Posts in Minnesota Voices Online

From: Elliot Margolies <email obscured>>

Date: February 23, 2010 11:11:15 AM CST

To: Laurie Cirivello <email obscured>>, Jan Schaffer <email obscured>>,
TCDP editor <email obscured>>, <email obscured>

Subject: Webinar March 2: Citizen Journalism & Media Centers



The Alliance for Community Media is sponsoring a 90-minute webinar on
Citizen Journalism, Tuesday, March 2, at 1 PM EST for the irresistibly low
member cost of $10. Sign up today and pass this on to others who would
benefit.

A number of community media centers are participating in exciting new
collaborations with local organizations, neighborhood activists, schools,
and media outlets to create online, hyperlocal, citizen-journalism sites.

Learn how citizen-journalism projects have been set up by Cambridge
Community TV <http://www.cctvcambridge.org/>  and Grand Rapids
<http://www.cctvcambridge.org/>  Community Media Center. Get an overview of
56 different projects nationwide that have been funded by J-Lab
<http://www.j-newvoices.org/> , The Institute for Interactive Journalism.
Hear an editor's point of view when it comes to generating credible and
competent content from local residents for the Twin Cities Daily
<http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/>  Planet.  Pose questions to our four
distinguished panelists to understand the rewards and challenges of these
innovative projects that are using digital technologies to generate civic
awareness and participation even as traditional journalism institutions are
facing their greatest challenges to sustainability.

Registration Information:

Webinar: Tuesday, March 2nd, 1 PM EST

Cost:  ACM Members:  $10                   Non-members: $15

Registration link:  http://alliancecm.org/civicrm/event/info?id=16
<http://alliancecm.org/civicrm/event/info?id=16&reset=1> &reset=1



After registration, you will receive a URL, a telephone number, and an
access code for participation.

This webinar and others to follow in the coming months are made possible by
a grant to the ACM from the Surdna Foundation <http://www.surdna.org/> .  In
addition to the webinars, Surdna has supported the creation of the Community
Media <http://communitymedia2pt0.blogspot.com/>  2.0 blog site, featuring
interviews with PEG practitioners discussing their best practices.

  _____

Panelist information:

Laurie Cirivello is Executive Director of the Grand Rapids Community Media
Center, where she leads a staff team providing services in public access
cable, community radio, and nonprofit IT support and web development. GRCMC
received a grant from the Knight Foundation and the Grand Rapids Community
Foundation to launch an online citizen journalism outlet called
<http://therapidian.org/about> "The Rapdidian."

Laurie has been an executive director of PEG operations since 1993 and has
assumed numerous leadership roles within the Alliance for Community Media.

  _____

Colin Rhinesmith is Community Media Coordinator at Cambridge Community
Television (CCTV) in Cambridge, MA. Previously, Colin was Digital Media
Producer for the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard
University, where he produced audio & video podcasts for MediaBerkman and
the Citizen Media Law Project.

At CCTV, Colin manages the NeighborMedia
<http://www.cctvcambridge.org/neighbormedia>  program and other community
media and technology projects. He also teaches many of CCTV's web media
courses. Colin wrote his Master's Thesis on the intersection of PEG Access
Television and the Social Web. Colin's blog can be found at
http://colinrhinesmith.com <http://colinrhinesmith.com/> .

  _____

Jan Schaffer, former Business Editor and a Pulitzer Prize winner for The
Philadelphia Inquirer, is executive director of J-Lab: The Institute for
Interactive Journalism (www.J-Lab.org <http://www.j-lab.org/> ) and one of
the nation's leading thinkers in the journalism reform movement.

She left daily journalism in 1994 to lead pioneering journalism initiatives
in the areas of civic journalism, interactive and participatory journalism
and citizen media ventures.

J-Lab is a center of American University's School of Communication. She
launched J-Lab in 2002 to help newsrooms use innovative computer
technologies to engage people in important public issues. The center now
spotlights new forms of digital storytelling on (www.J-Lab.org
<http://www.j-lab.org/> ). It rewards innovative practices through the
Knight-Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism. It funds cutting-edge
citizen media start-ups through its New Voices project (www.J-NewVoices.org
<http://www.j-newvoices.org/> ). It built web tutorials on how to launch and
manage community news sites (www.J-Learning.org <http://www.j-learning.org/>
). It collects information on community, citizen and original journalism
projects with the Knight Citizen News Network (www.kcnn.org
<http://www.kcnn.org/> ) and it raises awareness of women in media in a
partnership with McCormick Foundation through the New Media Women
Entrepreneurs project (www.newmediawomen.org <http://www.newmediawomen.org/>
).

J-Lab is the successor to the Pew Center for Civic Journalism, a $14 million
project which Schaffer previously led. The center (www.pewcenter.org
<http://www.pewcenter.org/> ) helped to fund more than 120 pilot projects
that developed new reporting techniques to engage people better in public
life.

  _____

Mary Turck is the editor of the TC <http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/>  Daily
Planet, a title that encompasses tasks ranging from reporting on legislative
hearings to bringing snacks for citizen journalist and community media
partner meetings. Mary is the former editor of the award-winning Connection
to the Americas and AMERICAS.ORG <http://americas.org/> . She is also a
recovering attorney and the author of many books for young people (and a few
for adults), mostly focusing on historical and social issues.

She currently teaches workshops on citizen journalism and immigration. Mary
lives in St. Paul <http://tcdailyplanet.net/stpaul>  with her husband, their
two daughters and two dogs. Mary's blog is called
<http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/blog/mary-turck> Keeping the Faith.




Elliot Margolies, the Moderator, was Executive Director at media centers in
Palo Alto and Cupertino, California.  He has a background in documentary and
news production and a masters degree in broadcast journalism.







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-----Original Message-----
From: Ben Damman <email obscured>]
Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2010 8:59 AM
To: <email obscured>
Subject: Re: [MNVoices] Google is now involved with broadband promotion!

Sure thing, Ann. We had a hundred people show up; many officials, students,
technology entrepreneurs--and also people that aren't typically early
adopter technology types. Executives from AMSOIL, students from UW-Superior,
and the mayors of Superior and Duluth were present and participating. Major
industries that could benefit from the 1 Gbps also were represented,
including health care and education.

