What does it mean for a young person to feel a true sense of belonging in their city?
In 2024, data collected by the Nashville Youth Design Team (NYDT) for Imagine Nashville found that only 60% of youth ages 8–18 feel a sense of belonging in the city—compared to 78% of adults. The NYDT has partnered with 2892 Miles to Go to create ArcGIS Story Maps that bring this statistic to life through powerful youth narratives. At the upcoming Youth Design Exhibition, NYDT will unveil the Story Maps and showcase community space designs created to strengthen youth belonging across Nashville.

This work is supported in part by Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Metro Development and Housing Authority, Belmont University, Vanderbilt University and 2892 Miles to Go.