Idea Lab

Here is an image of the posters and flyers we have put out across Philadelphia as we prepare for the beginning of our video and basic web trainings on November 11th. The Media Mobilizing Project is planning to start with two classes of approximately 8-10 people which will take place from November into early December. In these classes people will learn how to use a video camera, write a script, edit and many other skills. Thus far we have been getting the project off the ground while holding a series of forums/conversations within the Mexican immigrant community to find out what people want and what we can achieve through this project. At the same time now we are beginning to have conversations in other immigrant communities as we plan for our second series of trainings with other immigrant communities at the end of January.

Of course much of the excitement of this project hinges on the municipal wireless network that is being built out across the city of Philadelphia. Earthlink (the provider) and Wireless Philadelphia (the non profit set-up by the city to manage the network) say that the wireless signal currently reaches about half of the city, and they are on track to have the wireless network blanketing 135 square miles of Philadelphia by the end of the year. Currently we are working on the details of a partnership with Wireless Philadelphia to get participants in this project free computers, tech support and free wireless for the year. This we feel is vital as giving people the skills to use the internet and become producers is so much more powerful when linked to a second step of getting the the tools to actually be online.

We will be back with more soon.