The process: Human-centered design
In April and May of 2024, Dalberg Design and Wellspring Consulting facilitated 28 community research sessions with 83 Houston residents from Latin, South Asian, East and Southeast Asian, West/Central/Eastern and South African, and Middle East and North African communities. These gatherings explored the participants’ experiences of citizenship and daily life, immigration journeys, trusted networks, and aspirations around gaining citizenship.
These sessions paved the way for 17 co-design sessions with 21 nonprofit members and 46 community members in July and August of 2024. After these co-design meetings, Dalberg Design(opens in new window) and Wellspring Consulting(opens in new window) processed the ideas and concepts they had gleaned, methodically narrowing the ideas to be prototyped and tested. Participants then prioritized three pilot concepts, which Dalberg and Wellspring onboarded and implemented at local organizations in partnership with the employees there.
The setting: Five neighborhoods
The research and programs focused on five neighborhoods identified by the Citizenship Advisory Committee, a group of experienced local advocates. The neighborhoods they chose represented both variety and concentration of eligible-to-naturalize Houstonians.
- North Houston: Aldine, Eastex-Jensen, Greenspoint
- Greater East End and East Harris County: Magnolia Park, Galena Park, Pasadena
- Southwest Houston: Alief, Sharpstown, Gulfton
- Northeast Fort Bend: Sugar Land, Fort Bend Houston
- Montgomery County: Conroe, Willis
