Hi friends,
We’re still riding the energy from one of our most impactful months yet. From a record-breaking Open Data Week to the largest-ever School of Data, we saw the power of community, creativity, and civic tech in full force. Whether you joined us online, in person, or cheered us on from afar, we’re grateful to be in this work with you.
Our city is at a crossroads. The policies shaping our future—like congestion pricing, eviction tracking, and community board reform—must be guided by data, not politics. But without urgent action, the programs that empower diverse voices and build a more equitable, data-driven democracy are at risk.
🌟 March Was One for the Books
We started the month with some amazing news: I was elected to the OpenStreetMap US Board of Directors! I’m excited to bring community mapping to the national stage.
Later in the month, I joined the American Geographical Society’s TeenMaptivists Map Chat to talk about how we use OpenStreetMap to power civic engagement through our Mapping for Equity project.
🎤 Celebrating a Record-Breaking Open Data Week
We officially launched Open Data Week 2025 on March 22 with more than 70 events citywide!
Starting off Open Data Week strong, our Civic Innovation Lab team introduced the NYC Urban Heat Portal, a tool designed to make climate justice more accessible. They walked attendees through the science of urban heat and the portal’s data, highlighting how it can support community advocacy.
Building on that momentum, I joined forces with OSM-US Technical Lead Quincy Morgan to lead a session called, “OpenStreetMap (OSM) as a personal GIS tool.” In it, I highlighted how BetaNYC uses OSM as the backbone of our Mapping for Equity (M4E) program — turning everyday residents into mapmakers with the power to influence how their communities are seen and supported.
Two days later, our Development and Strategy Manager, Naeema, and myself launched our Mapping for Equity Toolkit. We showcased this new resource designed to help educators, organizers, and civic leaders bring open-source mapping into classrooms, neighborhoods, and grassroots efforts. It was more than a toolkit launch — it was a call to action to build local data.
🎉 Our Biggest School of Data Yet
At School of Data, our Executive Director, Noel and I opened the day alongside State Senator Kristen Gonzalez and NYC’s Chief Analytics Officer Martha Norrick, setting the tone for a powerful gathering grounded in equity and community impact. 662 people registered for this year’s conference — our largest crowd yet — with a sold-out audience that reflected the values we strive to center: 59% of participants identified as people of color, and 56% identified as women or non-binary, making it one of our most inclusive events to date. From first-time attendees to long-time civic tech leaders, the energy in every room spoke to a growing movement for data literacy, public interest technology, and collective action in New York City.
🏃🏻♀️ That’s Not All Folks
Right after Open Data Week, Naeema and Dimitri, our Manager of Educational Programs and Community Initiatives, returned to John Ericsson Middle School 126, where our earlier M4E pilot with 8th graders had students mapping public amenities on OSM. After seeing their students’ excitement and success, JEMS launched their 2025 S.T.E.A.M. Challenge for 6th and 7th graders, continuing the collaboration with a playground mapping session on March 31. Together with students and educators, Dimitri and Naeema helped bring data literacy outdoors, proving again that civic tech education doesn’t just belong in the classroom; it thrives in the real world.
🚀 Help Us Keep the Momentum Going
Moments like these don’t happen by accident. We are in a moment that is truly testing our democracy, and you can support democracy by donating to us and receiving democracy swag. These gatherings happen because people like you believe in public interest technology, in community-driven data, and in building a more just and equitable city.
Your donation directly fuels the programs, events, and educational tools that empower New Yorkers to map their neighborhoods, challenge inequities, and build data power from the ground up.
If you were inspired by what we accomplished in March, help us carry that energy forward.
Together, let’s build what comes next.
Your gift is an investment in Public Interest Technology.
– Our apprenticeship programs support and mentor NYC students in pursuing careers in public interest technology, data analytics, and design.
– Our Civic Innovation Lab runs a civic research and data analytics help desk for local stakeholders, policy-makers, and community-based organizations.
– Our data and literacy programs make engaging in civic society more accessible and more effective with open data and technology.
Learn more about our work at https://beta.nyc.