Our Work

Blue Raster helps you tell your story through interactive
mapping technology. Make your message clear, exciting,
and user-friendly for both mobile and web platforms.

Survey123

Supporting the 2024 AANHPI National Unity Summit

Blue Raster supported our client, the Asian American Unity Coalition (AAUC) during the 2024 AANHPI Unity Summit in Washington, D.C., focused on "Lifting Our Community Voices in Building Unity and Affecting Change." This event provided a vital platform for AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander) organizations to engage with policymakers and address pressing community issues such as immigration, civil rights, and racial discrimination. 

Blue Raster's Commitment to Civic Engagement

During the summit, our colleague Mary Bracho presented on behalf of Blue Raster at both the White House and the U.S. Capitol, where she collaborated with community leaders and government officials to amplify AAPI voices. The two-day event brought together key figures, including Krystal Kaai from the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, and Kota Mizutani, Senior Advisor at the White House, further highlighting the significance of unity in affecting change.

As part of the summit, Blue Raster collaborated with the Asian American Unity Coalition (AAUC) to support the launch and demonstration of the AAPI Partner Network application and the AAUC Hub site. Developed using ArcGIS Experience Builder, with key components built in ArcGIS Dashboards and Survey123, the AAPI Partner Network now boasts the most comprehensive and robust database of AAPI organizations. The platform empowers users to explore data, identify gaps in services and support, make informed decisions, and foster collaboration within the AAPI community.

 

The event featured panels addressing key community issues such as immigration, civil rights, and racial discrimination, with a focus on building unity across diverse ethnic groups. As our partners noted,

“Blue Raster's unwavering support and contribution played a pivotal role in the successful execution of our 2024 National AANHPI Unity Summit… expanding the reach of AAUC and furthering our mission to promote civic engagement among Asian Americans.”

Blue Raster’s partnership with AAUC extends beyond our support at the summit. We’ve been instrumental in the development of the AAPI Community Hub Project, which leverages our expertise in ArcGIS to provide community organizations with powerful tools to advocate for change and engage with lawmakers.

WhiteHouse Briefing

Our Commitment to GIS for Good 

At Blue Raster, we believe in the power of GIS to drive positive social change. Our partnership with AAUC and our involvement in the 2024 AANHPI National Unity Summit are examples of how we utilize ArcGIS technology to help amplify voices that often go unheard. By providing the tools and resources necessary to elevate community concerns, we are proud to play a role in fostering unity and advocating for meaningful change.

As we look forward to future collaborations, we remain committed to leveraging our expertise for the greater good, working alongside organizations like AAUC to build a more inclusive and just society.

Stay connected with us for future updates on how we're partnering with organizations like AAUC to amplify voices and foster unity. Interested in learning how GIS can empower your organization? Contact us today to explore how we can help you make an impact!

Enabling cooperative engagement within the Asian American Community

The diverse Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities, with origins spanning over 42 countries in Asia and 15 countries in the Pacific, often face the challenge of being homogenized despite their rich cultural tapestry. Compounded by the presence of numerous ethnic groups within each origin country, each with distinct migration histories, understanding the nuanced complexity of these communities and effectively catering to their needs becomes imperative.

In response to this challenge, the Asian American Unity Coalition (AAUC) collaborating with its technology partner, Blue Raster Inc.,  are employing the power of GIS technology to shed light on the complexity of the diverse AANHPI communities. Through this collaboration and the dashboard application, we have undertaken a comprehensive exploration of the characteristics of various ethnic groups from East, Southeast, and South Asia, Syria, Yemen, as well as Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia, and Hawaii.

The heart of this application lies in its ability to offer a comprehensive directory of Asian American nonprofit organizations across the United States. This invaluable resource retrieved from the IRS database provides a wealth of information about each organization, including its name, type, website, EIN (Employer Identification Number), classification, location by state and address, contact details, year formed, last year filing, income, and assets. This single, centralized platform streamlines access to essential information, making it easier than ever for individuals and entities to engage with and support AAPI nonprofits.

The AAPI Network Application

Asian American Unity Coalition Dashboard-1

The AAPI interface was developed with ArcGIS Experience Builder with ArcGIS dashboards embedded into the Experience Builder application to allow users to interact with the data, map and chart functionalities. Additionally, the Blue Raster team utilized ArcGIS Survey123 to configure a feedback form to allow organizations currently not in the network to seamlessly add and map their organizational info into the network inventory. Behind the Survey123 form, Blue Raster also developed an ArcGIS Reviewer Instant App to allow administrators to review and update survey entries. The application was also configured for web and mobile functionality. 

