community technology

Back when I was Executive Director of the Ohio Community Computing Network, I would visit Community Technology Centers often. I knew they were underfunded and understaffed.

It all came flowing back to me when I found myself helping set up a public computer lab last night. The lab is a project of the University Area Enrichment Association, with lots of involvement by FreeGeek Columbus. The lab will be staffed by volunteers and mostly available as an open lab. They are looking for volunteers to monitor the lab and answer questions.

FreeGeek volunteers and OneWebDay Columbus volunteers (including my kids!) set up the lab last night so we can use it for OneWebDay today. Its not fancy. Every machine, monitor, keyboard, mouse combo looks different. And used. Because they are. All are refurbished. A volunteer found the tables on CraigsList. And the chairs are of the metal variety so common in church store rooms (which is exactly where these came from).

When I was in grad school, working toward a Master’s in Sociology, my dad would ask “What are you going to do with that?" -- a very reasonable question. As part of my studies, our research team conducted a project in which we asked the nonprofit organizations in the region what types of assistance they would like from the University.  Technology was consistently one of the major issues for which community and regional groups needed help.

Tech training for the under-served is crucial to our society - economically, socially and politically.  I have spent my entire career working toward digital equity.  As we see each segment of our lives integrated into the online world, it is becoming more important for EVERYONE to not only have access to the internet but to know how to engage in online activities safely and productively.

CTCNeT is the national organization that has traditionally provided support to community technology centers (ie, nonprofits that provided tech training to the under-served).  The initial focus for community technology centers was job training and teaching basic computer usage in low income communities.  That evolved over time to include youth media, PC repair, online safety, online job searching, in home computer programs, IT support for nonprofits and online organizing.  The target market expanded to include all technologically under-served communities, meaning not just low income but also senior citizens and the disabled.

On the drive back to Columbus from the Cincinnati One Web Day event, I was not only trying to figure out the best way to present the event in my blog post but also the best way to answer questions from my eleven year old.  I brought my son with me to the event.  I let him miss school (not a minor decision) in order to expose him to a situation where he could ask a question of a representative of a presidential candidate and to talk with others about the importance of technology in our lives.  I also wanted him to understand how the event came to be and why it was important.   Ultimately, those are the same things I want to convey to you. 

We did not have a representative of McCain participate.  Gigi Sohn, founder of Public Knowledge, represented Obama.

I should define the process for invitations.  I emailed invitations to both campaigns.  Through my involvement with the Obama campaign I was given a good email address for requesting a McCain rep.  The request was forwarded twice.  We landed with an individual who tried his best to get us someone.  Unfortunately when it turned out Michael Powell was not available in the morning, the McCain folks were unable to find us someone who a) wanted to participate and b) made it through their vetting process.   Very unfortunate.  Also important to note, we did invite the Nader folks.  No response.

I would wager I am one of few or possibly the only person blogging about the Brookings Institution and Greater Ohio’s movement building event.  They hosted the Restoring our Prosperity Policy Summit yesterday (Sept 10, 2008) in Columbus.  I think it would be unfortunate if I were to be the only person to blog about this event.  The event is important for the following reasons:

• Attendee estimates were at 1000.   For a smart growth summit in Columbus Ohio this is tremendous.  1000 people are concerned about developing Ohio’s core urban regions.  Truly tremendous.

• Brookings partnered with Greater Ohio to not only bring all these folks together but to also put forward a smart growth plan they call “Restoring Prosperity”.