under 30, low-income minorities are most

under 30, low-income minorities are most likely to use their phone for surfing the web. http://ow.ly/5CzZB http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#

From the Department of Do-it-Yourself

I love this.  As a person who organizes community events, public art projects, etc.,  I have spent a big chunk of my working life requesting, completing, checking up on and arguing with people about permits. Last summer I completed a tent permit that required more witnesses and signatures than my marriage license.  So it is with great joy that I see people just DOING things.  For some of these projects there is no process in place (unless your city has a Department of Tree Apparel).  For others, the process is so lengthy and convoluted that an act of guerrilla public service is actually the best option.

Boomers taking over the Internet

Baby-boomers are among the fastest-growing demographics online. Additionally, the AARP has a Facebook page, which I am now going to forward to my mom.  http://ht.ly/4uGzN

Asthma Community Network totally gets social media

The Multimedia page of the Asthma Community Network is a great example of how social media can expand the reach of your mission.  I was intrigued when I got an e-mail from them about community collaborations, and ecstatic when I saw “listen to our podcast”.  Things they did that are awesome include:

1. Having a professional-looking e-mail provided by a service, like Constant Contact, which adds credibility and increases the chance that people will click on your links.

2. Mentioning different social media channels (the podcast, the website, etc.) in the e-mail.

3. Having the podcast, blog and events calendar on the first page of their website.

This is a great model for any group that is looking to raise awareness of their cause.

The Rise of Pocket Neighborhoods

From USA Today, an article about Pocket Neighborhoods. Go figure, people want to live in neighborhoods, not cul-de-sacs.  That only took 50+ years to figure out.

How Nurturing Creativity Builds Community Leaders

A fascinating podcast shared by @LeeCruz from the Chronicle of Philanthropy.  The Harmony Project in Los Angeles works with at-risk children, engaging them in music education and performance.

Community Organizing Essential to Long-Term Education Reform

This report, released by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, highlights the critical role of community organizing in creating long-term, systemic change in the educational system. Although this report focuses specifically on New England, it is significant because it identifies a crucial weakness in education reform: the fact that the ‘reformers’ are often forced to leave the system before actual change can occur.   By engaging community organizers, the school system is addressed as a part of a larger strategy to improve neighborhoods and cities as a whole.

It’s also worth pointing out that the community organizing examples they reference for this report are not just angry, confrontational protesters; rather they are progressive connectors, building collaborations between parents, teachers, and the larger community to make sustainable change.

The report also reminds us that the challenges of education reform, while overwhelming, is not impossible. A quote from the executive summary:

“Desegregation was ordered by the court; but building
public will to challenge racist practices and accept huge
changes in the structure of public schools was the result
of decades of careful research, planning, and community
organizing.”

It’s refreshing to see deliberate, careful research being applied to the field of community organizing. It will serve to legitimize the field going forward, and hopefully open the eyes of funders who often see community organizing as at best a low-cost social service model and at worst, a drain on resources. More research is needed in other fields, but this is a step in the right direction.

How to Reduce Crime in Your Neighborhood

This article discusses general ways to organize around public safety. In Rochester, we have PAC-TAC (Police and Citizens Together Against Crime), where residents receive special training and are allowed to patrol their neighborhood with a police radio and often, an on-duty police officer. These folks aren’t allowed to get involved in actual crime-fighting; they don’t have guns or body armor. They act as another set of eyes and ears on the streets they know best-their own.

A Quote from Francis Bacon

People have discovered that they can fool the devil; but they can’t fool the neighbors.

Healthy Blocks fans, check out Hartford

Healthy Blocks fans, check out Hartford Healthy Neighborhoods Approach: http://ht.ly/3E8Zc