Benefits to the Asian American Community

One of the most significant benefits of this dashboard is its capacity to empower users with well-informed choices. Individuals looking to support Asian American nonprofits can now easily identify organizations aligning with their interests and values. Whether it’s civil rights, arts and humanities, religious, healthcare, or other areas, users can make decisions based on their preferences and contribute to causes they are passionate about. This newfound transparency ensures that resources are channeled more effectively towards causes that truly matter. By serving as a hub for the AAPI nonprofit network, this ArcGIS dashboard promotes greater synergy among organizations. Collaboration and networking are essential components of community-building, and this tool simplifies the process.

Organizations can identify potential partners, discover complementary initiatives, and collectively work towards the betterment of the AAPI community. Nonprofits can use this platform to expand their reach, connect with a broader audience, and raise awareness about their missions and initiatives. ArcGIS’s scalability and adaptability means it can be tailored to various needs and industries, from environmental conservation to public health and beyond. Its user-friendly interface ensures that users of all technical backgrounds can access valuable insights, making it a versatile tool that empowers organizations to unlock the full potential of their data.

Asian American Unity Coalition Dashboard-2 Asian American Unity Coalition Dashboard-3

The integration of GIS mapping has facilitated the identification of the geographic distribution of these ethnic communities. The dynamic dashboard application seamlessly interconnects the collected information, allowing users to apply filters based on state, purpose, and ethnicity. Currently, our initiative has identified over 16,500 nonprofit AANHPI organizations in all 50 states, with approximately 15,000 of them geocoded. Recognizing the need for a more comprehensive dataset, we aspire to expand the AAPI network to include over 20,000 organizations, necessitating continuous data validation and updates in sync with the IRS’s regular data refresh cycles.

Contact us today to learn more about this initiative and how Blue Raster can support your organization

 

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Changing Lanes with Configurable Solutions in MCDOT’s Bus Rapid Transit Planning Study

Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is giving its citizens a say in the latest Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) configuration, locations, and corridor termini serving Takoma Park, Langley Park, and White Oak—and ArcGIS is helping make it all possible.

With its New Hampshire Avenue BRT planning study, MCDOT is providing Montgomery County residents with the opportunity to explore and evaluate four transit alternatives that include the best Flash bus routes, future station locations, transportation connections, and more.

Blue Raster Joins the Route to Improved Transit

To make this study successful, MCDOT and a group of partners (including transportation communications experts Sharp & Company, engineering firm Kittelson & Associates, and Blue Raster) needed an engaging way to portray the four different alternatives and make them easily digestible for the community members who would be viewing, interacting, and commenting on them. That’s when Blue Raster was able to get behind the driver’s seat. Working with the partners, our team created the New Hampshire Avenue Flash BRT Alternatives Map—using ArcGIS Experience Builder to create the application and map that portrays the different alternatives.

Alternative3 BRT

The Map that Leads the Way

This map provides people who live in the area with a visual depiction of MCDOT’s proposed changes, allowing them to determine if they could be potentially impacted by these transit modifications and giving them the power to help improve the service. After examining the suggested options, users can voice their opinions, suggestions, or concerns directly in the application through a Survey123 form that Blue Raster initiated, giving MCDOT direct access to the public’s thoughts and fueling the results of the planning study. Though the study is still being conducted, it’s a privilege to be part of a project that allows our team to showcase our understanding of the transportation industry and its needs and influences the direction of a countywide transit service.

Survey123 BRT

Help MCDOT Pave the Way to Better Bus Rapid Transit

Learn more about MCDOT’s BRT planning study and explore the New Hampshire Avenue Flash BRT Alternatives Map. Make sure to submit a helpful comment to make a difference in future transit planning!

Read About the Study >

Take a Look at the Map >

Creating Effective Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Resources for the Nevada Division of Emergency Management

In 2020, the State of Nevada’s Department of Public Safety began discussing the possibility of using Esri’s ArcGIS disaster response and damage assessment solutions to support emergency preparedness, response, and recovery more efficiently and effectively within its Division of Emergency Management (DEM). With Blue Raster’s extensive knowledge on these configurable solutions, Nevada’s DEM selected our team to partner together to build out the Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) Tool utilizing ArcGIS in Nevada’s specific environment.

NVDEM Damage Assessment

With the PDA Tool, Nevada’s DEM is able to:

  • Conduct initial damage assessments following natural disaster(s) or destructive event(s)
  • Capture the extent and severity of damage to property
  • Streamline evaluation of need for resources and acquisition of resources after disaster(s)
  • Aid emergency management
  • Collect damage reports
  • Perform initial assessments
  • Monitor the impact of disaster(s)
  • Provide critical information to stakeholders and the public

For the next few months, our team collected the necessary data to bring into the ArcGIS applications; configured and tested the disaster-management capabilities; and created several workflows in ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Hub, Survey123, and ArcGIS Dashboards that would soon be presented to Nevada representatives from the state and local levels, as well as tribal lands.

