PTP Staff Blog
Announcing PTP’s New Executive Director!
Dear friends,
The Board and Staff of PTP are thrilled to announce Arif Mamdani as the new Executive Director of 
Progressive Technology Project! We're especially excited to have Arif because of the leadership role he has played in increasing PTP's commitment to adding value to the organizing community through deeper and more comprehensive engagement. He has been exceptional as PTP’s Capacity Building Director in the last six years, leading our Community Organizing and Technology Institutes (COaTIs), TechCamps and workshops. Arif's Biography
While there are many reasons that the board chose to appoint Arif, the simple fact is that he is the ideal fit for the position: he has the skills, necessary experience, and deep knowledge of the work and field to move us forward and to give PTP a very seamless transition. As part of the PTP team, Arif has been intimately involved with planning PTP's strategic direction. He is part of a new generation of leaders who early on saw the importance of adapting technology to organizing needs.
Arif comes in on the heels of six years of outstanding leadership from Mark Sherman who is stepping down as PTP’s Executive Director due to his strong belief in passing on leadership. Mark came to PTP in challenging times and has led us to a point of great strength in our staff capacity, fundraising, and role in the organizing world. Mark will stay on into the spring (which comes late in Minnesota!) to support the transition.
We have a full calendar this year of splendid programming for organizing groups across the country and we’re fortunate to have the expertise of Arif and a very strong staff team. We’re offering trainings on communications and technology, databases and technology planning, online social networking, and basic office software skills. These are all designed to bring entire community organizations up to speed with technology and to help groups integrate technology more deeply into the life of their organization for them to be more successful. You can find more details on our web site at http://progressivetech.org/
Thank you for you continued work and support of PTP. Please take a minute to send a note of support to Arif at amamdani
progressivetech [dot] org. You can always contact me or any other member of PTP’s board or staff with any questions you have – about this transition or any of PTP’s program activities.
In Solidarity,
PTP Board & Staff
Raising Change
Raising Change
Did it feel like Change or charity?
Doing a workshop at the “Raising Change” conference (San Francisco) had me reflecting a whole lot on fundraising strategies for the movement. A lot of those wonderings revolved around “social networking sites and fundraising” - the topic I presented. Is it a viable new way? Is it worth trying out? What can you expect to gain or lose in the short and long run? What does it mean to your offline fundraising? Really meaty questions I would say. Fortunately I had a large energetic group in the workshop which enhanced the usefulness of the session: there was a lot of wisdom passed around from our collective experience.
It was an impressive turnout by the way: the total number of people at the conference hovered around 600. As a young fundraiser, its invigorating being around peers in this sort of setting: “a social justice fundraising conference” (as described by the organizers). Albeit the fact that I’m reminded that we have a long road to travel. The gospel according to my workshop was simple: Social Networking sites are yet another possibility to raise change but are anything but a magic formula for fundraising. Read that as: Good fundraising communications and strategies used offline are relevant to online fundraising.
One of the more important lesson’s I’ve picked up from our Power of Change campaign is to remember we’re raising support for Change not begging for charity! The basic ingredient of a movement is a committed people. People, who commit time, People who commit to hard work, people who commit their resources, etc. Raising change is establishing a partnership with folks that support the movement and making sure we have the resources we need to further small “d” democracy.
If you’re interested in using social networking sites to fundraise and wonder how to do it effectively, this little exercise below could be a start in thinking about it.
- Reflect on experiences you have had with folks sending you online appeals – through, email, e-newsletters, face book applications, etc.
- Was the design attractive?
- Was the content well catered to you?
- Did it reach you at a good time?
- Did the problem and the action have some logical consistency?
- Was the action easy enough to follow?
- Did it feel like change or charity?
Peace
Kwame
! Muy pronto, el gran estreno de TechCamp en Español en Chicago, IL ¡
Se llevara a cabo el 25 de Agosto (12:00 del mediodía) hasta el 28 de Agosto (12:00 mediodía)
Inscríbase ahora (Hay becas disponibles para cubrir la matricula de TechCamp)
¿Necesitas desarrollar tus habilidades básicas de computación?
¿Estás interesado en mejorar tu confianza y habilidad en el área de computación?
¿Prefieres aprender sobre tecnología en Español envés de en Ingles?
Si respondistes "SI" a alguna de estas preguntas entonces inscríbase ahora mismo para atender TechCamp.
PTP ha diseñado un programa especial de entrenamiento para organizadores comunitarios que están interesados en desarrollar sus habilidades y conocimiento en el área de tecnología
El entrenamiento TechCamp está diseñado para desarrollar las habilidades en el área de tecnología que son esenciales para la organización comunitaria
Lo siguiente es lo que puedes esperar aprender durante 3 días en el TechCamp de PTP:
· Desarrollaras habilidades y conocimiento en el área de tecnología, basada en la organización comunitaria:
o Estas incluyen habilidades básicas de computación: mecanografía, manipulación de archivos, tipos de archivos y más.
o Introducción sobre las más comunes aplicaciones de base de datos: Filemaker y Access
o Entrenamiento en una actual base de datos: manipular datos e información, generar informes, y generar consultas de datos..
o Correo electrónico (e-mail) y la red (internet): cómo utilizar el correo-e, manejar la bandeja de entrada (inbox), lidiar con spam, utilizando la red – hallando y manejando información.
o Mantenimiento de hardware (equipo físico), resolución de problemas comunes, fundamentos de red informática (network), técnicas de supervivencia básicas sobre el servidor de archivos (file server).
o Sostenibilidad financiera de tu Tecnología: Como recaudar fondos para mantener la infraestructura tecnológica.
· Aprenderás sobre la tecnología en un ambiente de colaboración y apoyo mutuo, con otros organizadores que viven los mismos desafíos suyos.
