Many thanks to Alonzo Young for sending these photos. As you can see in the following images, ODIS engaged a spectrum of community voices on technology access and community internet issues in Oakland. Youth, elders, women, and communities of color diversified discussions and plenary sessions – making for an innovative day that inspired new audiences to become involved in digital inclusion programs and advocacy efforts in Oakland and beyond. To learn more about Media Alliance’s broadband work in Oakland, call Eloise, Broadband Access Project Director at 510-832-9000, or visit the Media Alliance website.

Davey D.’s number one fan and mother, Peggy D., takes a moment to catch up with ODIS 2008 Coordinator and Media Alliance Broadband Access Project Director Eloise S. Lee (left) before the opening festivities.

Kiana, the daughter of First Voice Co-Director Rainjita Yang-Gessler, finds a quiet corner amidst all the networking.

Dancing Feathers, a Native American Youth Pow-wow dance troupe, welcomes participants with their energy and spirit.

A visual from the morning plenary, “Bridging the Gap: How Communities Attack the Digital Divide”.

Cynthia Mackey, consultant and member of the Mayor Dellums Citizen Task Force on Universal Access, listens to comments from ODIS participants.

David Glover, the Executive Director of the Oakland Citizens Committee for Urban Renewal, discusses their approach to bridging the digital divide in East Oakland through the development of Eastmont Computing Center and Lion Creek Crossings – a technology access hub in the heart of what was notoriously known as 6-9 Village. Depicted in the film New Jack City, 6-9 Village is now home to Lion Creek Corssings, a mixed income housing community featuring a state of the art technology center that welcomes community residents, youth, and seniors to use their facility free of charge.

Laura Valdez, Executive Director of Caminos Pathways in San Francisco’s Mission District, describes their innovative approach in engaging Latino immigrant women in digital inclusion programs as both users and content creators.

Dr. Faye McNair-Knox, Executive Director of One East Palo Alto, sheds insight on the need to build value for technology in historically marginalized neighborhoods.

Solomon Hill, Technology Director at One East Palo Alto, describes their approach to building a sustainable and community driven wireless network in East Palo Alto, CA.

Xavier Leonard, Executive Director of Heads on Fire in San Diego, speaks passionately on approaches that stimulate under represented voices to create their own content through emerging media and internet technologies.

Esme Vos, Founder of Muniwireless(dot)com describes the municipal wireless networks that are underway in European countries – proving that, comparatively, the U.S. has still a ways to go in creating a business model that is sustainable and community driven.

Greg Epler Wood from Vermont’s tri-play ownership project offers a refreshing approach to broadband access in the U.S.

In between plenary and break out sessions, ODIS participants gathered around tables and info booths showcasing the programs and projects of Bay Area media and digital inclusion advocacy groups, including the National Radio Project, OTX-West, Eastmont Computing Center, Media Action Marin, ZeroDivide, Community Technology Network and the First Voice Apprenticeship Program at KPFA.

Laura Flynn from the Women of Color Resource Center, answers questions.

Lisa Rudman from the National Radio Project, prepares for the next wave of visitors.

Marnie De Guzman from One Economy and Rene De Guzman from the Oakland Museum discuss points covered in Davey D.’s keynote presentation (far right).

Martha Wallner, Media Alliance and ODIS 2008 volunteer, greets participants at the registration table.

Wow! There are just too many amazing Oakland groups with digital inclusion efforts to fit into this blog before ODIS! Come to the Summit this Friday at Laney College to check out these groups and more:

OCCUR provides technical assistance and support to over 1000 local nonprofit groups. In addition to the Eastmont Computing Center, OCCUR projects include Neighborhood Revitalization, Neighborhood Profiles, Consumer Education, and the FAITHS Initiative.

National Radio Project, founded by International Media Project in 1994, is an independent media group that provides a “voice to diverse perspectives and opinions underrepresented in mass media,” and collaborates with and trains community groups and individuals to raise awareness and encourage civic participation in the media.

ZeroDivide, formerly the Community Technology Foundation, supports community organizations that empower traditionally underserved communities through digital inclusion projects. ZeroDivide focuses its efforts on wireless access, mobile applications, and social media/networking programs.

CAMINOS Pathways Learning Center “uses computers to provide educational and employment opportunities to low-income, immigrant women of the Bay Area.” Founded in 1999, CAMINOS offers tuition-free classes in technology as well as a job skills program to empower women limited by low literacy, poverty, and inadequate English language skills to rely on themselves and improve their living standards by moving from low-skilled manual or service labor to higher-paying desktop publishing and technology jobs.

