The etymology of concepts has always interested me, especially when a word is being coined with social purposes.
The International Day Against Homophobia was commemorated a few days ago. It is important that actions barring equal rights to people due to their sexual orientation be stopped. Though I do not think that the term is appropriate.
A phobia is an irrational fear of something. It may bring about disproportionate and uncontrollable actions. It is an "illness" well described by the World Health Organization.
What happens to people who live rejecting people due do their sexual diversity -- lesbians, homosexuals, transgender… -- is not an illness. It is a rejection, basically conscious and voluntary, that may be followed by actions well planned to undermine and punish.
The worst danger of accepting the word is that if a person commits a crime against a person that triggers the phobia, a clever lawyer may claim innocence by reason of a mental illness and get his client to walk with a big smile.
The irony is that minority groups that have coined the term may end up weaving the rope with which their protégés may be hanged.
This may seem like nonsense. Believe me; it is not.
ESPAÑOL
Siempre me ha llamado la atención la etimología de los conceptos, especialmente cuando se está buscando acuñar una palabra con fines sociales.
En estos días se conmemoró el Día Mundial Contra La Homofobia. Es importante que se luche contra la existencia del rechazo que lleve a no proveer los mismos derechos humanos -- sociales, civiles, económicos -- a cualquier minoría de nuestros congéneres.
Mas, no me parece apropiado el uso del término .
Una fobia es un miedo irracional a algo. Produce reacciones desproporcionadas y, especialmente, fuera de control. En resumen, es una y, como tal, está reconocida por la Organización Mundial de la Salud.
En cambio, lo que ocurre en cuanto al rechazo extremo a las personas con orientación sexual "diversa" -- homosexuales, lesbianas, transgéneros….-- no es enfermedad. Es un rechazo, básicamente consciente y voluntario, que se puede acompañar de comportamientos planificados, conscientes para castigar.
El mayor peligro de aceptar el término es que si un comete un crimen contra un homosexual, un abogado sagaz puede ampararlo bajo el concepto de enfermedad y lograr que salga absuelto.
La ironía incluida es que los grupos que han acuñado el término terminen fabricando la cuerda con que se les puede colgar.
Les podrá parecer una tontería… Créanme que no lo es.
It is an oft overlooked fact, but in today's world it can be so easy to forget about the importance of eating well.
Our generation has inherited a highly disfunctional food system, and along with it, poor diet and a global epidemic of diet-related diseases which has led to 43 million children under the age of 5 being overweight, while millions of others around the world go hungry. There is more than enough food to feed our entire global population, but inequal distrobution in our food systems results in a great divide between those who have enough to eat and those who do not.
We have the opportunity to change this system; creating sustained change is not easy, we need a revolution in the way we think about food in order to empower individuals to understand how food contributes to global challenges like obesity, povery, sustainability and human rights.
Starting with Education to better understand all of the ways food has an impact on us and our world is an important first step towards unleashing the change we wish to see.
It is an oft overlooked fact, but in today's world it can be so easy to forget about the importance of eating well.
Our generation has inherited a highly disfunctional food system, and along with it, poor diet and a global epidemic of diet-related diseases which has led to 43 million children under the age of 5 being overweight, while millions of other around the world go hungry. There is more than enough food to feed our entire global population, but inequal distrobution in our food systems results in a great divide between those who have enough to eat and those who do not.
We have the opportunity to change this system; creating sustained change is not easy, we need a revolution in the way we think about food in order to empower individuals to understand how food contributes to global challenges like obesity, povery, sustainability and human rights.
Starting with Education to better understand all of the ways food has an impact on us and our world is an important first step towards unleashing the change we wish to see.
I spent this year's Lent in Los Angeles, California. By chance I decided to attend Good Friday services at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Los Angeles. I was concerned about the lack of attendees.
Had they travelled the same path I did?
I wish I could regain the innocent faith I had while being a child!
ESPAÑOL
Pasé la Semana Santa – Semana Mayor – en Los Angeles, California. Decidí asistir al rito del Viernes Santo en la Catedral de dicha ciudad y me llamó la atención la disminución de feligreses.
¿Les habrá ocurrido igual que a mí?
¡Ojalá pudiera recuperar la fé inocente que tenía cuando era chiquillo!
