Respondents are eligible to win a $25 gift card.
Sophomore Raquel Thompson is leading a project with the McMillon Innovation Studio at the University of Arkansas this semester focused on diversity and inclusion. The studio is a place that teaches students about innovation, project management, data analysis and design thinking.
“It’s basically how you develop a meaningful solution to a real world problem,” Thompson says.
Application of these skills can include creating prototypes, interviewing members of the community or developing a survey, which is what Thompson is doing. Along with her three teammates, Thompson is working to help Leisurlist “become a more diverse, equitable and inclusive brand.” Leisurlist is a mobile app and website that helps users discover things to eat, see and do in Northwest Arkansas.
In considering how to make residents “feel visible, engaged and valued within the community,” Thompson and her team decided to ask for feedback through a survey. Their target audience is Northwest Arkansas residents who belong to an underrepresented community.
“That includes BIPOC, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, people who are from different socioeconomic backgrounds, just anybody who may not have an adequate platform to have their voice heard,” Thompson said.
Respondents are eligible to be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card of their choice to Amazon or Walmart. They can also agree to be part of a followup interview where they can elaborate on their answers.
“We genuinely want to create a transformative solution that can actually impact our community,” Thompson says. “And we want to make sure that everybody who wants to live here gets represented in the community, as well as has the same opportunity to live a great life here.”
The survey is available here. The deadline to respond is Friday.