Hello, all. Encouraged by Utamoroho's "next level" post and poetx' "make this a resource" post, I thought of an idea to develop a national activist online resource for youth and adults, hosted by the university where I teach "Media & Community Building". One of the projects could include media literacy/activism/mentoring.

UMass Boston has a new Community Media & Technology Program (see http://www.cpcs.umb.edu/cmt/) and I am confident that my connection to the program as an adjunct faculty member would help to generate support for the project (host). As a matter of fact, if other posters have similar college connections this could really fly.

Also, I am involved with AT&T's Youth Leadership program with American Connects and I am sure they would be interested in partnering.

Let me know...inbox me or email me at nettrice@rocketmail.com

Peace!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

The Internet has a lot of potential to educate, rather than advertise and entertain. However, few people are educating others on a grassroots/community level. It would be interesting to link up with some colleges and universities (as hosts/sponsors) to design a program for folks all over the e-world.
To start there needs to be a team of okayactivists and other posters for:

1) Project management and team leadership
2) Software development, including access to software for constructing the learning environment
3) Instructional design/curriculum development (teachers and education specialists)
4) Technology integration (IT people)
5) Visual design
6) Multimedia development

I am willing to explore each level with folks if they want to do this. I can even take the idea to my colleagues at UMass Boston to see if they want to be a host/sponsor for the project.

Obviously, this is more than just tutoring or e-mentoring but I think it could start there and grow to include adults, i.e. youth workers and community leaders.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

thanks Nettrice, for running with this.

>The Internet has a lot of
>potential to educate, rather than
>advertise and entertain.

say word!

appropriated/abbreviated mission statement:

>... design a
>program for folks all over
>the e-world.

i'm thinking (overall) of a wholistic site/app, that fulfills some needs in some distinct areas:

A) On-line tutoring/Mentoring/Educational Resources

* This is a definite need for bridging the gap between what the net is and can be.

* we can use largely existing technology (some type of twist on MS Netmeeting) to conference in real time over the net. this would have to be a small pilot at first, to work out logistics (ie, optimal balance of tutors/students, system minimum requirements, etc). the beauty of this is that our society is increasingly spread out and folks work crazy hours (which is why i'm going to push it separately at my job). someone may not have a half hour to drive to the school where there's a need, but may very well be able to log in and hold it down for 45min to an hour on their lunch break. (i always work through, but i know some people who actually go out).

* a basic reqirement would be that the technology not be prohibitive (you'd need to design for the low end of computers out there now, basically what would be in public libraries, poorer schools, and community centers).

* we'd also need to have some means of "control" over the tutors (maybe combo of screening/monitoring) to make sure no sick a** predator types gained the confidence of a child under the guise of mentorship.

* we'd need an asynchronous type of tutoring/mentoring support, which is acheivable via well designed message boards and e-mail (for the prototype, an okp type board would be aight, however we'd probably want it to become a highly contextual, searchable info source.

* as nettrice mentioned, we'd need educators and curriculum developers to provide us with course materials, and, perhaps more importantly, tools for diagnosing learning problems

* we'd also need a solid set of links to other free educational resources on the web.


B) Activism/Organization/Critical Thought incubator

* again, okp style boards would make a nice 'backbone' for this site/service.

* we'd need original content (like i mentioned in the next level post, think "about.com" with an agenda) which is factually accurate. (this would be good for aspiring writers, etc, for their resumes/portfolios).

* this site would contain primers on skills like critical analysis, which go untaught in our schools and colleges. (imagine, reprinting a washington post article on a 'controversial' subject and then providing a point-by-point breakdown, showing folks how to read between the lines, separate fact from conjecture, understand the use of semantics, etc).

* the activist incubator would also allow for debate (within reason, and following ground rules that are a bit more stringent than we do here -- ie, no name calling, baiting, etc). youth could then see various styles of expression and persuasion. we can even post some of the more memorable back & forth from here to show do's and don'ts.

* draft position papers on important events (also linked so that they can be emailed off as petitions, letters to congress, etc)

* provide case studies of effective local activism, with repeatable best practices and analysis of tactics (when to antagonize, when to engage, how to use the media, etc).