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard with our friends at Microsoft to prepare for the launch of an exciting new program: Innovate4Good@Microsoft. TakingITGlobal is honoured to have been chosen as the online community partner, building an online community to engage young people around the world in programs and opportunities that support their natural passion for innovation, connecting them to opportunities to realize their potential. We’ll be working to build connections between the TIG and Innovate4Good online community – sharing relevant programs and opportunities in both directions.
The program is kicking off with a series of events Microsoft is holding across the globe, bringing together young people who have been touched by the many programs Microsoft has supported through its Corporate Citizenship focus on Opportunity for Youth. Just last week, Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation released a report framing the global opportunity gap - which provides insightful context on the urgency of the need to invest in youth.
The first event was in Seattle this past Saturday, and brought together nearly 100 young people from across the United States at Microsoft’s campus. Our team arrived last Friday to put the finishing touches on the Innovate4Good@Microsoft online community, and to prepare for Saturday’s event. On Friday night, there was a reception at the Microsoft Store, where the enthusiastic staff provided a comprehensive showcase of a variety of technology scenarios – from a Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface demo, to a look at several productivity products, like the Neatreceipts scanner and an amazing digital pen, which more than one attendee bought to take home with them.
Our team pulled up to the venue on Saturday just as one of Seattle’s most famous donut trucks was setting up – providing a real treat for attendees who would be arriving shortly. We setup a counter of PCs, where we helped each attendee register for the online community after their registration – and were relieved after our hard work on the site that everything ran smoothly. The attendees provided some great feedback and were quite excited to use the community to follow the activities of future events and stay connected to opportunities for engagement from Microsoft.
The event itself was masterfully facilitated by our friend Allan Gunn (aka “Gunner”) who we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past at the World Summit on the Information Society. Any “ice” between participants was quickly broken with a fun activity, physically reflecting on perspectives on different issues – from juvenile detention to Internet as a human right.
Then the serious work began – brainstorming issues that participants wanted to solve, and clustering them together. Here are some highlights of the diverse challenges to be tackled:
Before breaking into groups to expand on the ideas, a variety of Microsoft teams hosted a “speed geek” session, showcasing their products and programs: Imagine Cup, MS Research, Kinect for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Skype, and a new art software preview. Lots of fun! Windows 8 looks pretty cool – especially on some of the powerful new slates (tablets with laptop-like power)
After we all geeked out, a number of participants agreed to act as facilitators, and groups emerged to flesh out potential approaches to addressing the different problems. The day ended with an inspiring go-round of the groups, hearing the amazing ideas that had emerged in just over an hour of work together. Everyone headed down to the Microsoft visitor centre where Kinect Darts and Microsoft Surface Checkers were being enjoyed – with some great music from a local DJ to celebrate a packed day.
We’re excited about supporting the development of this program with Microsoft over the coming weeks, months, and years. Next weekend the event comes to Cairo, followed by other cities including Singapore, Brussels, Mexico City and Beijing. If you’re in Singapore and interested in attending, applications are open!
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard with our friends at Microsoft to prepare for the launch of an exciting new program: Innovate4Good@Microsoft. TakingITGlobal is honoured to have been chosen as the online community partner, building an online community to engage young people around the world in programs and opportunities that support their natural passion for innovation, connecting them to opportunities to realize their potential. We’ll be working to build connections between the TIG and Innovate4Good online community – sharing relevant programs and opportunities in both directions.
The program is kicking off with a series of events Microsoft is holding across the globe, bringing together young people who have been touched by the many programs Microsoft has supported through its Corporate Citizenship focus on Opportunity for Youth. Just last week, Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation released a report framing the global opportunity gap - which provides insightful context on the urgency of the need to invest in youth.
The first event was in Seattle this past Saturday, and brought together nearly 100 young people from across the United States at Microsoft’s campus. Our team arrived last Friday to put the finishing touches on the Innovate4Good@Microsoft online community, and to prepare for Saturday’s event. On Friday night, there was a reception at the Microsoft Store, where the enthusiastic staff provided a comprehensive showcase of a variety of technology scenarios – from a Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface demo, to a look at several productivity products, like the Neatreceipts scanner and an amazing digital pen, which more than one attendee bought to take home with them.
