The document describes a proposal for a website called Safe Space that would serve Somali American girls in Minneapolis. The purpose would be to empower and protect these girls by providing a social networking platform where they can connect with peers and mentors, find information about local resources and activities, and discuss issues related to their cultures, families, health and education. The site would aim to promote community cohesion and provide a safe online space for Somali American girls to connect, learn, and develop as individuals.

1. Safe Space
To Empower and Protect Somali American Girls in Minneapolis
Process Book
Tania Schueller
Web Design 1
W. Stanley Conrad
Spring 2013

2. Introduction
Table of Contents
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Introduction
Proposal
Website & Resource Comparison
Images & Inspiration
Typography & Color Study
Thumbnails
Rough Sketches
Site Map
Wireframe
Prototype
Homepage and URL
Screen Shots
M
innesota is home to an estimated 70,000
Somalis; the largest Somali concentration
in the country. As many as 40 percent of
this population are 18 years or younger. Somali
American girls often face pressures to observe
traditional cultural identities and to uphold their
families’ reputations.
Families were torn apart during
their escape from Somalia, and
girls’ mother figures could be
an aunt, cousin or other relative.
Many of these girls are having a
difficult time handling cultural
pressures and in result may drop
out of school, run away from
home, and in worst-case scenarios, become victims of gangs and
forced into prostitution.
Identities in the Somali community are changing rapidly. Many
young people in the Somali
American community are in the
midst of an identity crisis, feeling
lost in the mix of surrounding
cultures resulting in feelings of
isolation.
Younger Somalis are in a struggle with the older generation on
how much to adopt and adapt to
American culture. Young people
already belong to two cultures
are trying to figure out which one
they identify more with: their parents and rich traditional culture,
or pop culture of America.
There’s a lack of connection
between the parents and the
children, and that the children
are expressing that, but the
parents are not yet getting it.
Not that they don’t care but they
have a lot of other things to deal
with like survival issues, trying
to bring clothing and food and
shelter.
This confusion and isolation can
leave kids feeling vulnerable.
They’re just lost in the mix of all
these cultures that they happen
to be surrounded by. That may
be what’s leaving them open to
influences like gangs or the terrorist group Al Shabaab
(www.pri.org).
Somali society is clan based,
with clan leaders often wielding
greater authority than the national government.
The Somali clans trace their roots
back to the 12th century, with
conversion to Islam taking place
around the same time. At the
end of the 19th century, Somalia fell under the control of four
colonial powers England, France,
Italy, and Ethiopia until 1949
when the nation became a U.N.
trust territory. In 1960, the Somali
Republic was granted independence as a democratic state.
The United States became involved in Somalia in the late 70s
to counter communist influence
in the region. A variety of internal
conflicts led to the outbreak of
civil war in 1990, and the nation
slipped into anarchy. It was at
this time that many Somali refugees fled to the U.S. War and
unrest have continued up to the
present day.
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3. Website & Resource Comparison
Proposal
Purpose >
Audience >
Goals >
Vision >
The purpose of Safe Space is to
empower and protect
Somali-American girls living in
Minneapolis. The website will
promote community cohesion
within diverse, urban neighborhoods. It will also serve as a
positive resource for
Somali American girls; a place
to connect with peers and
develop relationships with
mentors, as well as an avenue
for finding information about
safe places to hang out or stay
over night. It will provide a social
networking space where Somali
girls can not only safely address
needs and concerns relating to
health, family, school and
cultural barriers, but also discuss
hobbies, school, or extracurricular interests.
The intended audience of Safe
Space is Somali American girls
in Minneapolis as well as health
care practitioners, non-profit
organizations, educators, and
community members who
wish to build and support
solidarity within the
Minneapolis community.
Goals for this website are to provide safe spaces and resources
for Somali-American girls in Minneapolis and serve as a social
networking website to empower
and develop as individuals and
members of their communities.
The tone of the Safe Space
website will be informative yet
cheerful, optimistic, and
empowering. Ideally, the audience of the website will view
this resource as their own space
to develop skills, relationships,
personal development, a sense
of community belonging and a
sense of security.
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Stratis Health
Somalis in Minnesota
Somali American
Parent Association
Somali Women in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis Youth
Coordinating Board
www.culturecareconnection.org
www.mnsapa.org
www.ethniccommunities.org
www.ycb.org
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4. Images & Inspiration
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5. Typography & Color Study
Font theme 1
Font theme 2
Header
Header
Subheader & Text
Thumbnails
Subheader & Text
Optima
Helvetica
Century Gothic
Corbel
Color Palette
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6. 8
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7. Rough Sketches
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8. 12
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9. Site Map
Wire Frame
Home Page
Home Page
Be Active
This Week
This Month
Groups
and Clubs
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Be Healthy
Resources
Be Safe
Resources
Connect
Be You
Peer
Support
Culture
Workshop
Mentor
Connection
Blog
Find
Friends
Goals
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10. Subpage - Be Active
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Subpage - Be Healthy
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11. Safe
Prototypes
Space
Minneapolis For Somal i Ame ri c an Gi rl s .
Home
Be
Active
Be
Healthy
Be
Safe
About
Conne ct
> S a f e S p a c e was created to
provide Somali American girls a
space to connect, be active, and be
heard. From connecting with peers,
developing a relationship with an
adult mentor, learning about healthy
choices to seeing what’s going on in
your neighborhood, this space has a
lot of knowledge and fun to offer.
> Yo u ha ve a vo ice. Let’s hea r it!
What’s g oin g on in you r world ?
...Be You
Connect with friends
Learn New Skills
Be You In Minneapolis
Safe Space All Rights Reserved | Conditions of Use | Privacy Policy | Site Map
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12. Homepage & URL
http://tschueller.studio.mcad.edu/webdesign1/finalProject/SafeSpace/index.html
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13. Screenshots
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