Over the past two decades, global sea levels have risen roughly twice as fast as they did during the 20th century, and it is only expected to keep rising. Hi, Tide is a short messaging service (SMS) that allows residents in Rockaway, NY to easily report problems in their neighborhood that are related to sea level rise and tidal flooding. The project allows residents to become more familiar with these issues by focusing on a problem that is close to them and they deal with every day.
Andrea Cisneros
Andrea Cisneros is from Quito, Ecuador. She graduated from the University of San Franciso Quito, with a degree in Architecture and Art. She has been working on artistic projects such as designing houses and buildings in Ecuador, and she believes that design should engage and contribute to the improvement of community.
Karina Davila
Karina Davila is a graphic designer from Miami. She graduated from Barry University in Miami Shores with a degree in Graphic Design. Since then, she’s worked on multiple marketing and communications design teams at Walt Disney World, Valencia College, and the 92nd Street Y. She’s interested in helping sexually abused children overcome their traumas, as well as drawing together professionals and students of several disciplines to mentor each other via social media.
Karina now lives in San Francisco, CA. She is working at Visa as a Senior UX Designer, and is focused on improving payment experiences for users and including everyone in the formal economy. Since leaving DSI, however, Karina has also made time for social impact work. Last year, she volunteered with Elefint, a social impact design firm in Oakland. Her main goal on this project was to help community youth organization, Freedom Forward, build a service experience map and establish consistent branding for their LaunchPads app, which aims to end chronic homelessness within the extended foster care community in the bay area. Most recently, she was chosen as a fellow in the Pathways to Equity program in San Francisco—a design leadership development program where she will work with other designers on specialized projects for community organizations.
Marlyn Martinez Marrero
Marlyn Martinez Marrero was born and raised in Puerto Rico and has degrees in Industrial and Jewelry Design. After working in the field, she started to think more about her role as a Designer. After lots of research, a permaculture certificate, many podcasts, traveling, an artist residency, it became clear that DSI was the best possible way to continue the journey of becoming and agent of positive change in the community and beyond.
Marlyn moved back home to Puerto Rico after DSI, where she now works as a Program Manager for Nuestro Barrio, an initiative working for the creation of a sustainable Cultural District in Santurce, the most populated borough of the capital city.
She has impacted over 50 local entrepreneurs from the creative industries that are looking to grow and develop their businesses becoming part of a stronger District.
Marlyn also teaches young college students how to use research methods to validate their new business ideas before jumping all in.