We were also recently featured in a segment on Almanac North, which you can
watch on our blog:

*http://blog.google.twinports.coop/*

Our homepage is undergoing major renovations, but anyone--even those of you
outside the Twin Ports--should register their support by going there now:
http://www.googletwinports.com

Links to our Facebook Group, Google Group, and so forth are on the homepage.

And of course, feel free to use our homepage instead of going to
google.comdirectly for your searches. I call that search box the
"Prayers to Google"
feature. ;-)

*Ben Damman* ←| *Google Twin Ports <http://google.twinports.coop> Core Team
Member* - Systems Thinking Guy


On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 3:59 AM, Ann Treacy <email obscured>> wrote:

> Ed,
>
> Thanks for the link! I know that Twin Ports/Duluth is in the Google game -
> in fact can anyone from Twin Ports tell us how the rally went last week? (Or
> even talk more about initiative to go for a Google network?)
>
> Is anyone else in a community that going for a Google network? I'd love to
> hear more about it. I think an interest from Minnesota generally will help
> these individual communities - and in turn any state with a Google community
> is definitely going to benefit.
>
> Thanks!!  Ann
>
> Ann Treacy
> Treacy Information Services
> 1841 Fairmount Ave
> St Paul MN 55105
> 651-212-9107
> http://www.treacyinfo.com
> <email obscured>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ed Davis <email obscured>]
> Sent: Saturday, February 20, 2010 11:52 PM
> To: <email obscured>
> Subject: [MNVoices] Google is now involved with broadband promotion!
>
>
>
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/think-big-with-gig-our-experimental.html
>
> --
>
> Ed Davis
> Help Desk and Special Projects
>
> Ed Davis
> Lake Phalen - District 5, STP
> Info about Edward Davis: http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/eddavis
>
> View all messages on this topic at:
> http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/6NzzLJ9XffGCNttkWnUkNq
> -----------------------------------------
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>
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>
>
> Ann  Treacy
> Mac Groveland, St Paul
> Info about Ann  Treacy: http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/ann treacy
>
> View all messages on this topic at:
> http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/1EGO12DEMXFldI8cSYiJRq
> -----------------------------------------
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>

Ben Damman
Duluth
Info about Twin Ports Ben:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/4phHxwkSglqxcAi38iyEUM

View all messages on this topic at:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/7My5x65xbsq9NlUsGrebkG
-----------------------------------------
  To post, e-mail: <email obscured>
  Use "Reply-to-All" via e-mail to post publicly.
  To leave or for daily digest, type "unsubscribe" or "digest on"
  in subject, then send to: <email obscured>

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>
> Thanks!!  Ann
>
> Ann Treacy
> Treacy Information Services
> 1841 Fairmount Ave
> St Paul MN 55105
> 651-212-9107
> http://www.treacyinfo.com
> <email obscured>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ed Davis <email obscured>]
> Sent: Saturday, February 20, 2010 11:52 PM
> To: <email obscured>
> Subject: [MNVoices] Google is now involved with broadband promotion!
>
>
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/think-big-with-gig-our-experimental.html
>

-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Davis <email obscured>]
Sent: Saturday, February 20, 2010 11:52 PM
To: <email obscured>
Subject: [MNVoices] Google is now involved with broadband promotion!

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/think-big-with-gig-our-experimental.html

--

Ed Davis
Help Desk and Special Projects

Ed Davis
Lake Phalen - District 5, STP
Info about Edward Davis: http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/eddavis

View all messages on this topic at:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/6NzzLJ9XffGCNttkWnUkNq
-----------------------------------------
  To post, e-mail: <email obscured>
  Use "Reply-to-All" via e-mail to post publicly.
  To leave or for daily digest, type "unsubscribe" or "digest on"
  in subject, then send to: <email obscured>

  More information about Minnesota Voices Online:
  http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/mnvoices

  E-Democracy.Org rules: http://e-democracy.org/rules
-----------------------------------------
Technical assistance thanks to our friends at http://OnlineGroups.Net

Ann Treacy

Treacy Information Services

1841 Fairmount Ave

St Paul MN 55105
651-212-9107

http://www.treacyinfo.com <http://www.treacyinfo.com/>

<email obscured>

On 1/13/10 9:35 AM, "Steven Clift" <email obscured>> wrote:

> From the full release below ... congrats to Duluth Superior. So what advice
> do you have for them? Anyone here involved?
>
> Steve
>
>
> *Recipient:  Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation *
>
> Project: TheDuSu.com
>
> Award: $122,000
>
> To attract and retain young adults in Duluth and Superior, the community
> foundation created TheDuSu.com, an online portal designed to help young
> adults share information and ideas. Currently, the portal provides
> information on working, living, playing and connecting in the Twin Ports.
> This grant will help increase site interactivity, enhance content, conduct
> research and increase guerrilla marketing tactics so TheDuSu can better
> provide the information young people need to thrive in the area.
>
> Steven Clift - http://stevenclift.com
>  Executive Director - http://E-Democracy.Org
>  Follow me - http://twitter.com/democracy
>  New Tel: +1.612.234.7072
>
>
> From: Knight Community Information Challenge <email obscured>>
> Date: Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 9:23 AM
> Subject: Knight Foundation Spurs New Round of Local News and Information
> Projects Nationwide
> To: <email obscured>
>
>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> Contact: Marc Fest, Knight Foundation, 305-908-2677;
> <email obscured>
> Knight Foundation Spurs New Round of Local News and Information Projects
> Nationwide Knight Community Information Challenge Winners Are Part of a
> Growing Number of Local Foundations Seeking to Meet Local Information Needs
>
> MIAMI (Jan. 13, 2010) - Twenty-four innovative ideas that will help meet
> Americas information needs have received $4.3 million from the John S. and
> James L. Knight Foundation. The projects  submitted by community and
> place-based foundations nationwide in a Knight Foundation contest  include:
>
>
>    - Examining the Chicago areas changing media landscape  and funding
>    journalism innovators to fill the information voids;
>    - Creating information campaigns to spread the word about pressing
>    issues, including how to end gun violence in New York City, and improve
>    early childhood education in Boulder, Colorado, and
>    - Funding journalists and online news sites in Wyoming, Arkansas,
>    Connecticut, New Jersey and Florida to produce news in the public
interest.
>
> The projects represent the second-year winners of the Knight Community
> Information Challenge, a five-year, $24 million contest that helps community
> and place-based foundations find creative ways to use new media and
> technology to keep residents informed and engaged.
>
> Information is as important to a thriving democracy as clean air, jobs and
> schools. As leaders, local foundations are taking the initiative to meet
> those information needs, said Trabian Shorters, Knight Foundations vice
> president for communities, who leads the challenge. These projects help
> ensure that everyone has the information necessary to make decisions about
> their governments and their lives.
>
> Among the winners  a full list is below  are foundations rural and urban,
> large and small. For the first time, several foundations joined together
> this year to create regional projects for greater impact.
>
> All are part of a growing movement to help fund local news and information
> projects and ensure that residents are informed and engaged. In fact, J-Lab,
> the Institute for Interactive Journalism, recently found that more than 207
> foundations have funded $135.86 million in grants to 128 projects since
> 2005.
>
> The Chicago Community Trust, one of the nations oldest community
> foundations, is now a two-time winner.  With its grant, the trust will
> expand its Community News Matters program, which fosters new ways of
> informing the Chicago region through grants to local media innovators. In
> addition, the trust will conduct a study examining strengths and weaknesses
> of the areas information infrastructure and convene a conference on the
> topic.
>
> The Trust, like other community foundations, is acutely aware of the
> changing media landscape in our communities. We recognize that access to
> information is essential for the quality of life and democracy of those we
> serve, said Terry Mazany, the Trusts president and CEO. We applaud Knight
> Foundation for motivating community foundations across the nation to become
> real laboratories invested in the development of the future of community
> news and information.
>
> The challenge complements the sweeping recommendations of the Knight
> Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy, a joint
> project of the Aspen Institute and Knight Foundation.  In its report issued
> in October, the Commission asserts that democracy in America is threatened
> by the lack of equal access to quality information. In addition to 15 urgent
> recommendations, the report provides a checklist that communities can use to
> determine which information needs are being met, and which need attention.
> The report is available at www.knightcomm.org.
>
> Both the Knight Commission and the Knight Community Information Challenge
> are part of Knight Foundations Media Innovation Initiative, a $100 million
> plus effort to meet Americas information needs. More at
>
www.knightfoundation.org/mii<http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=2518662
>
0&msgid=424751&act=W34G&c=272809&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.knightfoundation
> .org%2Fmii>
>
> Knight Foundation will again accept applications for the Knight Community
> Information Challenge beginning in early February. For more information on
> the challenge, visit www.informationneeds.org
>
> About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
>
> The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation advances journalism in the
> digital age and invests in the vitality of communities where the Knight
> brothers owned newspapers. Knight Foundation focuses on projects that
> promote community engagement and lead to transformational change. For more,
> visit
>
www.knightfoundation.org<http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=25186620&ms
>
gid=424751&act=W34G&c=272809&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.knightfoundation.org
> %2F>
> .
>
> 2010 Knight Community Information Challenge Winners
> *Recipient:  ACT For Alexandria*
>
> Project: ACTion Alexandria
>
> Award: $102,000
>
> To encourage community problem-solving in Alexandria, Va., this effort will
> create an online site where residents can post problems, debate solutions
> and decide on a course of action. While email lists have greatly improved
> the way neighbors disseminate local information, this project aims to
> provide the next generation platform for communities to freely share their
> thoughts and beliefs and act on them to improve their city.
> *Recipient: Akron Community Foundation*
>
> Project: Digital Media Center
>
> Award: $350,000
>
> In order to strengthen community news and information-sharing, this grant
> will create a new digital media academy that trains residents to share news
> and information about their neighborhoods using cutting-edge technology.
> Citizen journalists of all ages will be given the training and tools to
> express their individual voices through the creation of news stories, music,
> documentaries, videos and other projects. Uploaded content will be broadcast
> on an open-application portal provided by the Akron Beacon Journal, which
> citizens can then tap into using their mobile phones, computers and other
> emerging technologies.
> *Recipient: Arkansas Community Foundation*
>
> Project: Write for Arkansas
>
> Award: $252,000
>
> In order to provide more in-depth coverage of local issues, this project
> will add five reporters to cover community and economic development issues
> for community newspapers in Arkansas. The reporters will write articles for
> print and blog about their communities and experiences on a new Write for
> Arkansas Web site. The additional reporting staff will help Arkansas
> residents and leaders have a greater understanding of the states challenges
> and needs. Meanwhile, the projects online component will chronicle local
> issues from across the state and open a new channel of communication
