An odd couple indeed: leftist Media Mobilizing Project and Mayor Nutter team up to open public computer centers

A group sometimes known for its critiques of Philadelphia media policy has partnered with the city to open public computer centers around the city.

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An odd couple indeed: leftist Media Mobilizing Project and Mayor Nutter team up to open public computer centers

POSTED: Wednesday, July 20, 2011, 3:52 PM
Filed Under: Media | News

 

 With the help of $18.2 million in grants from the 2009 stimulus, the Media Mobilizing Project, a Philadelphia-based non-profit — and past critic of the city's progress in narowing the "digital divide" in access to media between rich and poor —opened 5 new public computer centers on Friday along with ... the City of Philadelphia. Mayor Nutter himself was on hand at 42nd & Chestnut, one of the 5 locations being run by MMP, for the ribbon cutting.

According to site organizer Willie Colon, anyone can utilize the services and facilities offered at these centers, but the group has strategically placed these new technological hubs to align with their current efforts and initiatives. Colon said that the Media Mobilizing Project identified their target audiences and from there urged the city to give them the funds. The two worked simultaneously to acquire and spend this money, and Colon says that his organization is a "natural fit" to run these centers. A total of 77 public computing centers will open (some already have) under the stimulus funds, and five were put under the MMP.

The Media Mobilizing Project equips members of under-served communities — Spanish-speaking immigrants, taxi drivers and urban youth — with basic computing skills and equipment to produce videos, radio segments and articles based around salient issues in their communities.
While the everyday function of the center would be basic computing skills and classes to increase access, the organization hopes to empower their selected audiences with these tools to produce content, and as Colon puts it "tell stories."
Posted by Joshua Goldman @ 3:52 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
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