[Conversation with Blackwell]
[May 30, 2006]
[Angela Blackwell, Policylink, a national research advocacy policy org. that works to lift and advance policies to create social equality
http://www.policylink.org/ and Daniel Ben-Horin], Presenters
[Alexandra Krasne], Notetaker

 
Key issues, changes and trends
•        People have to get comfortable with policy; but people intimidated.
Establish resources to disseminate technology. Need to be advocates for understanding government policies.

Successful tools and techniques
•        Take preemptive action. Alice Griffith public housing projects got wired and will be developing all kinds of opportunities, starting with those most likely to be left behind. If you solve the problem for those who are most vulnerable end up solving it for everyone.

Keys to success
•  Establish resources to disseminate technology. Need to be advocates for understanding that's what governments need to do. Need forums and intermediaries to help adopt technology. Policy doesn't change much, but content changes. Need an infrastructure. Identify intermediaries. Need to support universal service reforms. Need nonprofits to have broadband access.
    
Some people have a social agenda, people need to lead with the social agenda. Have a sense of a just society; can't achieve that without hard work.

Examples, websites cited:
•        http://www.policylink.org/
http://www.louisianarebuilds.info/
http://www.techsoup.org
http://www.netsquared.org

Impact/applicability to social change
•        

Recommendations for individuals and organizations
-    •        New technology challenges us and tests us. Bring notion of voice participation and agency front and center and be agents for change.

Actions for Net2 Community
•        As we come together to embrace 2.0, we have opportunity to say that society and technology moving in new direction and capacity have something big in common: open spaces and possibilities that were not open before. I challenge us to go the last yards, let wisdom of people define how we communicate; we don't have to wait for politicians.