The power of participatory story mapping: Advancing equitable development in disadvantaged neighbourhoods

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Community developers and planners have long recognized the value of storytelling to engage communities. Yet, in working with disadvantaged communities, they are often challenged to meaningfully engage residents and uncover place values that can help drive community development strategies. In a case study of Langley Park, Maryland, a neighborhood comprised of largely low-income Latino immigrants facing potential displacement from a new transit line, this article investigates the potential of new story mapping techniques and technologies to assist communities in leveraging everyday place meanings and values to advance greater equity in the process of neighborhood redevelopment. It demonstrates how participatory story mapping can empower traditionally marginalized voices and encourage more complex place narratives within community development and planning.