Our team pulled up to the venue on Saturday just as one of Seattle’s most famous donut trucks was setting up – providing a real treat for attendees who would be arriving shortly. We setup a counter of PCs, where we helped each attendee register for the online community after their registration – and were relieved after our hard work on the site that everything ran smoothly. The attendees provided some great feedback and were quite excited to use the community to follow the activities of future events and stay connected to opportunities for engagement from Microsoft.
The event itself was masterfully facilitated by our friend Allan Gunn (aka “Gunner”) who we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past at the World Summit on the Information Society. Any “ice” between participants was quickly broken with a fun activity, physically reflecting on perspectives on different issues – from juvenile detention to Internet as a human right.
Then the serious work began – brainstorming issues that participants wanted to solve, and clustering them together. Here are some highlights of the diverse challenges to be tackled:
Before breaking into groups to expand on the ideas, a variety of Microsoft teams hosted a “speed geek” session, showcasing their products and programs: Imagine Cup, MS Research, Kinect for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Skype, and a new art software preview. Lots of fun! Windows 8 looks pretty cool – especially on some of the powerful new slates (tablets with laptop-like power)
After we all geeked out, a number of participants agreed to act as facilitators, and groups emerged to flesh out potential approaches to addressing the different problems. The day ended with an inspiring go-round of the groups, hearing the amazing ideas that had emerged in just over an hour of work together. Everyone headed down to the Microsoft visitor centre where Kinect Darts and Microsoft Surface Checkers were being enjoyed – with some great music from a local DJ to celebrate a packed day.
We’re excited about supporting the development of this program with Microsoft over the coming weeks, months, and years. Next weekend the event comes to Cairo, followed by other cities including Singapore, Brussels, Mexico City and Beijing. If you’re in Singapore and interested in attending, applications are open!
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard with our friends at Microsoft to prepare for the launch of an exciting new program: Innovate4Good@Microsoft. TakingITGlobal is honoured to have been chosen as the online community partner, building an online community to engage young people around the world in programs and opportunities that support their natural passion for innovation, connecting them to opportunities to realize their potential. We’ll be working to build connections between the TIG and Innovate4Good online community – sharing relevant programs and opportunities in both directions.
The program is kicking off with a series of events Microsoft is holding across the globe, bringing together young people who have been touched by the many programs Microsoft has supported through its Corporate Citizenship focus on Opportunity for Youth. Just last week, Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation released a report framing the global opportunity gap - which provides insightful context on the urgency of the need to invest in youth.
The first event was in Seattle this past Saturday, and brought together nearly 100 young people from across the United States at Microsoft’s campus. Our team arrived last Friday to put the finishing touches on the Innovate4Good@Microsoft online community, and to prepare for Saturday’s event. On Friday night, there was a reception at the Microsoft Store, where the enthusiastic staff provided a comprehensive showcase of a variety of technology scenarios – from a Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface demo, to a look at several productivity products, like the Neatreceipts scanner and an amazing digital pen, which more than one attendee bought to take home with them.
Our team pulled up to the venue on Saturday just as one of Seattle’s most famous donut trucks was setting up – providing a real treat for attendees who would be arriving shortly. We setup a counter of PCs, where we helped each attendee register for the online community after their registration – and were relieved after our hard work on the site that everything ran smoothly. The attendees provided some great feedback and were quite excited to use the community to follow the activities of future events and stay connected to opportunities for engagement from Microsoft.
The event itself was masterfully facilitated by our friend Allan Gunn (aka “Gunner”) who we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past at the World Summit on the Information Society. Any “ice” between participants was quickly broken with a fun activity, physically reflecting on perspectives on different issues – from juvenile detention to Internet as a human right.
Then the serious work began – brainstorming issues that participants wanted to solve, and clustering them together. Here are some highlights of the diverse challenges to be tackled:
Before breaking into groups to expand on the ideas, a variety of Microsoft teams hosted a “speed geek” session, showcasing their products and programs: Imagine Cup, MS Research, Kinect for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Skype, and a new art software preview. Lots of fun! Windows 8 looks pretty cool – especially on some of the powerful new slates (tablets with laptop-like power)
After we all geeked out, a number of participants agreed to act as facilitators, and groups emerged to flesh out potential approaches to addressing the different problems. The day ended with an inspiring go-round of the groups, hearing the amazing ideas that had emerged in just over an hour of work together. Everyone headed down to the Microsoft visitor centre where Kinect Darts and Microsoft Surface Checkers were being enjoyed – with some great music from a local DJ to celebrate a packed day.