ODIS 2008 Program

Only four days left till ODIS 2008 at the Laney College Theater! Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect:

10:00 am – 10:25 am Summit Registration

10:25 am – 10:45 am Community Sharing
Dancing Feathers & United Nations Singers

10:45 am – 11:30 am Welcome
Guest Speaker: City Council Representative Jean Quan
Keynote: Davey D., Journalist, Hip Hop Historian, Community Activist
Presentations from The Center for Digital Storytelling and
Bruce Buckelew, Executive Director of OTX West

11:30 am -12:30 pm Session 1
Bridging the Gap: How Communities Attack the Digital Divide
Moderator: Davey D.
Panelist #1: David Glover, OCCUR, Eastmont Computing Center
Panelist #2: Laura Valdez, Caminos Pathways
Panelist #3: Xavier Leonard, Heads on Fire
Panelist #4: Cynthia Mackey, Mayor Dellums Citizen’s Task Force
Panelist #5: Craig Settles, Successful.com, Consultant, Author

Session 1: Bridging the Gap: How Communities Attack the Digital Divide
In this session, panelists will focus on their organization’s approach in tackling the digital divide in their communities. The role of non-profit organizations and community-based groups in developing strategies that engage marginalized and low-income communities and individuals as active participants will be explored. How to bring community voices to the forefront of digital inclusion initiatives and partnerships will also be discussed.

12:30 pm – 12:45 pm Community Sharing
Presentation from The Women of Color Resource Center

12:50 pm – 1:20 pm Lunch Break

1:20 pm – 1:35 pm Community Sharing
Korean Drumming Performance

1:45 pm – 2:45 pm Session 2
Creating Platforms for Success
Moderator: David Mathison, Be The Media
Panelist #1: Esme Vos, Muniwireless.com
Panelist #2: Sascha Meinrath, CUWiN
Panelist #3: Greg EplerWood, Vermont Triple Play Ownership Project
Panelist #4: Dr. Faye McNair-Knox and Solomon Hill, One East Palo Alto
Panelist #5: Bob Glaze, Chief Technology Officer, City of Oakland

Session 2: Creating Platforms for Success
This session will look at case studies of where technology has been used successfully to achieve digital inclusion and broadband access. Information from this session will focus on revenue generation and approaches to developing a community Internet network that is both sustainable and accountable to communities with the most need. Panelists will consider questions around ownership, maintenance, and funding for digital inclusion initiatives that meet the specific needs of diverse user groups.

2:45 pm – 4:45 pm Session 3
Break-out Sessions:
Session A: Digital Inclusion Oakland: Steps to Increasing Access
Session B: Building State and National Connections

4:45 pm – 5:00 pm Coffee Break

5:00 pm – 5:40 pm Townhall Sharing
Report backs from break-out sessions

5:40 pm – 6:00 pm Closing Ceremony
Presentation from East Bay Asian Youth Center’s Streetside Productions Performance by Cov Records from Covenant House – Oakland

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm ODIS Reception

7:00 pm ALOHA! – Congratulations on a job well done!

Breakfast, lunch, and refreshments will be provided to all registered ODIS participants.

The Laney College Theater is located at 900 Fallon Street in Oakland. If traveling by BART, get off at the Lake Merritt Station and exit via the 9th Street exit. We encourage summit delegates to use public transportation, as street parking is limited. Please visit www.bart.gov/stations/schedules/lineSchedules.asp for exact times and route information.

ODIS 2008 was made possible through sponsorship from the following organizations:

Media Alliance, Oakland Technology Exchange-West, California Consumer Protection Foundation, ZeroDivide, Full Circle Fund, Media Action Marin, First Voice Apprenticeship Program at KPFA, and Community Technology Network

Eloise Rose-Lee, Broadband Project Manager and ODIS Organizer from Media Alliance, visited the KPFA offices on January 18th to spread the word about ODIS. You can listen to her discussion here.

Eloise spoke with First Voice, a co-sponsor of ODIS, about the use of digital technology in community empowerment. First Voice is a program of KPFA. The mission of First Voice is “to facilitate community building and creative empowerment through healing, creative expression, and the adaptation of information technology. The ‘First Voice’ exists deep within ourselves, it is the consciousness or intuition that leads the way.”