A Biodesign Community Program for Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Youth
"Roots of Renewal" was a five-week Biodesign internship empowering AAPI youth in Sunset Park, Brooklyn through a blend of sustainability practices, art, and science education.
Over the five weeks at Genspace, the students delved into fungi, mushroom cloning, and aseptic techniques. They engaged with professionals from Biofabricate and Terreform in the biodesign industry, worked with mycelium to create their own sculptures, participated in a mushroom walk with the New York Mycological Society, learned about fungal DNA barcoding, and created a zine that documents their observations and learnings.
Team
Sally Kong
Supported By
The Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) provided the funding and facilitated the connection with the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), who assessed interest, reached out and recruited the students, and provided the space for the graduation ceremony. Genspace provided space for orientation day. And the New York Mycological Society conducted the mushroom walk.