A DIGITAL WORLD, FOR BETTER OR WORSE
01.27.2010 // by: Alison
Technology is a fickle beast—and last week’s City Share with Casey Caplowe from GOOD is a perfect example of this tender fact. Those who were present for Casey’s presentation, as well as that of DJ Trischler from the Half Campaign, can attest that it was a very informative and inspiring lunch hour…and we thank them greatly for their participation.
So, bad news first. We’ve been experimenting with streaming conversation platforms, and unfortunately our audio recording fell prey to this experimentation. In spite of how moved we were by Casey’s talk, we were unable to record sound this time and therefore have no audible record of it. We do have Casey’s slide presentation, though, which you can view here.
Now for the good news. Last week was also our first attempt at live-tweeting an event. So, while we don’t have a sound clip for you, you can check out @StandHQ on Twitter for direct quotes, summaries, and web links from the talk. And, as a result of our #CityShare live-tweet barrage, we got some great feedback from @GOOD and @StandHQ followers all over the world.
One of our posts quoted Caplowe in asking, “What makes a neighborhood?”—and we were surprised and pleased to see how similar the feedback was to this very simple, very tough question. These three posts pretty well encapsulate the trend:
Ryan Michael Fogarty of New York replied through two consecutive tweets: “This is small, but when some one says a pleasantry (“good morning”, etc.”) So few people say things above a grumble…I’m always surprised and happy when people do it. Thanks 21st Century cynicism.”
Marco Giovanni Sain of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil replied with “Good people that you can count on when necessary.”
And Dave Thomas from LA, said that “talking, tolerance and respect” are what make a difference.
Interestingly, each of these responses comes down to one central theme. A neighborhood can be many things—it can exist online amid websites, message boards and social media or it can take place on street-corners, across balconies and picket fences, in parks, churches and cafeterias. Regardless, it seems that what makes a neighborhood is no more complicated than the people within it. Online or in person, good neighbors make good neighborhoods.
STOP BY MLK BLVD ON MLK DAY
01.15.2010 // by: Alison
Monday is Martin Luther King Day, which means that many of us will find ourselves with a day off. If you’re looking for something MLK focused to do for a few hours, what better than a clean-up of MLK Boulevard?
Organized by Urban League Young Professionals Association, this celebration of MLK Day 2010 is a neighborhood cleanup of the Historic Martin Luther King, Jr. Neighborhood.
Meet up at 10am at the Urban League Office for coffee and hot chocolate, then join a group and go out into the neighborhood to pick up trash and sort recyclables. At noon, everyone will meet back up for lunch at Champy’s.
Please take a few hours out of your day off to make our city a little better.
For more information, visit the event site.
COMING UP NEXT
01.13.2010 // by: Alison
As you’ll see in our Upcoming Events section, we’ve got a lot of big stuff coming up around here. Below is a quick run-down.
Wed, January 20: City Share: “Design for the Greater Good”
Casey Caplowe is the creative director for GOOD, an integrated media platform for people who want to live well and do good. GOOD is both a company and community for the people, businesses, and NGOs moving the world forward, with a mission to provide content, experiences, and utilities to serve this community.
For this week’s City Share, Caplowe will not be discussing one city in particular, but rather explaining several city enrichment initiatives that GOOD is featuring, encouraging, and participating in. Through open-source brainstorming and international design expos, GOOD is helping to connect big ideas in small towns across the country and the world. On Wednesday, Caplowe will give us a tour of some of these ideas and we’ll have a chance to voice some of our own.
A delicious, grease and trans-fat free lunch will be generously provided by JJ Maverick’s.
If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Blair Waddell at 423.648.2195 or blair [at] createhere.org.
Saturday, January 30: How to Run for Public Office Seminar
Thinking about running for elected office or playing a leadership role in someone else’s campaign? Join us for this non-partisan seminar that’s open to anyone interested in seeking (or keeping) an elected office. Topics will include:
• First Steps as a Candidate: Making the Decision to Run
• Know Your Territory: How to Get Information on Your Constituency
• Media Relations: How to Draft and Deliver Your Message
• Election Fundraising and Budgets
• Compliance and Record-Keeping
• If I Knew Then What I Know Now: Panel of Current Office Holders
9 am - 3 pm in UTC University Center, Raccoon Mountain Room.
$20 will get you in for the day, including a light breakfast and lunch.
RSVP by Wednesday, January 27th to Keesha Marshall at 423.756.1762 or info@ulchatt.net.
February 3: City Share: “Open Source Education”
David Boehnke is a volunteer organizer and co-founder of the Experimental College of the Twin Cities (EXCO), where everyone can teach or take classes and all classes are free. EXCO is a collective of Experimental Colleges in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN that shares visions of a better world, offers free and open classes, and is building a community around education for social change. At EXCO.
February 17: City Share: “Reinventing Urban Spaces”
Dan Kildee is the chairperson for the Genesee County Land Bank, as well as being the Treasurer for Genesee County. The Genesee County Land Bank manages land in and around Flint, MI that has been obtained through foreclosure, gift, or purchase in such a way as to return those properties to the tax roll in a higher and better condition than when received.
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