To successfully build out the services Nevada DEM needed, our team also collaborated with Esri to secure the purchasing of Surge Licensing activated through Esri’s Disaster Response Program and requested through the State. With Surge Licensing, the division can request as many additional licenses as needed during the time of a disaster response without having to manage a large number of users on a day-to-day basis.

Nevada DEM’s PDA Tool utilizes:

  • ArcGIS Online to host and serve out content to the applications within the PDA Tool—including ArcGIS Dashboards, Survey123, and ArcGIS Hub
  • ArcGIS Dashboards to provide a comprehensive, at-a-glance view of the data and monitor trends
  • Survey123 so data can be collected via forms that are built into the tool; this includes operational surveys that can be accessed through the Damage Assessment Content group

ArcGIS Hub which offers a public site for county and local users and an internal destination for Nevada DEM; it also serves as a platform for connection and engagement between government entities and residents and promotes resources and data that are useful to the community

ArcGIS Experience Builder which is the configurable solution Blue Raster used to build the PDA Tool web application

In 2022, once the PDA Tool was in a good place, Nevada DEM brought in stakeholders—who were county officials, DEM employees, and local community and tribal leaders—so our team could deliver a series of trainings in their Emergency Operation Centers (EOC). Blue Raster GIS Analyst Andrew Patterson traveled to Carson City and Las Vegas to provide on-site, day-long trainings at the Nevada EOCs. These sessions included hands-on demonstrations, out-in-the-field practice, and thorough documentation so attendees could take what they learned during the training back to their communities and teach other people how to use this beneficial tool.

“Providing on-site training for Nevada DEM was a fantastic learning and teaching experience. I was able to work directly with the DEM’s GIS project manager and lead grants coordinator to provide day-long trainings at both the Carson City EOC and North Las Vegas City Hall. We used these trainings to not only showcase and teach the Preliminary Damage Assessment Tool but to also provide education on damage assessment best practices and its importance.” – Andrew Patterson, GIS Analyst, Blue Raster

NVDEM Training

Be Prepared in the Face of a Disaster

Blue Raster excels in creating fully operational emergency-management solutions. Interested in learning more? Contact us today to tell us more about your needs.

TrailsMV Mobile Application: Explore Martha’s Vineyard’s Nature Trails

TrailsMV mobile app is the modern day treasure map   

The TrailsMV mobile application is an immersive experience developed by Blue Raster in collaboration with the Sheriff's Meadow Foundation (SMF) and their conservation partners. Designed to cater to hiking enthusiasts, residents, and visitors of Martha's Vineyard, MA, TrailsMV offers an interactive guide to over 220 miles of public trails spread across one hundred protected properties. 

This easy-to-use app allows users to: 

  • browse places to explore through the interactive map 
  • explore Martha's Vineyard trails with confidence through in depth property details 
  • get important alerts about trail closings and guided hikes    
  • learn about the island's rich natural history 
TrailsMV Mobile

TrailsMV provides a comprehensive resource for adventurers through detailed maps, property descriptions, and upcoming event listings. Moreover, users can access curated excursions, informative seasonal articles, and stay informed about upcoming events.

Featured in The New York Times, TrailsMV is an interactive guide to 220+ miles of public trails on more than 100 protected properties across the island of Martha’s Vineyard.

One key feature of the project is the seamless integration of ArcGIS Online data and maps with relevant contextual information, such as photos, text, and directions. Blue Raster developed flexible and repeatable backend workflows to consume dynamic content in the application. Leveraging Survey123 allows the team at Sheriff's Meadow Foundation the power to update, add, or remove content from the app without need for a developer to manually make modifications.

TrailsMV was built using AppStudio for ArcGIS and the ArcGIS Runtime API for Qt (Runtime). With Esri’s recent retirement announcement of ArcGIS AppStudio, Blue Raster will work with Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation on migration options to a new framework.

Incorporating the power of ArcGIS Online, Survey123, and thoughtful design, TrailsMV Mobile Application brings the beauty of Martha's Vineyard's trails to the fingertips of users, empowering them to explore, connect with nature and others, and discover what the island has to offer.

Featured in The New York Times, is an interactive guide to 220+ miles of public trails on more than 100 protected properties across the island of Martha’s Vineyard.

Download TrailsMV Today

Available in the Apple AppStore and the Google Play Store!

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