* listserv (national & regional) to keep people up on the latest issues.


C) Career Counseling and Mentoring

* massive links of resources available for free on the net

* roadmaps (how do i get there from here) explaining the types of skills, personality, required for different careers

* how-i-got-over success database: for instance, in my own case, i'm a systems analyst and technical project lead at the worlds largest computer company, and have had folks working for me who had their masters in comp sci even though i don't have degree the first. i'm a paid newspaper columnist but i only took one english class in college, let alone majored in journalism. there is more than one way to do anything (although i'd be the first to admit that there are easier ways) if you have the aptitude and altitude.

D) Economic Development

* my fingers are getting tired now, but u know the runs. this portion of the site could identify entrepeneurial opportunities (consistent with activism) that allow for self-sufficiency among local organizations. from creative fund-raising (like puffy, who put himself on when he was at howard by throwing jams), to grants, to ideal part-time gigs.

* keeping the wholistic part in mind, we'd also want to provide strong understanding of finance, credit, investment, taxes, etc. schools also routinely fail to provide any practical knowledge and understanding of the capitalist society that we live in/under.

* the site would also provide alternatives, for extricating yourself from the system when the rainbow is enough. we could establish bartering networks, co-ops, natural farming, all type of stuff.


>To start there needs to be
>a team of okayactivists and
>other posters for:

um, yeah. (i got a bit carried away w/ the ideas, but that's what i do -- i have more ideas than i can ever implement in a lifetime, but the prospect of a cadre of somewhat likeminded and energetic folks to help actualize some of them has me hyped).
>
>1) Project management and team leadership

can help there.

>2) Software development, including access to
>software for constructing the learning
>environment

can help there, somewhat, in terms of design, specifications, etc.

>3) Instructional design/curriculum development (teachers and
>education specialists)

can definitely help w/ content

>4) Technology integration (IT people)

again, i can help w/ design and specs

>5) Visual design

i'm a visual artist too, but there's an abundance of those on okp.

>6) Multimedia development

i can emcee, but that about it.

peace & blessings,

x.


January is Kool Keith quote month, for lack of anything else:

"I never hearda you stupid, what's your name man??"

"Rappers don't know, I'm out the hospital/
cold buggin' and illin' like Dr. Doolittle"

"I'll chew your ass like monkeys on Wild Kingdom"

"you call yourself GOD, can you make it rain?/
can you tell me now what I'm thinkin' in my brain?"

"under your arms, you're kickin power and musty"

"word to mom, I'm in my own world.../
galaxy raaaaaays... powerful"

peace & blessings,

x.

www.twitter.com/poetx

=========================================
I'm an advocate for working smarter, not harder. If you just
focus on working hard you end up making someone else rich and
not having much to show for it. (c) mad

we'll have to simulpost (is that a word?, if not, we'll make it up now) in High-Tech and General

peace & blessings,

x.


January is Kool Keith quote month, for lack of anything else:

"I never hearda you stupid, what's your name man??"

"Rappers don't know, I'm out the hospital/
cold buggin' and illin' like Dr. Doolittle"

"I'll chew your ass like monkeys on Wild Kingdom"

"you call yourself GOD, can you make it rain?/
can you tell me now what I'm thinkin' in my brain?"

"under your arms, you're kickin power and musty"

"word to mom, I'm in my own world.../
galaxy raaaaaays... powerful"

peace & blessings,

x.

www.twitter.com/poetx

=========================================
I'm an advocate for working smarter, not harder. If you just
focus on working hard you end up making someone else rich and
not having much to show for it. (c) mad

and i'd *love* to get involved

but i'm not gonna take on any new projects this close to my due date


==**peace**==

"baby,
I'd draw yuh bath
like Picasso..

pick you,
like fruit
off yuh family tree. &
eatcha' honeydew ass,
wet"

-Giovanni


"the skilled binder uses no strings or knots, while to unloose what he has bound would be impossible." Lao Tzu

"The logic of divide and rule is still valid today." Capleton

"if i'm smart enough to sneak around and learn to fly a plane to get me and all my friends enough false i.d. to board us airplanes to get me and all my friends through metal detectors and past security guards while hiding weapons to make an entire plane load of people afraid of my boxcutter i doubt i would be stupid enough to leave all the evidence behind in a rental car
unless i wanted you to think i was something that i'm not" (c) 2ndsurvivor

DomePoem Poets; Vibe Nation; One ppl under the spoken word

useful links:
news: http://www.blackelectorate.com/links.asp
veg: http://www.vrg.org

.....

"Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain't goin' nowhere"
- Amiri Baraka

http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines

BUY MY BOOK- only $6! Inbox me for details

Perhaps before your big day you could help with the structure of the project. Check out Prometheus (post #9) and let me know if there are any areas you'd be interested in developing (online) such as a syllabus or outline.

Peace!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

i'm due on oct. 15, but i suspect i'll be in labor any time now, so it really is too late for me to be getting involved in anything-

but i'll definately follow what i can-


==**peace**==

"baby,
I'd draw yuh bath
like Picasso..

pick you,
like fruit
off yuh family tree. &
eatcha' honeydew ass,
wet"

-Giovanni


"the skilled binder uses no strings or knots, while to unloose what he has bound would be impossible." Lao Tzu

"The logic of divide and rule is still valid today." Capleton

"if i'm smart enough to sneak around and learn to fly a plane to get me and all my friends enough false i.d. to board us airplanes to get me and all my friends through metal detectors and past security guards while hiding weapons to make an entire plane load of people afraid of my boxcutter i doubt i would be stupid enough to leave all the evidence behind in a rental car
unless i wanted you to think i was something that i'm not" (c) 2ndsurvivor

DomePoem Poets; Vibe Nation; One ppl under the spoken word

useful links:
news: http://www.blackelectorate.com/links.asp
veg: http://www.vrg.org

.....

"Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain't goin' nowhere"
- Amiri Baraka

http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines

BUY MY BOOK- only $6! Inbox me for details

Totally! Thanks for your support, though and good luck with the labor and birth.

Peace!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

A couple of folks have emailed me and expressed interest. So far, we have a visual designer. At this point, it's important to make the objective or purpose clearer.

The idea is to develop a national activist online resource for youth and adults. This could be one project that evolves into a series of projects. The first idea is youth: youth development & leadership, activism and mentoring...perhaps using the project as a resource for youth & youth/community workers. For example, a list of grassroots groups, how to develop a local program from a framework/model using youth, activism and community media as a model.

What else?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

Besides sharing knowledge and giving insight toward activism, etc., we can definitely utilize the fact that we are located coast to coast and have a national database for all sorts of groups (activism, community development, whatever).
Whatever I can do to help, I'm down. I've been managing an online-based used car dealership (I know, I know, cut me some slack here) but I know jack about web design, software and most things technological. I'll stop before I turn this into my resume. Ooh, we have a very good (and socially conscious) software writer at work, though.
If this is a serious thing, it should not turn into an extended OKactivist post, rather (if even editorial) highly substantiated. Otherwise, it's just another wannabe-mother-jonest-that-turned-into-conspiracy-theory web page.
What kind of basic blueprint did you (anybody) have in mind?

Thanks for the input and for being down with this. I don't expect a lot of people to commit but ideas are very helpful at this stage. I've given my colleagues at UMass Boston the heads up and I plan on discussing this project during my upcoming classes.

The reason why this is doable is because there is so much knowledge and skills on this board, from all over. However, this requires a team of committed people (see list from original post) and the roles/tasks should be clear. Each person can get together resources and opportunities from their end and work on a specific task/area, give feedback in the next couple of weeks via okayactivist, inbox, email, etc.

Whatever you can do in terms of tasks would be greatly appreciated. So far we have project management, visual design and software/technology spoken for and some of this stuff will overlap.

I guess the blueprint or model is the online learning/resource for youth development/leadership, activism and community media...add on or enhance here...

By the way, I am seriously working on this kind of project and I would love to work with other okayplayers on it. I can't do it alone.

Peace!


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

and we'll keep posting ideas

As part-time faculty at UMass Boston, I've had a chance to use Prometheus, a community-based, open architecture, software platform (see http://courses@prometheus.com/product/). This platform features areas for syllabus & outlines (instruction/curriculum), projects, uploading files, messages, discussions (like okayboards), and chat (real time).

The cool thing is that we can set up a free account through the Prometheus site, with 30 students. This platform was created for educational institutions but I think what we are talking about fits the criteria. If it works out, we can find a host for the project and make it more permanent.

If folks would like to roll with this let me know as soon as possible. I'd like to set up a trial account by Monday, October 15. Also, it would be cool for each person to get with at least one other person to take on a task (and for support).

So check out Prometheus and let me know what ya'll think.

Let's do this.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

While we explore software platforms, I was thinking of content/goals. I was thinking this resource could be a "activist's toolbox", as well as a place for folks to work on projects. We could breakdown areas into 4 or 5 topics (for example):

1) Youth Development & Leadership
2) Community Building
3) Environment & Urban Living
4) Civic Participation
5) Education/Research

Pick 1 or 2 areas and find good links/resources and ideas for each. My examples:

Community Building - http://www.cpcs.umb.edu

Youth development - DigitalArt Youth Program, http://www.geocities.com/arttechycp/index.html

Each of these existing resources could be a project or partners for projects.

I'd be interested in hearing about what other posters come up with, too.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

>1) Youth Development & Leadership
>2) Community Building
>3) Environment & Urban Living
>4) Civic Participation
>5) Education/Research
>
>Pick 1 or 2 areas and
>find good links/resources and ideas
>for each.

I dont know if i understood these different areas that good, but that shouldn't be the worst crisis ever

1- Community Building/Civic participation:
"Senter mot etnisk diskriminering"
http://www.smed.no/en.asp

A well known norwegian organization, who are not afraid to step into the media spotlight. In english their name is "Centre for Combating Ethnic Discrimination".

2- Youth Development and Leadership
"Operasjon Dagsverk"/"Operation Daywork"
http://www.od.no/
English: http://www.od.no/?pid=1&sid=2

Their own description of their organization:
"Every year 120 000 Norwegian students give a day´s work for the benefit of education in the South. This day students are hired for all sorts of possible and impossible jobs. Some rake leaves, work at a factory, clean offices or work at home. Other sing, play music, arrange an international café or baby-sit. What all participants have in common is that the money they earn is used in a country in the South to secure education for young people"

All norwegian students throughout the country who are at the level similar to USA's highschool has to do this. And the OD is very well run! When i was doing the OD my school it was dedicated to a whole week, where we spent every day at studying and discussing the cause which the money goes to that year.

The year i remember best was when the money went to a center in Tanzania, started by volunteering women. They offered support, a bed and warm food for young women in Daar es Salaam(sp), and also fought actively against AIDS (giving out condoms). One of the girls who was "adopted" from the streets by the organization actually came to my school, she travelled from Daar es shalaam(sp?) to norway... that left a big impact in me. She was my age and told her story. Her parents had died and had to travel to her aunt to live with her. The aunt had sold her to a café, where she worked as a prostitute from the age of 13, and was only given some food and a bed. One day she ran away, and was lucky to find the centre (she was one of the first they helped). I dont think the OD could have been organized better.. We could choose groups to participate in: Discussion (ala Activism, they had to produce a letter), Tanzanian dance (they performed at the final night, and the money went to the project), Movie (i joined this one, we made a very low-cost movie, and it was shown on the final night), Food (cooking tanzanian food and selling it) and Arts (the work they produced was sold). The whole school participated, even the teachers joined the different groups, and also everybody met every morning to sing together. They had a musician from Tanzania who works for the Centre to promote African culture in Oslo, to lead the singing.... So everybody also sang Tanzanian songs at the final night.

(What left a very big impact was also the fact that only 3 from my class went to hear the girl who was our age tell her story and talk about the work she did! 3 out of 20-something in my class! My friend, my brother and me. The others played football and cracked jokes about her saying she was a ho' and some said she was crippeled (she was not)! That shook me up)

I know there has been attempts to start an OD in USA as well, but it hasn't been a success.

I miss OD, really.

