Study Case of Erizo Juan Santamaría: from free map to official cartography

Digital maps are a widely used tool for accessing products and services, territorial planning or distribution of resources during emergencies. Under-representation of marginalized communities is an example of historical socioeconomic exclusions reconfiguration through geospatial data. Each mapping process of a marginalized community is a learning opportunity because of its own particularities. Whether these are methodological, in terms of access to technologies, level of digital literacy or even political- administrative when the data is to be made official. This article presents with enough detail the case of mapping the urban informal settlement Erizo Juan Santamaría in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The neighborhood was an empty space on OpenStreetMap and now is part of the country’s official cartography. Mapping was conducted by people who live in the community and a research group from a public university. The process was carried out using technologies based on free/open software and participatory cartography methodologies, consistent with a decolonial perspective of public university. The inclusion of Erizo Juan Santamaría in digital maps is a step forward to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of the neighborhood through the digital space justice and represents a successful case of reclaiming the right to be represented in the map.