> allowing residents to participate in the news.
> *Recipient: California Community Foundation*
>
> Project: Be Counted, Represent
>
> Award: $72,000
>
> To encourage Los Angeles-area Latinos to participate in the U.S. census,
> this grant will help launch a dual Internet-mobile phone application. Voto
> Latino  A Census Challenge Game will target Latino youth to take an online
> pledge to be counted and give them an opportunity to become virtual 2010
> Census recruiters by tapping others in their social networks to do the same.
> The site will also stream viral videos with celebrity-driven public service
> announcements that highlight the importance of participating in the census.
> The project, in partnership with the Mexican American Legal Defense and
> Educational Fund and Voto Latino, will provide accurate, instant bilingual
> information about the importance of participating in the census as it
> impacts federal funding and political representation.
> *Recipient: Centre County Community Foundation *
> Project: Central Pennsylvania 2-1-1
>
> Award: $225,000
>
> In order to provide residents with vital civic information, this grant will
> help launch a 2-1-1 phone information service in 15 Pennsylvania counties.
> Residents will have access to round-the-clock answers to questions about
> local services for basic needs and emergencies, as well as general community
> information. While there will also be an online component, much of this area
> is without broadband Internet access, and phone service is likely to be the
> primary link.
> *Recipient:  The Chicago Community Trust*
>
> Project: Community News Matters
>
> Award: $202,000
>
> To stimulate new ways to provide the Chicago region with critical local news
> and information, The Chicago Community Trust has launched Community News
> Matters, a grant program to support the citys media innovators. The Knight
> Foundation support will help fund projects designed to increase the flow of
> high-quality information to the public and to develop new distribution and
> business models. In addition, the Trust will conduct a study examining the
> regions information infrastructure  its strengths and weakensses  and
> convene a conference on the topic.
> *Recipient: Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan*
>
> Project: GreenSpace
>
> Award: $352,000
>
> To encourage support for creating more livable communities, this grant will
> develop an information hub for the seven-county region of southeast Michigan
> that will inform residents about how to be good stewards of the areas
> natural resources. The GreenSpace project will bring together all the
> available information on the topic  benefitting anyone from a family
> searching for a place to hike or bike, to a resident advocating for more
> parks and recreation and a government official developing land use policy.
> The hub will encourage users to contribute content and share links to
> information, helping to nurture leadership and action on important issues.
> *Recipient:  The River Partnership of Community Foundations*
>
> Project: River Partnership Online Network
>
> Award: $141,000
>
> In an effort to inform and engage residents around Mississippi River issues,
> a coalition of community foundations within the River Partnership of
> Community Foundations will launch a series of local Web sites that translate
> national and regional stories into the local context. Also, on the Web,
> residents will be able to make their voices heard on issues of water quality
> and the importance of sustainable development on the rivers shores while
> picking up tips to help river life.
> *Recipient: Community Foundation of Greater South Wood County*
>
> Project: Community Information Action Agenda
>
> Award: $152,000
>
> In order to help meet the Wisconsin Rapids areas information needs, the
> community foundation will evaluate the regions changing media landscape,
> pinpoint strengths and weaknesses and create a community information action
> agenda. The plan formed will raise awareness about the availability of
> quality local news and information and broadband access while fostering
> support and partnerships for funding solutions.
> *Recipient: Community Foundation of New Jersey*
>
> Project: Public Interest News Service
>
> Award: $352,000
>
> Expanding coverage of New Jersey state issues, this grant will help create a
> public interest news service that provides continuously updated online news,
> a weekly newsletter and online discussion forums. Analytical articles will
> provide useful tools so that residents, civic organizations and industry can
> relate the stories and data to their own communities. Also, the site will
> provide a place for residents to connect with each other and lawmakers on
> pressing issues. The site strives to increase local knowledge and
> understanding of statewide policy.
> *Recipient:  The Community Foundation of North Florida *
>
> Project: We the People
>
> Award: $72,000
>
> In an effort to revitalize the dialogue among the citys diverse residents,
> this grant will help launch The Village Square: We the People, a 21st
> century virtual and real world public square.  The project will offer unique
> town hall forums in addition to constructive online engagement and a
> community problem-solving Wiki. Organizers aim to renew Tallahassee's
> marketplace of ideas where good solutions rise from an informed citizenship,
> and where abundant information can be channeled into constructive results.
> *Recipient: Coral Gables Community Foundation *
>
> Project: Gables Home Page
>
> Award: $130,000
>
> To help strengthen community dialogue, this grant will support
> GablesHomePage.com, a real-time source for news including information by and
> about the area's mature residents. This year, the site will add two
> partnerships: one with the University of Miami's student newspaper for
> timely sports and campus coverage, and another with The Miami Herald, which
> will use Gables Home Page as a source for news and information.  In addition
> Gables Home Page will provide a free venue for residents to post news,
> photos, commentary (blogs) and classifieds.
> *Recipient:  Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation *
>
> Project: TheDuSu.com
>
> Award: $122,000
>
> To attract and retain young adults in Duluth and Superior, the community
> foundation created TheDuSu.com, an online portal designed to help young
> adults share information and ideas. Currently, the portal provides
> information on working, living, playing and connecting in the Twin Ports.
> This grant will help increase site interactivity, enhance content, conduct
> research and increase guerrilla marketing tactics so TheDuSu can better
> provide the information young people need to thrive in the area.
> *Recipient:  Greater Lowell Community Foundation*
>
> Project: Open Indicators Consortium
>
> Award: $62,000
>
> Despite the increasing availability of data, and the technology to analyze
> it deeply, the average person's informed voice is missing in much of the
> public discourse in vital areas like health care, education and job growth.
> Debate is often defined by experts, lobbyists and pundits. As a
> counterweight to that trend, four community foundations in Massachusetts,
> Rhode Island and Connecticut will engage a range of local stakeholders to
> help develop easy-to-use and highly consumable analytical and visualization
> tools. They will include charts, maps, scorecards, dashboards, narrations
> and animations that reflect local stakeholders needs and preferences. These
> tools will ultimately help transform the quality and breadth of public
> discourse in communities, and eventually in the nation. In addition to the
> Greater Lowell Community Foundation, the project partners include The Boston
> Foundation, The Rhode Island Foundation and The Community Foundation for
> Greater New Haven.
> *Recipient: Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice*
>
> Project: The Florida Independent
>
> Award: $352,000
>
> In order to strengthen investigative reporting in Florida, Gulf Coast
> Community Foundation of Venice, the Community Foundation of Central Florida
> and the Center for Independent Media will create a nonprofit, statewide