These two were just from little norway alone, I'm sure there are many to pick in USA and other countries

░▒▓█▌¹♥▐█▓▒░

proud okayphotographer: http://www.okayplayer.com/okayphotographers/

"Most of our assumptions have outlived their uselessness." — Marshall McLuhan

3- Commission for Racial Equality (UK)
http://www.cre.gov.uk/

(a link from SMED)

░▒▓█▌¹♥▐█▓▒░

proud okayphotographer: http://www.okayplayer.com/okayphotographers/

"Most of our assumptions have outlived their uselessness." — Marshall McLuhan

Here are many links, many of these pages have links within them as well:
http://www.global.no/engelsk_popup.asp
http://www.oneworld.net/
http://www.earthisland.org/borneo/
http://www.bmf.ch/
http://www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/
http://www.smed.no/artikkelID.asp?artikkelID=75

Most are environmentally.. but that's because most of the norwegian sites i found who work against racism/for ethnic equality, who got lots of good articles, are in norwegian. I told em to get an english version

░▒▓█▌¹♥▐█▓▒░

proud okayphotographer: http://www.okayplayer.com/okayphotographers/

"Most of our assumptions have outlived their uselessness." — Marshall McLuhan

These ideas are from brainstorms and not set in stone. Feel free to add to or enhance them. So far you're doing great.

Is there any way for you to solicit support from any of these Norwegian-based organizations? The OD project sounds very interesting. I wonder if they have US partners/connections.

Thanks!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

>Is there any way for you
>to solicit support from any
>of these Norwegian-based organizations?

Yes, im sure many of them would love to either give support and assistance, participate or what ever else they can do (e.g. give us material). I will get anything but a no, i am sure about that

I'll contact them!

>The OD project sounds very
>interesting. I wonder if
>they have US partners/connections.

It is in USA! but still very new
http://odw.info.usaid.gov/

But, from what i have seen from various american volunteer organizations, because their "framework" or "pattern" is the way it is (traditional), it is difficult for them to reach as far as e.g. ODW does.

The traditional organizations have much in common: they follow methodes that have already been created, have very few followers.. and have ugly webpages and publications (i think the design actually has much to say)

I think because OD was started and is being run by students, who dont follow those old patterns, they are able to reach much further than the traditional organizations. OD is preceded by International Week, where a whole week is dedicated to study a culture, which is the culture where the OD project of the year will support. The students who were responsible for OD & International Week at my school managed to do very much with that week! So, even if most school doesnt do as much as mine did, for a whole day 50% of the highschool students in norway does their day's work for ODW. Doing that, the organization also gets very much publicity - the students clean homes, work at a factory, sell coffee at the street, start a small street café - and that way people see them everywhere for a whole day.

My school's OD organizers, who worked close together with the teachers, had the musician from Tanzania come to lead the singing. He also lead the drum-group (they became real good)! And also, we had a representative from the OD organization who came to our school at the first day and held a small "conference" about who we would support that year, and we were shown a documentary made by the OD organization themselves. (And: they got dope ass designs, anything from webpage to flyers!)

The teachers were very involved, they too participated in the dancing or art lessons. It isn't voluntary, everybody who go to a highschool has to participate. And everybody has to do a day's work, where the money has to be given to the OD organization. If they skip the OD week they will get the same punishment as they would get for skipping a whole normal week.

I think that is what the american ODW has a problem with: being heard and seen. They aren't national, they dont have a week dedicated to their project in most american highschools.

For each year's ODW, the ODW organization provide all schools with a massive amount of material. Movies, music, pictures, written and spoken stories. I got the feeling that the ODW workers couldnt possibly do more than what they were doing! They covered all areas.

Their webpage is divided into three parts:
1. Project/information
2. Teacher
3. Student
...and they try to have the teachers and students work together as much as possible.

For last year's OD they gathered very much material. They sent three representatives to South Africa, for three weeks. On the OD webpage you can read stories from south african youth, who are the same age as the representatives/highschool students, who told their story. You can download a south african AIDS-counsious rap and read a long story about the southafrican MCs that they got to know. You can read short stories written by south african youth, see art made by south african artists and read articles by norwegian youth on anything from the western view of Africa to AIDS/HIV globally. They even provide a cooking book! And a more important book, a resource publication for teachers.

