Tool 3
Where does your project fit into history and the present?
Building a timeline with milestones and impactful events for your project, neighborhood, or city will yield insights into existing and past community needs and challenges.
Share the tool
Download a PDF with timeline instructions and tips.
While infrastructure reuse projects can create unprecedented benefits for neighboring communities, they can also become drivers of inequity for already marginalized groups. To avoid this, build an understanding of how your project and site are linked to legacies of racism (e.g., redlining) and how this past shapes the wants and needs of your surrounding communities today. By completing the timeline in collaboration with community members, you will be better positioned to serve, advocate for, and share power with historically marginalized communities. Seek input from community members and partners to ensure you’re capturing as much information and as many stories as possible.
Online timeline maker (free)
Customizable timelines (free)
Timeline samples and templates (free)
Historical milestone templates
Northeastern University’s Boston’s Racial Equity History Project
Developed by Harvard Graduate School of Design
Once you have created your timeline, ask:
How have surrounding communities been impacted by historic events?
Are there any current tensions surrounding our project that now make more sense, considering the historical context?
How might we use this as a tool for ongoing community engagement?
Would you like to share your Equity Journey with the High Line Network?