> online news network. The Florida Independent will provide original
> investigative reports on subjects currently under-covered at the state level
> and link communities issues with reporting in the state capital.
> Experienced Florida journalists will lead coverage of topics such as aging,
> health care, housing and social services and use online tools to engage with
> and connect interested residents. An advisory board will ensure fairness.
> The site will strive to safeguard the publics interest by providing
> critical information on issues that affect Floridians.
> *Recipient:  Hartford Foundation for Public Giving *
>
> Project: ctmirror.org
>
> Award: $302,000
>
> To increase access to unbiased Connecticut news and information, this grant
> will help launch an online site offering news, information and discussion
> about the states government and public policy. Providing insight and
> analysis, the site will disclose the whys and consequences of public
> policy decisions. It will use the vast capacity of the Internet to provide
> data from voting records and school test scores to original source documents
> in ways that are accessible and searchable. The project will also provide
> channels for information to flow from the people to public officials,
> through online public hearings, issue forums and conversations.
> Additionally, it will offer a diversity of opinions through op-ed articles
> and moderated reader feedback.
> *Recipient:  Health Foundation of South Florida *
>
> Project: Health News Florida
>
> Award: $302,000
>
> To strengthen knowledge of local health issues, the foundation will expand
> Health News Floridas coverage in three cities: Tallahassee, Bradenton and
> Miami.  Reporters will be assigned to these areas, significantly increasing
> the amount of original reporting produced. Stories will be available to the
> public at no charge on the Web site and through e-alerts in addition to
> being reprinted by newspapers statewide directly and through the Associated
> Press. The information will help Florida residents make more informed
> choices about health policy and their personal care. The grant will also
> help Health News Florida develop a sustainable business model.
> *Recipient: Lander Community Foundation*
>
> Project: WyoFile.com
>
> Award:  $122,000
>
> To increase the availability of information on complex state issues, this
> grant will support WyoFile.com, which examines Wyoming public policy and
> politics. Historically, Wyomings economy and culture have been rooted in
> natural resource industries including agriculture, timber, mining and oil
> and gas development. Like many energy colonies with small populations and
> vast landscapes, industrial proponents have heavily influenced Wyoming
> policies. WyoFile.com will increase its staff and reporting budget to
> further engage Wyomings residents, lawmakers, educators and business people
> through an independent, alternative source of content and analysis.
> *Recipient: Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation *
>
> Project: County Bounty
>
> Award: $94,400
>
> To raise awareness of local history, needs and resources, this grant will
> help create an online treasure hunt in Chautauqua County, New York. A
> sprawling rural area with 44 municipalities, communities tend to be insular,
> which impedes regional progress.  Many residents are unaware of the area's
> rich history and cultural assets. Brain drain is a concern, with many
> younger residents moving away. County Bounty, an online treasure hunt, will
> showcase the county and increase community pride while aiming to engage and
> retain residents under 40.
> *Recipient: Rhode Island Foundation*
>
> Project: Community Forums
>
> Award: $102,000
>
> As a way to promote community engagement around pressing concerns in a state
> where residents are known for their fierce independence, this grant will
> create a series of forums to be broadcast on public radio station WRNI. The
> conversations will also continue online through various social media. The
> project strives to unite Rhode Islanders around major issues in health,
> education, arts, the environment, economic development and human services.
> Presenting in-depth information and a balance of perspectives will encourage
> innovative solutions to the problems contributing to Rhode Islands economic
> challenges.
> *Recipient: Silicon Valley Community Foundation*
>
> Project: Envision Bay Area
>
> Award: $302,000
>
> As a way to increase resident involvement in Northern Californias pressing
> land use issues, this grant will help launch an Internet, public radio,
> television and community information campaign called Envision Bay Area.
> Land use planning is a mystery to many people, yet it has a great impact on
> their lives and the community. Using a series of what if scenarios
> enhanced by visualization tools, this project will provide residents with
> the information they need to develop a deeper understanding of policy
> decisions and their impact.
> *Recipient: The Community Foundation Serving Boulder County*
>
> Project: READY. GET SET. LEARN
>
> Award: $104,000
>
> To raise awareness about the importance of school readiness for at-risk
> children, this grant will help launch a digital information campaign in
> Boulder, Colorado. The Community Foundation has collected ten years of
> research showing that the achievement gap is a major problem facing Boulder
> County. The gap will continue to widen until the community invests further
> in early childhood education. But the broader community hasnt fully grasped
> the issues importance. The READY. GET SET. LEARN campaign will help
> parents, business leaders and the general public understand that there is a
> direct connection between a communitys investment in early childhood
> education and the achievement gap that weighs down otherwise high-performing
> school systems. The campaign aims to create a groundswell of voices calling
> for someone to improve access to quality early care and education for
> Boulder County's at-risk preschool students.
> *Recipient:  The New York Community Trust *
>
> Project:  Beyond Bullets
>
> Award: $62,000
>
> As a way to raise the collective consciousness about the impact of gun
> violence, this grant will help launch a media campaign using youth reporters
> and roving anti-gun film festivals. Television, movies and music videos
> normalize carrying weapons and glamorize them as a source of personal power,
> the American Academy of Pediatrics says. Meanwhile, news media focus on
> sensational stories about gun-related homicides, but rarely work to
> illuminate the causes or portray effective community solutions. The Beyond
> Bullets media campaign will challenge the mainstream entertainment and news
> medias narrative. The effort will offer in-depth youth reporting on the
> causes and costs of gun violence, and the unheralded  yet strong  efforts
> to combat it.
> *Recipient: Michigans Children, a partner of The Skillman Foundation   *
>
> Project: KidSpeak Neighborhood News
>
> Award: $126,000
>
> As a way to boost involvement in Detroit issues, this grant will help create
> a multi-media youth news service, where student reports will focus on
> neighborhoods and schools. Close to 40 percent of Detroits population is
> functionally illiterate, and many Detroit parents lack a high school diploma
>  creating obstacles to their childrens success. Also, many low-income
> families dont have the Internet access that could bring them vital
> information about their communities. Engaging families by providing
> opportunities for their children to create high quality content will help
> fill the communications gap, bring young voices into public debate and
> empower residents and communities to create positive changes.
>
>
>   This message was sent from Knight Community Information Challenge to
> <email obscured>. It was sent from: John S. and James L. Knight
> Foundation, 200 South Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 3300, Miami, FL 33131. You
> can modify/update your subscription via the link below.
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>
> Steven Clift
> Ericsson, Minneapolis