Look at last year's ODW's page, to fight AIDS and HIV:
http://www.od.no/2000/index.html

"The results from OD 2000:
857 schools participated, 50% of norway's highschools.
180 000 students participated.
70 000 students met a representative from OD.
2 976 758 dollars was earned (i had to calculate roughly).
12,27% was used for information and administration of the OD organization in Norway, the rest went to fight AIDS and HIV"

Norway is a country with a 4.5 million population, and they are happy with the result (but of course they will work to get more schools, and they feel they have it difficult to raise more money for every year). They had good publicity, e.g. the education minister agreed to be sold to the highest bid on an online auction, like ebay.com She had to work for a whole day, for the person who won the auction.

Read a very good page about how it started and spread out:
http://www.usaid.gov/odw/odwhistory.html





I dont think i can say much more
But i think that the system/community we are trying to get started can be very useful for ODW. It would be wrong for us to jump in, out of nowhere, and say they should use "our baby". But if they would give us support by becoming a partner, it could give good to both us and them. The people behind ODW are very activists, and they have gathered very much GOOD material from all the previous projects, and continue to do so every year. It can be used as inspiration or as a resource. And that could inspire someone to one day star an online ODW alternative that isnt limited to one country and which would be run over "our baby".

And again: this is just OD, there are many others to pick (we even got the OkaySistas collective which is being started on this board right now)

░▒▓█▌¹♥▐█▓▒░

proud okayphotographer: http://www.okayplayer.com/okayphotographers/

"Most of our assumptions have outlived their uselessness." — Marshall McLuhan

This is a useful tool.. true, it is traditional, but it is very well used since it doesnt require much except for the technology and the will to write your name:
http://www.od.no/2000/gro/index.htm

░▒▓█▌¹♥▐█▓▒░

proud okayphotographer: http://www.okayplayer.com/okayphotographers/

"Most of our assumptions have outlived their uselessness." — Marshall McLuhan

Hey, I tried the link and it didn't work. Is there another address?

Peace

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

that soulchild-song... heh fredrik's halfgood joke of the day

http://www.od.no/2000/gro/index.html

░▒▓█▌¹♥▐█▓▒░

proud okayphotographer: http://www.okayplayer.com/okayphotographers/

"Most of our assumptions have outlived their uselessness." — Marshall McLuhan

this is like above and beyond anything we've generated in terms of activism. i'm so proud of y'all. seriously.

there's gotta be a way for each of our "local" activist groups (chicago, dc, philly, etc.) to help out with this...maybe we each take an area of interest and find links to similar organizations?

pls. keep us posted...i'd love to be more involved once work and school get back to a quasi-normal pace.

just sayin'.

~~wbg~~
http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines.html
(you can't say i didn't warn you: take
any issues to my inbox)
http://www.bethepeople.com
http://www.chicagoactivist.org (under
construction)

"I just wish people would leave the cinnamon sprinkle glitter pixie dust sound effect alone. Cats always run around calling people gay or faggots and whatnot, but are quick to throw some fuckin cinnamon sprinkle glitter pixie dust over their shit. Well let me tell you kids something...sound effects don't get any more blatantly homosexual than cinnamon sprinkle glitter pixie dust. So remember that the next time you take a sip of cappuccino and it goes down Lyte."
© squeeg at
http://www.tha-renaissance.com/reviews/jz_bp_squeeg.html

~~wbg~~
"I pray sometimes to keep my head together,
because you can use prayer however you want.
There are no rules one way or the other."
--Jami Attenberg

http://helpcde.blogspot.com
http://queeneulalia.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/queeneulalia

peace & blessings,

x.


January is Kool Keith quote month, for lack of anything else:

"I never hearda you stupid, what's your name man??"

"Rappers don't know, I'm out the hospital/
cold buggin' and illin' like Dr. Doolittle"

"I'll chew your ass like monkeys on Wild Kingdom"

"you call yourself GOD, can you make it rain?/
can you tell me now what I'm thinkin' in my brain?"

"under your arms, you're kickin power and musty"

"word to mom, I'm in my own world.../
galaxy raaaaaays... powerful"

peace & blessings,

x.

www.twitter.com/poetx

=========================================
I'm an advocate for working smarter, not harder. If you just
focus on working hard you end up making someone else rich and
not having much to show for it. (c) mad

Thanks, poetx, for upping this.

