About the Course Assignment
California is a broad, introductory course that explores the material places and social spaces that create both astonishing wealth and intractable inequality in California. Created by Dr. Seth Lunine and Chancellor’s Public Fellow Sophia Fenn, the American Cultures Engaged Scholarship (ACES) / Creative Discovery component of the course enabled the Fall Program for First Semester (FPF) students to extend and contextualize topics related to gentrification and the Bay Region housing crisis. Specifically, students worked with several community partners who address issues of homelessness and housing insecurity, particularly among UC Berkeley students. Small groups of students developed collaborative research projects with community partners and learned Adobe applications, including Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and Premier. Students designed and produced an array of “deliverables”—infographics, maps, creative art, a short film, and more—that our partners will publish and disseminate. All 61 students enrolled in the course participated in the ACES / Creative Discovery component, resulting in more than 20 projects. The entire class is grateful for the generous time and guidance provided by our partners.