> Info about Steven Clift: http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/stevenclift
>
> View all messages on this topic at:
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>
> *Recipient:  Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation *
>
> Project: TheDuSu.com
>
> Award: $122,000
>
> To attract and retain young adults in Duluth and Superior, the community
> foundation created TheDuSu.com, an online portal designed to help young
> adults share information and ideas. Currently, the portal provides
> information on working, living, playing and connecting in the Twin Ports.
> This grant will help increase site interactivity, enhance content, conduct
> research and increase guerrilla marketing tactics so TheDuSu can better
> provide the information young people need to thrive in the area.
>
> Steven Clift - http://stevenclift.com
>  Executive Director - http://E-Democracy.Org
>  Follow me - http://twitter.com/democracy
>  New Tel: +1.612.234.7072
>
>
> From: Knight Community Information Challenge <email obscured>>
> Date: Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 9:23 AM
> Subject: Knight Foundation Spurs New Round of Local News and Information
> Projects Nationwide
> To: <email obscured>
>
>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> Contact: Marc Fest, Knight Foundation, 305-908-2677;
> <email obscured>
> Knight Foundation Spurs New Round of Local News and Information Projects
> Nationwide Knight Community Information Challenge Winners Are Part of a
> Growing Number of Local Foundations Seeking to Meet Local Information
> Needs
>
> MIAMI (Jan. 13, 2010) - Twenty-four innovative ideas that will help meet
> Americas information needs have received $4.3 million from the John S. and
> James L. Knight Foundation. The projects  submitted by community and
> place-based foundations nationwide in a Knight Foundation contest
> include:
>
>
>    - Examining the Chicago areas changing media landscape  and funding
>    journalism innovators to fill the information voids;
>    - Creating information campaigns to spread the word about pressing
>    issues, including how to end gun violence in New York City, and improve
>    early childhood education in Boulder, Colorado, and
>    - Funding journalists and online news sites in Wyoming, Arkansas,
>    Connecticut, New Jersey and Florida to produce news in the public
> interest.
>
> The projects represent the second-year winners of the Knight Community
> Information Challenge, a five-year, $24 million contest that helps
> community
> and place-based foundations find creative ways to use new media and
> technology to keep residents informed and engaged.
>
> Information is as important to a thriving democracy as clean air, jobs and
> schools. As leaders, local foundations are taking the initiative to meet
> those information needs, said Trabian Shorters, Knight Foundations vice
> president for communities, who leads the challenge. These projects help
> ensure that everyone has the information necessary to make decisions about
> their governments and their lives.
>
> Among the winners  a full list is below  are foundations rural and urban,
> large and small. For the first time, several foundations joined together
> this year to create regional projects for greater impact.
>
> All are part of a growing movement to help fund local news and information
> projects and ensure that residents are informed and engaged. In fact,
> J-Lab,
> the Institute for Interactive Journalism, recently found that more than
> 207
> foundations have funded $135.86 million in grants to 128 projects since
> 2005.
>
> The Chicago Community Trust, one of the nations oldest community
> foundations, is now a two-time winner.  With its grant, the trust will
> expand its Community News Matters program, which fosters new ways of
> informing the Chicago region through grants to local media innovators. In
> addition, the trust will conduct a study examining strengths and
> weaknesses
> of the areas information infrastructure and convene a conference on the
> topic.
>
> The Trust, like other community foundations, is acutely aware of the
> changing media landscape in our communities. We recognize that access to
> information is essential for the quality of life and democracy of those we
> serve, said Terry Mazany, the Trusts president and CEO. We applaud Knight
> Foundation for motivating community foundations across the nation to
> become
> real laboratories invested in the development of the future of community
> news and information.
>
> The challenge complements the sweeping recommendations of the Knight
> Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy, a joint
> project of the Aspen Institute and Knight Foundation.  In its report
> issued
> in October, the Commission asserts that democracy in America is threatened
> by the lack of equal access to quality information. In addition to 15
> urgent
> recommendations, the report provides a checklist that communities can use
> to
> determine which information needs are being met, and which need attention.
> The report is available at www.knightcomm.org.
>
> Both the Knight Commission and the Knight Community Information Challenge
> are part of Knight Foundations Media Innovation Initiative, a $100 million
> plus effort to meet Americas information needs. More at
>
www.knightfoundation.org/mii<http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=25186620&msgid=424751&act=W34G&c=272809&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.knightfoundation.org%2Fmii>
>
> Knight Foundation will again accept applications for the Knight Community
> Information Challenge beginning in early February. For more information on
> the challenge, visit www.informationneeds.org
>
> About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
>
> The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation advances journalism in the
> digital age and invests in the vitality of communities where the Knight
> brothers owned newspapers. Knight Foundation focuses on projects that
> promote community engagement and lead to transformational change. For
> more,
> visit
>
www.knightfoundation.org<http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=25186620&msgid=424751&act=W34G&c=272809&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.knightfoundation.org%2F>
> .
>
> 2010 Knight Community Information Challenge Winners
> *Recipient:  ACT For Alexandria*
>
> Project: ACTion Alexandria
>
> Award: $102,000
>
> To encourage community problem-solving in Alexandria, Va., this effort
> will
> create an online site where residents can post problems, debate solutions
> and decide on a course of action. While email lists have greatly improved
> the way neighbors disseminate local information, this project aims to
> provide the next generation platform for communities to freely share their
> thoughts and beliefs and act on them to improve their city.
> *Recipient: Akron Community Foundation*
>
> Project: Digital Media Center
>
> Award: $350,000
>
> In order to strengthen community news and information-sharing, this grant
> will create a new digital media academy that trains residents to share
> news
> and information about their neighborhoods using cutting-edge technology.
> Citizen journalists of all ages will be given the training and tools to
> express their individual voices through the creation of news stories,
> music,
> documentaries, videos and other projects. Uploaded content will be
> broadcast
> on an open-application portal provided by the Akron Beacon Journal, which
> citizens can then tap into using their mobile phones, computers and other
> emerging technologies.
> *Recipient: Arkansas Community Foundation*
>
> Project: Write for Arkansas
>
> Award: $252,000
>
> In order to provide more in-depth coverage of local issues, this project
> will add five reporters to cover community and economic development issues
> for community newspapers in Arkansas. The reporters will write articles
> for
> print and blog about their communities and experiences on a new Write for
> Arkansas Web site. The additional reporting staff will help Arkansas
> residents and leaders have a greater understanding of the states
> challenges
> and needs. Meanwhile, the projects online component will chronicle local
