Response to Civic Hall (Week of 3/22)

Civic Hall was just inspirational. I am so jealous of the members, their diverse career backgrounds, their skills, the workspace, and most importantly the mission behind Civic Hall. When I think about what I want to do post-college or as a career in the future, I think I am confined to the ordinary expected answers like lawyer, doctor, teacher, etc. I am certain that I want to make the world a better place and I fell that Civic Hall is an unconventional (but will perhaps be conventional in the future) way of making New York City a better place. But what is actually more extraordinary than that is that Civic Hall introduces technologies that make the world a better place. For example, the app that breaks down communication barriers can probably be used by anyone with a phone. One of the speakers also spoke about how soon a technology to help people determine if people are eligible for government assistance and by how much, will soon be available to New Jersey and the goal is to make it available to the U.S., if I understood correctly. The same goes for the technologies they are making to save the government money, as well as other governments. It is just inspirational to think that someone I passed in the city could have indirectly helped parents that do not speak English communicate with their child’s teacher, or help that single mom in New Jersey figure out that she is eligible for food stamps, or help Thailand’s government save money.

Civic Hall was also amazing because of the constant exchange of knowledge. I think Civic Hall can be considered an unorthodox workspace because there is perhaps a web-like exchange of information between a group of collaborators, opposed to a regular office job where knowledge is exchanged one way, usually from boss to employee. I also thought that it is really exciting that someone does not necessarily have to have a background in technology to help work on something that can make someone’s life better. I think that this can contribute to that web-like exchange of knowledge if someone with a mission or idea in mind, who does not have a technology background, can work with someone or even a group, who does know how to code or create new apps, websites, programs, etc. and make something that can help society.

To relate the trip back to the concepts of our class, I definitely think that jobs like or similar to the work done at Civic Hall will become more prominent in New York City’s future. I think that technology is advancing faster than we can imagine, hopefully always with the goal of making the quality of life better, and I think that the members at Civic Hall know this. I think that careers in technology or incorporating technology will drive New York City’s future and Civic Hall seamlessly combines technology with a social cause and produces something that can be used by the average person with a phone. I really hope to one day have a career using a skill I have mastered or enjoy and use it to make the world a better place as eloquently as Civic Hall.