Create or Die
Tuesday, 14 June 2011 17:48 |
This past weekend, I attended Create or Die 2 - an unconference focused on hacking projects that will bring in more diverse voices to the media ecology.
While I was on the organizing committee, nothing prepared me. It wasn't just an event - a movement was born.
It was a gathering of like-minded souls from across all age groups, ethnicities, parts of the country, races, industries. The only thing we seem to share in a common was some type of spark and passion for transforming the world around us. Have you ever tried to describe who you would invite to your perfect party? Well, this even was just that:
A cast of super interesting, complex, "doers," who are artists, technologists, writers, academics, activists, who like to play with others, and are gifted at transforming the world around them. Did I also mention that many come from communties of struggle?
Held in Greensboro, North Carolina, throughout our brainstorming we unconsciously and consciously channeled the energy of the four boys that started the sitin movement.
A special trip to the International Civil Rights museum (housed in the same Woolworth building where the sitins occurred), drove home the importance of this unconference when one of the event participants saw her uncle's picture in the exhibit. (By the way, he is still alive). It reminded us that less than 48 years ago, this was the reality or "world", and a simple but powerful action changed things in a way that wouldn't have been conceivable back then.
Why this Matters to You?
We left the event with two goals:
a) Work on the kick-ass project we created as a group that we know will transform the media landscape by empowering diverse voices in an authentic and powerful way.
b) Gather others like us, that share that same spark and energy. If you are invited and reading this post, you got it :)
What Should You do?
We have been very selective of the people we are inviting into the Facebook group. We are still giving it shape. and hope you will help with this process. Its only been 8 days and we want to continue working on the collaborative, open space model/work style. (but in those days we have not only gathered 103 peeps, but have already written up a proposal for the project that is being reviewed by potential funders.)
Connect with other kick-ass people, brainstorm on your own project, find synergies, learn from others, find resources, etc. We are bringing the perfect party to the virtual world, and helping it grow by inviting those people we wish would have been there with us during the conference.
The Future
Have patience with us as we flesh out this group. (again, its only been 8 days.) If you want like to help, there is ton of exciting work being done that you can totally be part of. However, feel gree to be bold and use this group in whatever way you feel like......Even finding people to work on your ideas and/or projects.
Besos!! Sandy :)