We’re excited about supporting the development of this program with Microsoft over the coming weeks, months, and years. Next weekend the event comes to Cairo, followed by other cities including Singapore, Brussels, Mexico City and Beijing. If you’re in Singapore and interested in attending, applications are open!
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard with our friends at Microsoft to prepare for the launch of an exciting new program: Innovate4Good@Microsoft. TakingITGlobal is honoured to have been chosen as the online community partner, building an online community to engage young people around the world in programs and opportunities that support their natural passion for innovation, connecting them to opportunities to realize their potential. We’ll be working to build connections between the TIG and Innovate4Good online community – sharing relevant programs and opportunities in both directions.
The program is kicking off with a series of events Microsoft is holding across the globe, bringing together young people who have been touched by the many programs Microsoft has supported through its Corporate Citizenship focus on Opportunity for Youth. Just last week, Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation released a report framing the global opportunity gap - which provides insightful context on the urgency of the need to invest in youth.
The first event was in Seattle this past Saturday, and brought together nearly 100 young people from across the United States at Microsoft’s campus. Our team arrived last Friday to put the finishing touches on the Innovate4Good@Microsoft online community, and to prepare for Saturday’s event. On Friday night, there was a reception at the Microsoft Store, where the enthusiastic staff provided a comprehensive showcase of a variety of technology scenarios – from a Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface demo, to a look at several productivity products, like the Neatreceipts scanner and an amazing digital pen, which more than one attendee bought to take home with them.
Our team pulled up to the venue on Saturday just as one of Seattle’s most famous donut trucks was setting up – providing a real treat for attendees who would be arriving shortly. We setup a counter of PCs, where we helped each attendee register for the online community after their registration – and were relieved after our hard work on the site that everything ran smoothly. The attendees provided some great feedback and were quite excited to use the community to follow the activities of future events and stay connected to opportunities for engagement from Microsoft.
The event itself was masterfully facilitated by our friend Allan Gunn (aka “Gunner”) who we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past at the World Summit on the Information Society. Any “ice” between participants was quickly broken with a fun activity, physically reflecting on perspectives on different issues – from juvenile detention to Internet as a human right.
Then the serious work began – brainstorming issues that participants wanted to solve, and clustering them together. Here are some highlights of the diverse challenges to be tackled:
Before breaking into groups to expand on the ideas, a variety of Microsoft teams hosted a “speed geek” session, showcasing their products and programs: Imagine Cup, MS Research, Kinect for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Skype, and a new art software preview. Lots of fun! Windows 8 looks pretty cool – especially on some of the powerful new slates (tablets with laptop-like power)
After we all geeked out, a number of participants agreed to act as facilitators, and groups emerged to flesh out potential approaches to addressing the different problems. The day ended with an inspiring go-round of the groups, hearing the amazing ideas that had emerged in just over an hour of work together. Everyone headed down to the Microsoft visitor centre where Kinect Darts and Microsoft Surface Checkers were being enjoyed – with some great music from a local DJ to celebrate a packed day.
We’re excited about supporting the development of this program with Microsoft over the coming weeks, months, and years. Next weekend the event comes to Cairo, followed by other cities including Singapore, Brussels, Mexico City and Beijing. If you’re in Singapore and interested in attending, applications are open!
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard with our friends at Microsoft to prepare for the launch of an exciting new program: Innovate4Good@Microsoft. TakingITGlobal is honoured to have been chosen as the online community partner, building an online community to engage young people around the world in programs and opportunities that support their natural passion for innovation, connecting them to opportunities to realize their potential. We’ll be working to build connections between the TIG and Innovate4Good online community – sharing relevant programs and opportunities in both directions.
The program is kicking off with a series of events Microsoft is holding across the globe, bringing together young people who have been touched by the many programs Microsoft has supported through its Corporate Citizenship focus on Opportunity for Youth. Just last week, Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation released a report framing the global opportunity gap - which provides insightful context on the urgency of the need to invest in youth.