> issues from across the state and open a new channel of communication
> allowing residents to participate in the news.
> *Recipient: California Community Foundation*
>
> Project: Be Counted, Represent
>
> Award: $72,000
>
> To encourage Los Angeles-area Latinos to participate in the U.S. census,
> this grant will help launch a dual Internet-mobile phone application. Voto
> Latino  A Census Challenge Game will target Latino youth to take an online
> pledge to be counted and give them an opportunity to become virtual 2010
> Census recruiters by tapping others in their social networks to do the
> same.
> The site will also stream viral videos with celebrity-driven public
> service
> announcements that highlight the importance of participating in the
> census.
> The project, in partnership with the Mexican American Legal Defense and
> Educational Fund and Voto Latino, will provide accurate, instant bilingual
> information about the importance of participating in the census as it
> impacts federal funding and political representation.
> *Recipient: Centre County Community Foundation *
> Project: Central Pennsylvania 2-1-1
>
> Award: $225,000
>
> In order to provide residents with vital civic information, this grant
> will
> help launch a 2-1-1 phone information service in 15 Pennsylvania counties.
> Residents will have access to round-the-clock answers to questions about
> local services for basic needs and emergencies, as well as general
> community
> information. While there will also be an online component, much of this
> area
> is without broadband Internet access, and phone service is likely to be
> the
> primary link.
> *Recipient:  The Chicago Community Trust*
>
> Project: Community News Matters
>
> Award: $202,000
>
> To stimulate new ways to provide the Chicago region with critical local
> news
> and information, The Chicago Community Trust has launched Community News
> Matters, a grant program to support the citys media innovators. The Knight
> Foundation support will help fund projects designed to increase the flow
> of
> high-quality information to the public and to develop new distribution and
> business models. In addition, the Trust will conduct a study examining the
> regions information infrastructure  its strengths and weakensses  and
> convene a conference on the topic.
> *Recipient: Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan*
>
> Project: GreenSpace
>
> Award: $352,000
>
> To encourage support for creating more livable communities, this grant
> will
> develop an information hub for the seven-county region of southeast
> Michigan
> that will inform residents about how to be good stewards of the areas
> natural resources. The GreenSpace project will bring together all the
> available information on the topic  benefitting anyone from a family
> searching for a place to hike or bike, to a resident advocating for more
> parks and recreation and a government official developing land use policy.
> The hub will encourage users to contribute content and share links to
> information, helping to nurture leadership and action on important issues.
> *Recipient:  The River Partnership of Community Foundations*
>
> Project: River Partnership Online Network
>
> Award: $141,000
>
> In an effort to inform and engage residents around Mississippi River
> issues,
> a coalition of community foundations within the River Partnership of
> Community Foundations will launch a series of local Web sites that
> translate
> national and regional stories into the local context. Also, on the Web,
> residents will be able to make their voices heard on issues of water
> quality
> and the importance of sustainable development on the rivers shores while
> picking up tips to help river life.
> *Recipient: Community Foundation of Greater South Wood County*
>
> Project: Community Information Action Agenda
>
> Award: $152,000
>
> In order to help meet the Wisconsin Rapids areas information needs, the
> community foundation will evaluate the regions changing media landscape,
> pinpoint strengths and weaknesses and create a community information
> action
> agenda. The plan formed will raise awareness about the availability of
> quality local news and information and broadband access while fostering
> support and partnerships for funding solutions.
> *Recipient: Community Foundation of New Jersey*
>
> Project: Public Interest News Service
>
> Award: $352,000
>
> Expanding coverage of New Jersey state issues, this grant will help create
> a
> public interest news service that provides continuously updated online
> news,
> a weekly newsletter and online discussion forums. Analytical articles will
> provide useful tools so that residents, civic organizations and industry
> can
> relate the stories and data to their own communities. Also, the site will
> provide a place for residents to connect with each other and lawmakers on
> pressing issues. The site strives to increase local knowledge and
> understanding of statewide policy.
> *Recipient:  The Community Foundation of North Florida *
>
> Project: We the People
>
> Award: $72,000
>
> In an effort to revitalize the dialogue among the citys diverse residents,
> this grant will help launch The Village Square: We the People, a 21st
> century virtual and real world public square.  The project will offer
> unique
> town hall forums in addition to constructive online engagement and a
> community problem-solving Wiki. Organizers aim to renew Tallahassee's
> marketplace of ideas where good solutions rise from an informed
> citizenship,
> and where abundant information can be channeled into constructive results.
> *Recipient: Coral Gables Community Foundation *
>
> Project: Gables Home Page
>
> Award: $130,000
>
> To help strengthen community dialogue, this grant will support
> GablesHomePage.com, a real-time source for news including information by
> and
> about the area's mature residents. This year, the site will add two
> partnerships: one with the University of Miami's student newspaper for
> timely sports and campus coverage, and another with The Miami Herald,
> which
> will use Gables Home Page as a source for news and information.  In
> addition
> Gables Home Page will provide a free venue for residents to post news,
> photos, commentary (blogs) and classifieds.
> *Recipient:  Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation *
>
> Project: TheDuSu.com
>
> Award: $122,000
>
> To attract and retain young adults in Duluth and Superior, the community
> foundation created TheDuSu.com, an online portal designed to help young
> adults share information and ideas. Currently, the portal provides
> information on working, living, playing and connecting in the Twin Ports.
> This grant will help increase site interactivity, enhance content, conduct
> research and increase guerrilla marketing tactics so TheDuSu can better
> provide the information young people need to thrive in the area.
> *Recipient:  Greater Lowell Community Foundation*
>
> Project: Open Indicators Consortium
>
> Award: $62,000
>
> Despite the increasing availability of data, and the technology to analyze
> it deeply, the average person's informed voice is missing in much of the
> public discourse in vital areas like health care, education and job
> growth.
> Debate is often defined by experts, lobbyists and pundits. As a
> counterweight to that trend, four community foundations in Massachusetts,
> Rhode Island and Connecticut will engage a range of local stakeholders to
> help develop easy-to-use and highly consumable analytical and
> visualization
> tools. They will include charts, maps, scorecards, dashboards, narrations
> and animations that reflect local stakeholders needs and preferences.
> These
> tools will ultimately help transform the quality and breadth of public
> discourse in communities, and eventually in the nation. In addition to the
> Greater Lowell Community Foundation, the project partners include The
> Boston
> Foundation, The Rhode Island Foundation and The Community Foundation for
> Greater New Haven.
> *Recipient: Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice*
>
> Project: The Florida Independent
>
> Award: $352,000
>
> In order to strengthen investigative reporting in Florida, Gulf Coast
