WELCOME TO THE NEW STAND
12.30.2009 // by: Alison
Welcome to the brand new Stand website. Please feel free to explore, but keep in mind that this is a work in progress. There will undoubtedly be kinks, quirks and dead-ends in these early days. With that in mind, we ask your help in spotting the rough spots. When you run into something that doesn’t seem right, or if you have general suggestions or questions, please let us know.
In the mean time, let me give you a little walk-through.
Home Page:
The new home page functions as a table of contents. Everything on it links to either Idea Blog, Action Lab, or our social media sites.
Our Story:
This is our “About” page. Here you’ll find our mission, vision, history and pictures of the people who make Stand happen.
Idea Blog:
This one is pretty self explanatory. This is where we put ideas—not just ours, but yours too. Whenever you read a great article, meet someone amazing, or just have an idea so crazy it just might work, send it our way and we’ll get it up here.
Action Lab:
Here is our multimedia area. Videos, photos and podcasts will all live here. And, as with the Idea Blog, your submissions are always welcome.
If you scroll down to the bottom of your page, you’ll see a few more destinations: Links, Press, FAQ and Contact. If you’ve been to the site before, the FAQ hasn’t changed too much. Links and Contact don’t really require explanation. Under Press, you’ll find a downloadable media kit and plenty of Stand press coverage.
So. Welcome to our new virtual home. Have a look around, mind the collapsible headings, and let us know what you think! And don’t forget, nos casa es su casa.
“VISIONING IN REAL TIME” WITH RUSSELL STALL
12.11.2009 // by: Alison
Wednesday, December 16 is our second installment of City Share, a speaker-based lunch series focused on finding creative solutions to community issues.
This week, we’ll be featuring Russell Stall, founder and Executive Director of Greenville Forward, an organization that seeks to enhance the quality of life for greater Greenville, SC. Greenville is a mid-sized city with a metro population of around 600,000, just slightly larger than Chattanooga’s 518,000+. Like Chattanooga, Greenville has undergone a huge transformation in the last few decades, evolving from the “Textile Capital of the World” to a diverse and desirable place through collaborative relationships, creative partnerships and community engagement.
In addition to size parallel, Chattanooga’s local economy bears striking similarities to that of Greenville. That is to say, Greenville’s economy is has been impacted by the presence of auto manufacturers, namely BMW and Michelin. According to Forbes Magazine, “Greenville is one of the few places that have been helped, not hurt, by an economic dependence on the auto industry. Luxury automaker BMW, whose plant is in the nearby city of Greer, generates jobs and helps keep its median household income at a healthy $56,820.” As Chattanooga plans for a future with VW, there is an opportunity to learn from Greenville.
Much like Chattanooga Venture in 1984, Greenville Forward has created a comprehensive plan for its next 25 years called Vision 2025, focusing mainly on showcasing Greenville’s cultural diversity, fostering the city’s arts community, and improving the quality education in local schools. As the director, Stall is the man who “wakes up every morning thinking about where Greenville is going.” Having taken cues from Chattanooga Venture, Stand’s implementation strategies have also been informed by the successes of Greenville Forward.
Please join us Wednesday, December 16 from 12-1 pm at CreateHere for a unique look at how visioning is being done elsewhere.
Lunch will be provided, so you don’t need to bring anything to the table except your ears and your ideas—but if you plan to attend, please (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Below is footage from last week’s meeting, “Gov 2.0” with Ben Berkowitz.
City Share: Government 2.0 from CreateHere Chattanooga on Vimeo.
City Share is always free and open to the public. Join us every first and third Wednesday of the month from 12-1 pm for light lunch, broad insight, and thoughtful discussion.
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Street Fight : A Film Screening and a Discussion
12.07.2009 // by: Alison
This Thursday night, Stand is pleased to be teaming up with Elizabeth Crews to present Street Fight, a documentary film about Cory Booker, the progressive community activist who became the Mayor of Newark, NJ as of 2006. The movie screening will be followed by a community conversation in which several local political leaders will discuss their paths to office, and together we’ll ask questions about what it will take to see new leaders emerge and be a part of shaping the future of our communities.
Hailed by the Washington Post as “the best American political documentary since 1993’s The War Room,” the Oscar-nominated documentary Street Fight is a riveting story about the underbelly of American democracy. Directed by Marshall Curry, the film chronicles the bare-knuckles race for mayor of Newark, N.J. between Cory Booker, a 32-year old Rhodes Scholar/Yale Law School grad, and Sharpe James, the four-term incumbent twice his age. Street Fight captures a rarely-seen style of politics that is not about spin-doctors, media consultants, or photo ops. In Newark, we discover, elections are won and lost in the streets.
Elizabeth Crews is a graduate of UTC’s Political Science department who worked as a campaign staffer in Georgia and Ohio during Barack Obama’s presidential run. Crews’ personal mission is to get Chattanoogans more engaged in local politics—from voting in local elections, to running for public office.
“For too long, too many people have turned a blind eye to politics in the region,” says Crews. “As an Obama campaign staffer, I witnessed first hand the power of everyday citizens taking responsibility for their futures. This is a chance for us to start a conversation about how we can create and sustain more involvement in our politics, and our future. I’m very proud of the Stand organizers’ ability to engage the community in a new way and am looking forward to watching—and participating—as the project moves into a new stage.”
The film will be followed by a brief community conversation facilitated by District 8 Councilman Andrae McGary, Justin Wilkins, the Tennessee director of Organizing for America, the organization that evolved out of the Obama campaign, and Crews herself.
Join Stand and Ms. Crews at green|spaces from 7-9 pm on Thursday, Dec 10 for beer, snacks, inspirational film-viewing and rousing discussion.
For more information about the film, visit http://www.marshallcurry.com.
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