The first event was in Seattle this past Saturday, and brought together nearly 100 young people from across the United States at Microsoft’s campus. Our team arrived last Friday to put the finishing touches on the Innovate4Good@Microsoft online community, and to prepare for Saturday’s event. On Friday night, there was a reception at the Microsoft Store, where the enthusiastic staff provided a comprehensive showcase of a variety of technology scenarios – from a Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface demo, to a look at several productivity products, like the Neatreceipts scanner and an amazing digital pen, which more than one attendee bought to take home with them.
Our team pulled up to the venue on Saturday just as one of Seattle’s most famous donut trucks was setting up – providing a real treat for attendees who would be arriving shortly. We setup a counter of PCs, where we helped each attendee register for the online community after their registration – and were relieved after our hard work on the site that everything ran smoothly. The attendees provided some great feedback and were quite excited to use the community to follow the activities of future events and stay connected to opportunities for engagement from Microsoft.
The event itself was masterfully facilitated by our friend Allan Gunn (aka “Gunner”) who we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past at the World Summit on the Information Society. Any “ice” between participants was quickly broken with a fun activity, physically reflecting on perspectives on different issues – from juvenile detention to Internet as a human right.
Then the serious work began – brainstorming issues that participants wanted to solve, and clustering them together. Here are some highlights of the diverse challenges to be tackled:
Before breaking into groups to expand on the ideas, a variety of Microsoft teams hosted a “speed geek” session, showcasing their products and programs: Imagine Cup, MS Research, Kinect for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Skype, and a new art software preview. Lots of fun! Windows 8 looks pretty cool – especially on some of the powerful new slates (tablets with laptop-like power)
After we all geeked out, a number of participants agreed to act as facilitators, and groups emerged to flesh out potential approaches to addressing the different problems. The day ended with an inspiring go-round of the groups, hearing the amazing ideas that had emerged in just over an hour of work together. Everyone headed down to the Microsoft visitor centre where Kinect Darts and Microsoft Surface Checkers were being enjoyed – with some great music from a local DJ to celebrate a packed day.
We’re excited about supporting the development of this program with Microsoft over the coming weeks, months, and years. Next weekend the event comes to Cairo, followed by other cities including Singapore, Brussels, Mexico City and Beijing. If you’re in Singapore and interested in attending, applications are open!
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard with our friends at Microsoft to prepare for the launch of an exciting new program: Innovate4Good@Microsoft. TakingITGlobal is honoured to have been chosen as the online community partner, building an online community to engage young people around the world in programs and opportunities that support their natural passion for innovation, connecting them to opportunities to realize their potential. We’ll be working to build connections between the TIG and Innovate4Good online community – sharing relevant programs and opportunities in both directions.
The program is kicking off with a series of events Microsoft is holding across the globe, bringing together young people who have been touched by the many programs Microsoft has supported through its Corporate Citizenship focus on Opportunity for Youth. Just last week, Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation released a report framing the global opportunity gap - which provides insightful context on the urgency of the need to invest in youth.
The first event was in Seattle this past Saturday, and brought together nearly 100 young people from across the United States at Microsoft’s campus. Our team arrived last Friday to put the finishing touches on the Innovate4Good@Microsoft online community, and to prepare for Saturday’s event. On Friday night, there was a reception at the Microsoft Store, where the enthusiastic staff provided a comprehensive showcase of a variety of technology scenarios – from a Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface demo, to a look at several productivity products, like the Neatreceipts scanner and an amazing digital pen, which more than one attendee bought to take home with them.
Our team pulled up to the venue on Saturday just as one of Seattle’s most famous donut trucks was setting up – providing a real treat for attendees who would be arriving shortly. We setup a counter of PCs, where we helped each attendee register for the online community after their registration – and were relieved after our hard work on the site that everything ran smoothly. The attendees provided some great feedback and were quite excited to use the community to follow the activities of future events and stay connected to opportunities for engagement from Microsoft.
The event itself was masterfully facilitated by our friend Allan Gunn (aka “Gunner”) who we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past at the World Summit on the Information Society. Any “ice” between participants was quickly broken with a fun activity, physically reflecting on perspectives on different issues – from juvenile detention to Internet as a human right.
