.

Graduate and undergraduate student interns  conduct surveys and oral histories of local people and places, which contribute to the digital narrative Story Maps.  These materials are recorded and archived in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library for future scholarship.