Community Away from Totality

The "Great American Solar Eclipse" of 2017 was an important opportunity for scientists and science educators to engage significant numbers of US residents in a collective science experience. Important science and the most spectacular science experience happened in the path of totality, and many people traveled to totality for this experience. However, most of the population that experienced the eclipse, did so in their local community and viewed only a partial eclipse. More over, significant barriers existed to traveling to totality, particularly for poor communities and communities who do not view science as "for them." That said, opportunities exist for engaging these populations in their communities and bringing a science experience to them. This paper describes one such event in New York City as part of the UX Science outreach program that serves poor communities and communities of color in the NYC area. This was an opportunity to strengthen these communities by building their relationship to science. The paper also advocates for a broader effort to reach underserved communities during the 2024 event.