I am meeting with my colleagues from UMass Boston next Tuesday.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

Yimhotep
let us know how it goes
Shemhotep
************
Our limitations are a temporary point
in our growth, as opposed to a finite
and essential quality of our spirit.
-Ra Un Nefer Amen (paraphrased)

Kemetian
--------------------------------------
check it out:
www.natureworksforyou.co
m

"Pour libation for your father
and mother who rest in the
valley of the dead. God will
witness your action and
accept it. Do not forget to
do this

Hey, this is just what I am exploring (with UMass). I hope that others will find links and resources and maybe even get some other folks interested (thanks Federisco and poetx). Really, I thank everyone who contributed so far.

The prometheus idea was for online learning but a web site may be in order to tell folks more about the project. This will go as far as folks are willing to take it. I am interested in building communities, online and otherwise, using arts education, activism, youth development, and other things along those lines. I am excited to see where other folks take it.

When I meet with folks at UMass I want to see how their College and Public Service programs, i.e. Media and Community Building could tie in with this project.

In addition, I am about to launch a nonprofit with a few others (DigitalArt Communities, Inc.) that already has DigitalArt Youth Program with local sites across the U.S.

My interest in this new project is to see how the Internet and electronic media can be used for activism across the globe. Seeing all these local/global programs connect with a purpose would be great! It's okay if it's organic in the formation.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

Nettrice, I'm right here in Boston! Holla at me, inbox me, whatever. I definitely want to be down, this idea sounds extremely positive to me. So please, contact me.





Peace

~~~~~~welcome to my sig~~~~~~~

"Perilous to us all are the devices of an art deeper than we possess ourselves."- Gandalf, 'The Two Towers'

"...the doper that I get the more I'm feeling broke as shit..."- Dre 3000

Here are some of the ideas I've gotten via email:

Subject: visual designer...?
Message: Since it's going to be a large site, perhaps we
could divide the design up into bite size manageable sections
underneath a pared down but consistent look/feel?

Other folks resources/ideas:
COMMUNITY -
http://www.grassroots.com/
http://www.fef.ca/
http://www.activistsandiego.org/ (love this design idea)
http://www.mosidesign.com/ (this is a friend's site soon to have some activist links)

YOUTH -
http://www.nyc.gov/html/acs/home.html (local site, we could include such sites for all "major" cities)
http://www.nyc.gov/html/acs/html/adopt/adopt.html (this page, part of the above, is so well designed...)
http://www.eatrightkids.com/
http://www.careguide.com/ (i used this site to find child care)
http://www.eric-carle.com/ (for fun and art links, love the kids...)

... maybe creating web sites for activist
groups/organizations...those who want to promote "building" but have not found the right designer/tech people?

Okay, so people who have not inboxed me with their email addresses please do as soon as ya'll can so I can start a online group/think tank and these ideas will be documented (not lost on the board).

This is cool!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own"
--Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix" (and a Buddhist philosophy)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"

<--- Blame this lady for Nutty.

>... maybe creating web sites for
>activist
>groups/organizations...those who want to promote "building"
>but have not found the
>right designer/tech people?

Ahh yep, i think that would be a very good idea.
id even sign up as a volunteer designer

I contacted some norwegian activist networks and have got one reply so far.. from the site called involveyourself.com (strange that it is in norwegian). She told me they would create an english version of their content sometime next year. She said she was very interested in the little i had to tell her about what we are starting up, she even checked out okayplayer.com

She said she'd love to hear how it goes. She gave me these links:

http://www.worldvoices.no/eng/
http://www.changemaker.no/article/articleview/676/1/253/
http://www.npaid.org/

(The first link should be very interesting at the moment)

And i created this design today, and me personally i love it! .....i used techniques i havent used before.. and you know.. we graphic designers get a kick from that:)

http://www.avenida.no/okayactivist

░▒▓█▌¹♥▐█▓▒░

proud okayphotographer: http://www.okayplayer.com/okayphotographers/

"Most of our assumptions have outlived their uselessness." — Marshall McLuhan