> In 2017, DS4SI created **Social Emergency Response Centers** (SERCs) to help people understand the moment we’re in, from all different perspectives. Co-created with activists, artists and community members, SERCs are temporary, pop-up spaces that help us move from rage and despair into collective, radical action. SERCs are continuing and growing—a people-led public infrastructure sweeping the country from Utica, MS to Atlanta, Albuquerque, Washington DC, Chicago, Orange, NJ, Hartford, CT, etc. They are popping up in homes, community centers, schools, churches and conferences. SERCs function as both an artistic gesture and a practical solution. As such, they aim to find the balance between the two, answering questions like: How will we feed people--and their hunger for justice? How will we create a shelter--where it's safe to bring your whole damn self? What will reconstruction--of civil society--look like?
Read more at http://www.ds4si.org/interventions/serc
[DS4SI](http://www.ds4si.org/) has helped support over 20 SERCs over 2017-18.
Here's a diagram via DS4SI to help you imagine it!
[](https://publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/019/738/original/tmp_10143-static1.squarespace.com-653398842.jpg)
## The SERC Dispatch
The SERC Dispatch is a collaboratively-written mini-newspaper based on [The Barnraiser](/the-barnraiser), a for the SERC at 2018's Equity Summit in Chicago. Visit the SERC at **Randolph 2** to get involved!
## Resources
Here's a worksheet for SERC Dispatch reporters: worksheet.pdf
SERC-Intake-Form.pdf
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## Past content
This page was formerly used to organize the Somerville SERC in 2017; see [this page](/wiki/somerville-serc) for more info.