As founder
of Newburgh's Dept. of Small interventions, dosmallinterventions.com,
community planner, Naomi Hersson-Ringskog, develops inspired concepts into
unified movements. You might say the expectant mom is now creating a different
kind of project, from inception to birth.
HVP: What was the inspiration in
establishing the Dept. of Small Interventions in Newburgh in
2016?
Naomi: I gave a lecture to some
Columbia University graduate students about community engagement and they were
studying Newburgh. I visited Dia: Beacon and Newburgh. I was intrigued about
the architecture and diversity. Newburgh in some ways is a very post-industrial
city. It's a microcosm of New York City. As a community planner, it is the
perfect-sized city.
HVP: Your forte is bringing community
partners together to advance an ideal. Where does that fit with your work in
Newburgh?
Naomi: I started doing some work in New
York City, but here, what I found to be so magical was there is so much
history, and I wanted to immerse myself in it. The Dept. of Small Interventions
is a vehicle for exploring and sharing that interest and doing something
together.
HVP: How have your projects, like
Welcome to Newburgh Sign's enhanced signage campaign and Reimagine Lake Street
Corridor's improvement initiative, come together?
Naomi: Those types of collaborations
are rooted in history. We have amazing cultural assets. Collaborations with
city historians, libraries, regional councils-it's
taking the same cultural assets that we have, and together amplifying them
through diverse platforms.
HVP: You've said the name, the Dept.
of Small Interventions, gives the organization latitude to touch on different
elements. Can you explain?
Naomi: Small is beautiful. Incremental
progress is important. There's an increasing capacity where government and
community come together, like a public ombudsman; a coordinated response with
the city. It's very project-based approach.
HVP: How will being a new mom affect
your work?
Naomi: It will give me a new
perspective on the city. It has already manifested in the sense of real
interest of how we can implement sidewalk improvements. There's a natural
coalescence of young mothers joining together for social and supportive groups.
That might evolve into something else - others
against violence. I'm going to embrace that. I've been inspired by other
mothers.