Week #3 Designing Story Maps.

 

In the bigger picture of the story map, this page provides a look at the historical setting and awareness into the development of Excelsior as a working-class neighborhood with close attention on the role of European immigrants, city and federal level policies, and the impact of racial and ethnic make-up on its evaluation and segregation. It's important to have a foundation for understanding the neighborhood's socioeconomic framework and how it became a majority white and blue-collar.  What makes this page great is its straightforward and direct presentation of the historical aspects that molded Excelsior's identity. It effectively highlights the reasons why European immigrants settled there and the subsequent city and federal policies that further solidified its working-class character. The page also goes into detail on the discriminatory practices by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), which led to the neighborhood becoming only white. In my opinion the author could have given more specific examples or narratives to paint a picture of the living conditions and challenges faced by the working-class residents in Excelsior during the 1930s and 1940s. Adding personal stories or testimonials might have made the narrative more engaging and relatable to the audience. Changing the page to include personal stories or testimonials from the residents would have added an emotional connection to the historical facts. This could have helped the audience empathize with the experiences of the working-class population, the struggles they faced due to poor housing quality, and the impact of discriminatory housing practices. The emotional connection created through such additions might have made the audience more invested in understanding the consequences of these historical events on individuals and communities.