Saleem Reshamwala, host of Far Flung, explores creativity in Mexico City. Learn about a masked hero advocating for pedestrian safety, citizen-led transit innovations, and crowd-sourcing a constitution in a city of 21 million minds. Discover the unique characteristics of Mexico City, its diverse cultural blend, and innovative initiatives addressing urban challenges.
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Quick takeaways
Mexico City showcases citizen-led initiatives like Mapaton for public transport improvement.
Lab for the City promotes collaborative governance, involving citizens in drafting the new constitution.
Deep dives
Citizen Activism in Mexico City
Mexico City is presented as a hub of citizen-led initiatives, showcasing the story of Jorge Káñez, also known as Pertonito, a superhero advocating for pedestrian rights. Beyond individual actions, the city witnessed a unique experiment in crowd-sourcing information with projects like Mapaton, engaging citizens to map the complex bus system. This highlights the power of community involvement in navigating urban challenges.
Creative Governance and Crowd Engagement
Gabriela Gomez-Mont spearheaded the Lab for the City, emphasizing collaborative governance by blending experts from various fields with artists and creatives. By reimagining government language and processes, they made civic engagement appealing, leading to the crowd-sourced drafting of Mexico City's new constitution. This innovative approach empowers citizens to shape their urban environment.
Reimagining Urban Spaces and Community Engagement
Addressing issues like insufficient green spaces, Mexico City launched initiatives like Pieto Niños, transforming streets into play areas for families. The emphasis on redefining urban policies to prioritize community needs reflects a shift towards citizen-centric governance. Through experiments like Pieto Niños, the city showcases the potential for crowd-driven solutions to urban challenges.
Each Sunday, TED shares an episode of another podcast we think you'll love, handpicked for you… by us. Today we're sharing a special episode of Far Flung with Saleem Reshamwala.
Harnessing the creativity of a megalopolis isn't easy, but Mexico City shows us how it's done. Follow a real-life superhero who dons a luchador mask and cape to protect his fellow residents from speeding cars, learn how citizens are hacking their way to a better public transport system, and see what it takes to crowd-source a constitution from a city with 21 million minds.
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