Then the serious work began – brainstorming issues that participants wanted to solve, and clustering them together. Here are some highlights of the diverse challenges to be tackled:
Before breaking into groups to expand on the ideas, a variety of Microsoft teams hosted a “speed geek” session, showcasing their products and programs: Imagine Cup, MS Research, Kinect for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Skype, and a new art software preview. Lots of fun! Windows 8 looks pretty cool – especially on some of the powerful new slates (tablets with laptop-like power)
After we all geeked out, a number of participants agreed to act as facilitators, and groups emerged to flesh out potential approaches to addressing the different problems. The day ended with an inspiring go-round of the groups, hearing the amazing ideas that had emerged in just over an hour of work together. Everyone headed down to the Microsoft visitor centre where Kinect Darts and Microsoft Surface Checkers were being enjoyed – with some great music from a local DJ to celebrate a packed day.
We’re excited about supporting the development of this program with Microsoft over the coming weeks, months, and years. Next weekend the event comes to Cairo, followed by other cities including Singapore, Brussels, Mexico City and Beijing. If you’re in Singapore and interested in attending, applications are open!
Just after launching YouthMovements.org at Times Square in New York, Francisco and myself journeyed to Miami, Florida for The 2012 Knight Media and Learning Seminar.
This event enabled us to meet and learn from other Knight grantees and to engage with a network of community foundations from across the USA. In addition, we had the opportunity to connect with innovative projects such as Code for America, YouthMovements.org partners like DoSomething.org, cutting edge social technology projects, and mobilization projects like Turbovoteto better understand how new media technologies are transforming the media landscape and our society.
The hashtag to follow the action is #infoneeds which speaks to the Knight Foundations goals of creating democratic, informed and engaged societies. Without access to up to date and relevant information about our social and physical environments, our communities will not flourish.
Three of the take away talks for me were from Eli Perisser – who spoke about the filter bubble and how the internet is becoming an increasingly personalized place, where our search results and friend feeds are tailored (without our implicit knowledge or consent) to display results which are more likely to be clicked on.
Amy web detailed big data, mobile data and how new technologies such as facial recognition, social networking and massive databases of information can be combined to discover potentially way more information about our communities than we would have thought possible. Amy demonstrated how apps like Banjo allow us to glimpse into the shared lives of those around us and gave a few tips about how gamification can be used to incentivise and reinforce processes, education and behaviour change.
I was also very interested in enabling communities to evaluate and map their own information environment through the Community Information Toolkit – a tool which helps community leaders harness the power of information to advance their goals for a better community.
Finally, the event was rounded out by an address by Ethan Zuckerman, Director of the MIT Center for Civic Media. He advanced the proposition that the Internet is the most powerful tool humans have to understand our differences. But we’ve yet to tap this potential, partially due to homophily — the tendency to gravitate toward people with similar traits to our own— which also governs our Web habits and online conversations.
His work with the Center for Civic Media centers on how to map, contextualize and amplify global voices with tools that, he says, can be applied to any community through Zuckerman’s four-step approach :
His four step approach to map, contextualize and amplify global voices are:
1.) Assess your audience.
Figure out who you're hearing from and who you're not hearing.
2.) Learn where people are communicating and what tools they are using.
Use the tools which work for the group you are trying to engage.
3.) Use curation, translation and context to effectively compile what people are saying.
4.) Love makes it go.
People who are successful at engaging their communities using love do it because they love three things: The communities they’re representing, the online medium, and their ability to say, “I can tell you what's going on in my community and I can get heard all over the world.”
It was a super exciting series of meetings and chats, which left us with loads of ideas about how to connect YouthMovements.org to the overall community it serves.
Recently, YouthMovements.org launched to more efficiently amplify the role of young people in creating positive social change.
“The new site will aggregate and coalesce youth-led movements around the world to share data and to collaborate more effectively. But it will also inspire new youth to become more involved in what matters to them,” Jeff Coates, strategic initiatives associate at Knight Foundation, said.
The video above explores Knight’s support for the site and shares what kinds of information it makes available to users. The interview also provides tips on how young people can draw inspiration from successful projects and provides resources that helps them replicate these projects in their own communities.
