From topographic maps to Google maps, I’d often thought of maps as stagnant entities that provide simplified information on navigating the world in terms of directions and special orientation. After the cartography lecture, my understanding of what maps can do and provide is growing mere directions to a myriad of ways maps allow and help the viewer to navigate the world.   Thinking of maps as storytelling platforms opens up a whole new dimension for what maps can provide. The map we saw on eviction locations that provided personal accounts of those affected was an example of how powerful and impactful maps can be as a storytelling medium. Robin Kirk noted in her lecture to the class that an important part of successful activism is making people care about the issue. Combining maps with personal accounts and other storytelling strategies is a unique, visually appealing, and interactive way to utilize the power of storytelling in activism to make people care. The idea that maps can challenge the way we understand the world, and show connections and correlations between seemingly separate things is appealing as a useful and diverse form of activism. In a world where social media is allowing people to interact in increasingly more visual and interactive ways, mapping as a form of activism and informative medium can be a powerful tool for activist groups.