Use these questions to think more about how you would describe your community...
  - Where do people in your community gather or socialize?
  - How and where does your community access services (healthcare, transportation, educational services, etc.)?

Examples of activities and services: Shopping areas, schools and universities, libraries, parks, lakes, rivers, places of worship, healthcare services, public transport, local nonprofit organizations, etc.

Your response: The Southcoast of Massachusetts is an area where one finds lots of beaches, bicycles paths that connect this community, Umass Dartmouth, and lots of Portuguese and Hispanic restaurants. These are some of the things that make this area distinctive.

Use these questions to think more about how you would describe your community...
  - What are the cultural bonds in your community?
  - If your community has a shared history, what is it?

Examples of cultural or historical interests: Religious groups, ethnic groups, languages, age groups, immigration status, historic or arts districts, etc.

Your response: When you drive on I-195 East coming from Rhode Island past Seekonk and Swansea, you are welcome to this area by a highway sign that says "Welcome to the Southcoast." You know then that you have come into a cohesive and distinct place that is different from other areas in the state. This area, including all of Fall River is historically an immigrant destination area. It is the home of at least five generations of Portuguese immigrants. It is the home of Cape Verdeans, Brazilians, Guatemalans, and Cambodians. People from all these ethnic groups live in Fall River, Dartmouth, Westport, and New Bedford.

Use these questions to think more about how you would describe your community...
  - Where are residents employed?
  - If there are environmental concerns in your community, what are they?

Examples of economic or environmental interests: Tourism industry, agricultural workers, mining town, manufacturing center, polluted natural resource, unemployment problem, etc.

Your response: The Southcoast of Massachusetts has economic ties including ports, immigrant economy, restaurants, and hopping that makes it a unique experience. It is also a prime area for harvesting wind power on the shores of all these towns.

Use these questions to think more about how you would describe your community...
  - What should politicians and/or map drawers know about your community?
  - What are the needs of your community?
  - Is there anything else you want to tell us about your community?

Examples of needs or concerns: Keep community in the same district or separate into multiple districts, shared policy concerns, need for a social service, relationship to other nearby communities, issues with current district lines

Your response: The needs of this community are unique: they need to feel that more unification is needed so that people from these town find support among sister cities or towns. The chambers of commerce of these areas are uniting more and more.