Could the search for pikachu expose the wonders of community to neighbors who might normally take it for granted? Noble Ingram, of LISC Boston, argues that the popular Pokemon Go app could actually be an ambassador for community development, encouraging neighbors to engage more closely with the world around them.
They’re everywhere, from the city park down the street to the bus station on the corner to even, somehow, your own kitchen. Colorful, squealing Pokémon are taking over- and with them hordes of Pokémon “trainers” frantically swiping at them on their phones.
But before the skeptics run away to somewhere not even 3G can reach, they should look more deeply into the promise of “catching them all.” Pokémon Go has surpassed Twitter in active US users, and though the game’s rapid rise can be disconcerting, it has immense potential for generating public support of community development.
For those who don’t know, Pokémon Go is a game for your cellphone or tablet that uses real places as sites within the Pokémon world. You can collect Poké Balls at the Prudential Center and battle gym leaders in Davis Square. The game encourages players to get up and explore and thousands of fans have already sung its praises. In particular, they love the way Pokémon has reintroduced them to their own neighborhoods.
As Alex Perry wrote for Tech Insider, “I've discovered countless murals, community art installations and unique little shops in my neighborhood that I didn't know about before in my hunt for Pokémon… The other night, I put down a lure module on a PokéStop (which lures more Pokémon to the stop) in the park across from my apartment. At 10 p.m., with a slight drizzle coming down, several people showed up within minutes.”
It’s an experience of wonder and surprise that was echoed by Sara Jeong, writing for the New York Times. Reflecting on the moment a previously unknown neighbor asked her what she was doing swinging her phone in the air, she wrote,“Something about the sheer silliness of cute cartoon monsters interposed over our lonely realities seems to break the bubbles we’ve built around ourselves.”
Pokémon, it seems, is helping people come together and share in a kind of neighborly pride. From a community development perspective, this is a familiar goal. At LISC Boston, we invest time and resources in neighborhoods across the state by developing and supporting initiatives that are committed to improving the livability of our communities. Just like the multitude of Pokémon trainers out there, we assemble a team to fight forces that affect us all.
Three weeks ago, for example, LISC Boston and our partners at the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance awarded 10 creative placemaking grants to projects throughout the state. Creative placemaking is about bringing the energy of the arts to shared urban spaces, and through these grants we’re helping communities reimagine where they live. In Dorchester, Four Corners Main Street is using the grant to transform a vacant lot across from the commuter rail station into a vibrant marketplace with stools, tables, and a public mural. The site will host community events and celebrate local artistic talent while also supporting neighborhood businesses.
So back to you, Pokémon trainer! Do you like that feeling of exploring a beautiful street you live a block away from but never took the time to investigate? Did trailing that Squirtle lead you to public art installations, like the ones Perry mentioned, that you never knew you lived next to? That excitement for your own backyard is a feeling LISC Boston and its partners work to inspire through community development initiatives like creative placemaking. Trading a smile with a neighbor when you both catch a Bulbasaur can foster a communal connection, but so can supporting a local business as you watch your neighbors design a mural by the train station.
So for all of you developing a new sense of pride for your own neighborhoods, make sure you offer them some tangible support. Get involved with one of LISC Boston’s partners throughout the city and state and try taking on a foe more fearsome than Charizard. Revel in the realization that you’re surrounded by places worth celebrating! But don’t let Pokémon Go be your only outlet into community engagement.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Noble Ingram, Communications Intern, LISC Boston
Noble studied English and Urban Studies at Vassar College and graduated in May. This summer, he is writing regular blog posts on his experiences with LISC Boston.