We are developing a crowdsourcing platform for the general public to contribute ideas, share personal stories, memorialize loved ones, and examine statistics relative to our collective COVID-19 experience.
We invite creatives, designers, artists, activists and journalists to brainstorm and collaborate with us to develop a visually compelling digital memorial that will give face and voice to those lost to COVID-19.
The COVID-19 Impact Project is a “living” multidisciplinary social justice project reliant on collaboration and contribution from many sources and is therefore a continuous work-in-progress.
Team
John Henry Thompson Co-Creator
JHT studied art at the New York Student Art League and the Boston Museum School and earned a degree in Computer Science and Visual Studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. John Henry was the principal engineer for Adobe/Macromedia Director, the inventor and developer of Lingo and XObjects, and a professor of new media at New York University—Tisch Interactive Telecommunications Program.
John Henry Thompson is a Full time faculty in New York University’s -Tisch-ITP program and co-creator of the COVID-19 Impact Project.
Shindy M. Johnson Co-Creator
SMJ is an educator and new media technology enthusiast who earned a degree in Chemistry and Physics at the University of Guyana, South America. After migrating to the USA and teaching at a large urban high school Shindy earned a masters degree in Science Education at New York University Steinhardt School of Education. Her interest in emerging digital technologies led to her completing another masters degree in professional studies at New York University -Tisch-ITP program.
Shindy is currently an Adjunct Professor in New York University’s -Tisch-ITP program, a food and urban gardening hobbyist, and co-creator of the COVID-19 Impact Project.
Tyler Peppel, Partner
TPis an entrepreneur, angel investor, and start-up advisor. He is currently the CEO and founder of Tickr, Inc. Before that, he worked as a consultant developing digital data strategies for Goldman Sachs, Pfizer, Cisco, and others. Before that he was founder and CEO of MightyMail, a rich email services platform that was acquired by NBC. He worked at Apple for 5 years in new product development and has authored multiple software patents on topics like collectible software and the use of natural language processing to enhance written communication. He has a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University and a Masters of Science in Visual Studies from the Media Lab at MIT.
Partners
Tisch School of the Arts
The Office of the Dean at Tisch School of the Arts and Tisch Initiative for Creative Research provide support for the screening of the Color of Care Documentary (coming soon!)
Supporters
EP Visual Design Inc.
Pete Meyers, the team at EP Visual Design, Inc. and EPV Foundation provided financial support, design consultation and hosting services for the COVID-19 Dashboard
Scribe Video Center.
Scribe Video Center sponsored a public video presentation of a conversation between John Henry and artist Homer Jackson on humanizing pandemic data.
Inspiration
NYC Comptroller Report on Frontline Workers
“…workers whom we trust with our health, our nourishment, our loved ones, and our lives are too often ignored, underpaid, and overworked…”
Remembering the New Yorkers We’ve Lost to COVID‑19
“…This is a space to remember and honor every person who died…”
An Incalculable Loss – USA 100,000 die from covid-19
“…America has reached a grim milestone in the coronavirus outbreak — each figure here represents one of the 100,000 lives lost so far. But a count reveals only so much. Memories, gathered from obituaries across the country, help us to reckon with what was lost…”
New York City Coronavirus Map and Case Count
See Who Is In The Crowd
Example of crowdsourced photo wall and commentary.
COVID-19 Impact Project 