Clic aqui para mayor información sobre TechCamp en Español
¿Para quién está diseñado TechCamp?
Este taller está diseñado para organizadores comunitarios, líderes, y aquellos que apoyan organizaciones comunitarias dirigidas por la comunidad y dedicadas al progreso y al cambio social. TechCamp está diseñado para las personas interesadas en desarrollar su conocimiento y habilidades en el área de tecnología. TechCamp es un entrenamiento para organizadores, diseñado por entrenadores que entienden, y tienen experiencia en el área de organización comunitaria. TechCamp está basado en 10 años de estrategia organizativa en el área de entrenamientos de tecnología hacia organizaciones comunitarias.
Todavía tenemos cupo. Inscríbase ahora para nuestro TechCamp en Agosto por medio de nuestro sitio web.
Si tiene preguntas sobre nuestro taller, puede llamar gratis al 1-866-298-6463 ext. 10; zona local por favor llamar al (612) 724-2600 ext. 10 (Laura Gaitán).
VOTER TECH TRAINING SESSION ADDED: Atlanta August 20-21
This is an exciting year for organizing groups engaged in voter turnout projects. The data collection and management can sometimes get out of hand though - especially if your technology skills are shaky. PTP has a solution for you.
VOTER TECH TRAINING SESSION ADDED: Atlanta August 20-21
We've been getting requests to offer our Voter Technology Training again.
Our first session was in April and frankly we were as surprised as anyone with how well it went!
We did a survey and decided to go ahead and to compress the program to two full days of training (August 20-21) in Atlanta.
If you need some help with mastering the technical side of your voter project this year, signup now.
We have 20 slots to fill for this to fly, so bring it to the attention of to your fellow organizers who could also use the help.
click here to learn more about the Voter Tech Training
There are some tuition scholarships for community-led organizing groups. Signup now on the course registration page. There may be some travel assistance available, but it's not from us. Check with your organizing network or funders. Contact us for more information.
The Training Team at PTP: Arif, Alice, Jan and Mark
PS Don't miss the Voter Tech Kit - a unique web site and book for community organizers working voter projects
Martial Arts Instructor Joins PTP as Technology Knowledge Director
PTP is excited to announce the addition of Alice Aguilar to PTP's staff team. Alice joins PTP as our Technology Knowledge Director, where she'll be responsible for coordinating technical support for participants in our VOTER Project. As part of her work, she will also be leading the Power on Network - PTP's community of practice on technology and organizing.
For over 10 years, Alice has been committed to providing capacity-building support to advocacy and community organizing groups that focused on issues such as environmental justice, indigenous subsistence and sovereignty rights, at-risk youths, immigrant rights, and low-income communities access to health care.
Her earlier days as a database specialist and trainer started with her work with the Rockefeller Technology Project and the introduction of ebaseTM version 1.0. Her work and interests then quickly transitioned to focusing on providing communication technology assistance and training with environmental justice groups in the Southwest through the Environmental Support Center.
Alice is currently living in Anchorage, AK, and will be moving back to Brooklyn, NY later this summer. Check out the PTP blog for updates on Alice's whereabouts and the occasional blog from the road. Read more about Alice on our website. PS - Alice really is a former martial arts instructor. Though her bio doesn't list it, she used to teach Filipino Arnis.
PTP's Special Projects Coordinator in American Prospect
The American Prospect recently published an article by Christina Roessler, PTP's Special Projects Coordinator on "Changing Water Policies in the Dry Southwest." Read it here.
What's media justice?
We're attending the National Conference for Media Reform here in Minneapolis. We recorded Malkia Cyril's speech on the occasion of receiving an award from Funding Exchange's Media Justice Fund. Hint: it's not about the media.
Check it out.
Bad Telephone numbers for phone canvassers
I recently heard a comment from Roberto in New Mexico about the low quality of the telephone numbers in a voter file from a nationally known data provder. One of the causes may be the demise of land line phones.
The Center for Disease Control published a report on the issue this month. It turns out that (in their words) "In the last 6 months of 2007, nearly one out of every six households (15.8%) did not have a landline telephone, but did have at least one wireless telephone". This was around 5% in the first half of 2004. People without landlines tend to be poorer, younger and renting. The future? More cell phones and less reliable lists from data providers.
Read the whole thing at
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/wireless200805.pdf
Source: Blumberg SJ, Luke JV. Wireless substitution: Early release of estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, July-December 2007. National Center for Health Statistics. Available from:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm. May 13, 2008.
Voter Tech Training a Resounding Success
On May 1, 2008, PTP wrapped up our first Voter Tech Training where community organizers from 24 organizations across the country gathered to learn state of the art technology tools and techniques for integrating voter and base-building organizing databases.
Many organizers are wrestling with understanding the relationship between the data cycles of voter engagement and base-building organizing. The Voter Tech Training group tackled this head on, and created what is possibly the most fully articulated description of various voter engagement activities and their related data needs. Members of PTP’s Power on Network can access that document at the Power on Network website http://network.progressivetech.org. If you’re not a member of the Network, click here to request membership.
Data models weren’t the only topic of conversation at the Voter Tech Training. Organizers also learned the nuts and bolts of cleaning, de-duplicating, and merging lists, and had the opportunity for some hands-on training with the Voter Activation Network online voter file interface.
Given the overwhelmingly positive feedback we’ve received, we’re planning to offer the Voter Tech Training again in August right before the heavy voter contact operations kick off. To get updates about the next Voter Tech Training leave a note in the comments here.
Progressive Technology Project's reach within the social justice movement
We've been looking at the grassroots community led social justice organization movement lately. As part of this we decided to see who PTP has reached over the years. It's interesting primarily because it shows how widespread the movement is. Here's a map from our web site:
