> 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!
[![tmp_10143-static1.squarespace.com-653398842.jpg](https://publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/019/738/large/tmp_10143-static1.squarespace.com-653398842.jpg)](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.
See our April 12th issue here:
serc-dispatch-april-12-2018.pdf
[![IMG_20180412_180210_533.jpg](https://publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/024/585/large/IMG_20180412_180210_533.jpg)](https://publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/024/585/original/IMG_20180412_180210_533.jpg)
[![IMG_20180412_180210_538.jpg](https://publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/024/586/large/IMG_20180412_180210_538.jpg)](https://publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/024/586/original/IMG_20180412_180210_538.jpg)
## 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.