Mumtaz Hammad works across urban planning, sound design, and writing to explore spatial justice, cultural preservation, and community-centered mapping. They hold an M.S. in Urban Planning from Columbia University's GSAPP and an M.A. in South Asian Studies from UT Austin.
Their trans-disciplinary practice investigates how community spaces are located, interpellated, and experienced through processes of planning, performance, and sonic composition.
Their writings have been published in EFNIKS, Spy Kids Review, URBAN Magazine, Cordite Magazine, and Rest for Resistance.
CV may be provided upon request.
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Towards a Depoliced Nightlife: Spatial Analysis of Surveillance & Community Alternatives in Brooklyn
Spatial Analysis Report
Columbia University GSAPP Fall 2023
Role: GIS Analyst, Spatial Researcher
Project Overview
This spatial analysis examines how nightlife districts in Brooklyn are shaped by surveillance infrastructure and policing patterns. Using digital cartographic tools and spatial analysis techniques, the project identifies relationships between entertainment venues, police incidents, and surveillance systems to propose community-mediated alternatives to increased policing in nightlife zones.
Software: ArcGIS Desktop, Spatial Analyst, Network Analyst, Adobe InDesign
Methods: Hotspot analysis, kernel density mapping, buffer analysis, temporal pattern analysis
Data Sources: NYPD incident data, venue licensing records, NYC Open Data, field observations
Study Area: Brooklyn entertainment districts (Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Downtown Brooklyn)
Key Findings
-
65% of nightlife-related incidents occurred within 200m of licensed venues
- Two primary hotspot clusters emerged in Greenpoint and Williamsburg
- Incident density correlates with venue type and neighborhood demographics
- Temporal analysis revealed peak enforcement activity between 11pm-3am on weekends
Planning Applications
This spatial analysis informed recommendations for community-mediated safety alternatives in Brooklyn nightlife districts. By mapping concentration patterns of policing infrastructure and identifying spatial patterns of enforcement, the project demonstrated how GIS tools can support policy advocacy for more equitable approaches to nightlife management.
Recommendations
- Identifying priority zones for community-based safety programs through organizations like NY Peace Institute and MEND NYC
- Providing spatial evidence for policy recommendations to NYC nightlife advocates
- Creating replicable methodology for nightlife policy analysis in other cities