The video features key members of the team behind the site, including Jennifer Corriero,co-founder and executive director of TakingITGlobal, which hosts the site. Corriero describes how it allows young people to discover more about opportunities to get involved in issues that matter to them, both in their own communities and globally.
You’ll also hear insights into the role that technology plays in facilitating youth organized coalitions: “It provides opportunities for information to be synthesized faster and shared more quickly. The real value of this technology is the capacity to share inspiration and to connect it to more efficient models to do more with less,” says Sean Keith, operations manager TakingITGlobal.
YouthMovements.org features a map to display events, organizations and projects across global issues areas allowing young people to discover more about the opportunities to get involved in their own communities or about global developments across the issues that matter to them.
The knowledge hub collects information tool kits and best practices to allow new projects to benefit from the successes and lessons learned from previous efforts of youth organizers.
The new site will also help organizations effectively share information about their projects, to promote projects and initiatives collaboratively, and to help track and celebrate the collective progress being made worldwide to tackle the world's most challenging issues.
Supported by Knight Foundation, YouthMovements.org is a project of TakingITGlobal, the largest online community of young people interested in global issues and creating positive change. TakingITGlobal uses the power of online community to facilitate global education, social entrepreneurship and civic engagement for millions of youth worldwide.
The launch of the site coincides with a YouthMovements Summit in New York City, exploring the past, present and future of the youth engagement sector to find ways to amplify its impact.
During the two days, youth engagement leaders will share, learn and gain insight as they work together to shape the future of the sector as part of a learning community and collaborative network.
La turbulencia entre el gobierno de Panamá y los indígenas Ngobe-Buglé se centraron en la discusión de los planes mineros del primero y su rechazo de parte de los segundos. Y, hace unos días, los indígenas exigieron la exclusión de proyectos hidroeléctricos en su territorio y "territorios adyacentes." Se firmó, recientemente, un "acuerdo para establecer un acuerdo." En el período: 3 muertos indígenas, muchos heridos de ambas partes y un país puesto de rodillas por las tácticas de los habitantes más antiguos de la región.
Ahora se pregunta: ¿Qué hacer?
En mi opinión, parto de la premisa que los indígenas no se sienten panameños. De hecho, cuando se reúnen en foros internacionales se autodenominan miembros de la Gran Nación Indígena -- se extiende a través de todo el continente Americano. Esto es loable, pero se requiere identidad ciudadana -- panameña.
Creo que el gobierno panameño debe iniciar por establecer una campaña dirigida a crear un sentimiento de pertenencia ciudadana entre los indígenas de todas las etnias en Panamá. Mientras no se haga será muy difícil que realmente tengan ellos y el gobierno muchos intereses en común.
Como siempre, los políticos están tratando de pescar en río revuelto.
ENGLISH
There has been much turbulence between the Panamanian government and the Ngobe-Buglé Indians during the past twelve months. Mining rights were waved as the culprit. And to make matters worse the Indians demand hydroelectric projects to be included in their land and "adjacent areas." In this period three Ngobe-Buglés were killed and many were wounded on both sides. Add to this a country paralyzed due to the tactics of the oldest inhabitants of the region. The question now is: What can be done? In my opinion, I speak from the premise that our Indians do not feel Panamanian. In fact, when they attend international forums they identify themselves as members of the Great Indian Nation -- it extends throughout the whole American Continent. This is laudable, though citizen identity is required -- Panamanian. I think that the Panamanian Government should start a program intended to install a feeling of national belonging to Panama among all indigenous ethnic groups in the country. Otherwise, it may be very difficult for them and the Panamanian counterparts to have many shared interests. As always, politicians are fishing in troubled waters
¿Exigir que no se construyan hidroelèctricas? Mi electricidad subiò 25% en Enero... '12... tenemos la electricidad entre las màs caras del mundo... para los que consumen 450+ watts/mes. Los indìgenas consumen muchìsimo menos; por lo tanto, no les interesa. Puedo estar de acuerdo con lo de la no minerìa en su comarca, pero no lo demàs...
ENGLISH
Demand that hydroelectric sites be banned in Ngobe-Buglè territory in Panama? My electric bill increased 25% in January '12... Our electricity bills are among the highest in the world... for all who consume more than 450 watts/month. The indians do not consume as much; therefore, they do not care. I can accept the prohibition of mining in their territories, but not this new demand.