> Community Foundation of Venice, the Community Foundation of Central
> Florida
> and the Center for Independent Media will create a nonprofit, statewide
> online news network. The Florida Independent will provide original
> investigative reports on subjects currently under-covered at the state
> level
> and link communities issues with reporting in the state capital.
> Experienced Florida journalists will lead coverage of topics such as
> aging,
> health care, housing and social services and use online tools to engage
> with
> and connect interested residents. An advisory board will ensure fairness.
> The site will strive to safeguard the publics interest by providing
> critical information on issues that affect Floridians.
> *Recipient:  Hartford Foundation for Public Giving *
>
> Project: ctmirror.org
>
> Award: $302,000
>
> To increase access to unbiased Connecticut news and information, this
> grant
> will help launch an online site offering news, information and discussion
> about the states government and public policy. Providing insight and
> analysis, the site will disclose the whys and consequences of public
> policy decisions. It will use the vast capacity of the Internet to provide
> data from voting records and school test scores to original source
> documents
> in ways that are accessible and searchable. The project will also provide
> channels for information to flow from the people to public officials,
> through online public hearings, issue forums and conversations.
> Additionally, it will offer a diversity of opinions through op-ed articles
> and moderated reader feedback.
> *Recipient:  Health Foundation of South Florida *
>
> Project: Health News Florida
>
> Award: $302,000
>
> To strengthen knowledge of local health issues, the foundation will expand
> Health News Floridas coverage in three cities: Tallahassee, Bradenton and
> Miami.  Reporters will be assigned to these areas, significantly
> increasing
> the amount of original reporting produced. Stories will be available to
> the
> public at no charge on the Web site and through e-alerts in addition to
> being reprinted by newspapers statewide directly and through the
> Associated
> Press. The information will help Florida residents make more informed
> choices about health policy and their personal care. The grant will also
> help Health News Florida develop a sustainable business model.
> *Recipient: Lander Community Foundation*
>
> Project: WyoFile.com
>
> Award:  $122,000
>
> To increase the availability of information on complex state issues, this
> grant will support WyoFile.com, which examines Wyoming public policy and
> politics. Historically, Wyomings economy and culture have been rooted in
> natural resource industries including agriculture, timber, mining and oil
> and gas development. Like many energy colonies with small populations and
> vast landscapes, industrial proponents have heavily influenced Wyoming
> policies. WyoFile.com will increase its staff and reporting budget to
> further engage Wyomings residents, lawmakers, educators and business
> people
> through an independent, alternative source of content and analysis.
> *Recipient: Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation *
>
> Project: County Bounty
>
> Award: $94,400
>
> To raise awareness of local history, needs and resources, this grant will
> help create an online treasure hunt in Chautauqua County, New York. A
> sprawling rural area with 44 municipalities, communities tend to be
> insular,
> which impedes regional progress.  Many residents are unaware of the area's
> rich history and cultural assets. Brain drain is a concern, with many
> younger residents moving away. County Bounty, an online treasure hunt,
> will
> showcase the county and increase community pride while aiming to engage
> and
> retain residents under 40.
> *Recipient: Rhode Island Foundation*
>
> Project: Community Forums
>
> Award: $102,000
>
> As a way to promote community engagement around pressing concerns in a
> state
> where residents are known for their fierce independence, this grant will
> create a series of forums to be broadcast on public radio station WRNI.
> The
> conversations will also continue online through various social media. The
> project strives to unite Rhode Islanders around major issues in health,
> education, arts, the environment, economic development and human services.
> Presenting in-depth information and a balance of perspectives will
> encourage
> innovative solutions to the problems contributing to Rhode Islands
> economic
> challenges.
> *Recipient: Silicon Valley Community Foundation*
>
> Project: Envision Bay Area
>
> Award: $302,000
>
> As a way to increase resident involvement in Northern Californias pressing
> land use issues, this grant will help launch an Internet, public radio,
> television and community information campaign called Envision Bay Area.
> Land use planning is a mystery to many people, yet it has a great impact
> on
> their lives and the community. Using a series of what if scenarios
> enhanced by visualization tools, this project will provide residents with
> the information they need to develop a deeper understanding of policy
> decisions and their impact.
> *Recipient: The Community Foundation Serving Boulder County*
>
> Project: READY. GET SET. LEARN
>
> Award: $104,000
>
> To raise awareness about the importance of school readiness for at-risk
> children, this grant will help launch a digital information campaign in
> Boulder, Colorado. The Community Foundation has collected ten years of
> research showing that the achievement gap is a major problem facing
> Boulder
> County. The gap will continue to widen until the community invests further
> in early childhood education. But the broader community hasnt fully
> grasped
> the issues importance. The READY. GET SET. LEARN campaign will help
> parents, business leaders and the general public understand that there is
> a
> direct connection between a communitys investment in early childhood
> education and the achievement gap that weighs down otherwise
> high-performing
> school systems. The campaign aims to create a groundswell of voices
> calling
> for someone to improve access to quality early care and education for
> Boulder County's at-risk preschool students.
> *Recipient:  The New York Community Trust *
>
> Project:  Beyond Bullets
>
> Award: $62,000
>
> As a way to raise the collective consciousness about the impact of gun
> violence, this grant will help launch a media campaign using youth
> reporters
> and roving anti-gun film festivals. Television, movies and music videos
> normalize carrying weapons and glamorize them as a source of personal
> power,
> the American Academy of Pediatrics says. Meanwhile, news media focus on
> sensational stories about gun-related homicides, but rarely work to
> illuminate the causes or portray effective community solutions. The Beyond
> Bullets media campaign will challenge the mainstream entertainment and
> news
> medias narrative. The effort will offer in-depth youth reporting on the
> causes and costs of gun violence, and the unheralded  yet strong  efforts
> to combat it.
> *Recipient: Michigans Children, a partner of The Skillman Foundation   *
>
> Project: KidSpeak Neighborhood News
>
> Award: $126,000
>
> As a way to boost involvement in Detroit issues, this grant will help
> create
> a multi-media youth news service, where student reports will focus on
> neighborhoods and schools. Close to 40 percent of Detroits population is
> functionally illiterate, and many Detroit parents lack a high school
> diploma
>  creating obstacles to their childrens success. Also, many low-income
> families dont have the Internet access that could bring them vital
> information about their communities. Engaging families by providing
> opportunities for their children to create high quality content will help
> fill the communications gap, bring young voices into public debate and
> empower residents and communities to create positive changes.
>
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> Steven Clift
> Ericsson, Minneapolis
> Info about Steven Clift: http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/stevenclift
>
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