Snapshot of the Healing Justice Site...

Mid Project Check In

This is the Prezi that we presented for our Mid Project check in. A lot has changed since the beginning of the project, especially with regards to the scope and vision, and this presentation really consolidates all of the new changes, and shows the new direction we will be taking.

http://prezi.com/ae4dqle8jo5o/health-and-healing-justice-website/

I've Got the Light of Freedom: Slow and Respectful Work

I really want to share some gems that I picked from a reading we had for our Media Organizing Track.  I'm going to pull out some excerpts from the Charles M. Payne's  

I've Got the light of Freedom:

 Chapter Eight: Slow and Respectful Work

Organizers and Organizing

Some of it will make sense if you've read that chapter, and some if it won't, but I'm going to briefly elaborate on the excerpts I chose for my own mental turned into to blogging notes.(Which will sort of answer the the 3 questions of : (indirectly at least)

• How does trust form?  
• What are the barriers to forming authentic relationships?
• How can you build relationships through media-making?   

Loved This. Illustrated it so well. Thank God I can Juggle. Literally. 

Be approachable, and persuasively assertive.

You ain't the Messiah. Gotta be Humble.

Sincerity. One thing you can not hide. Either you have it or you don't. I remember a friend of my sister who was giving me some advice on elevator pitches, and he told me that people may  not remember what you said, but one thing they will remember is your passion.

Being Culturally Competent. This concept is stressed over and over in the Social Work program. In addition to the fact that you really have to meet people where they are and not where you think they need to be. 

 We refer to this in the program as one on ones. Basically, you have take people out to lunch.

This is my favorite part. This is Transformative Social Justice as I understand it. Slow work that takes time, a concept which at times is hard to grasp for some people, especially when we live in a society where instant gratification is the norm.

This has been my new Mantra lately.

Question Game

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Last week in class we played a the Question Game where one person writes a random question on a piece of paper and another writes a random because. The questions and answers are than mixed up and randomly paired together.  The freakiest thing  is that most of the time the questions and answer pairing actually made sense.  Part  two of the game was trying to connect the question and the answer by then making another question out of the two with the other person's statement. This was our paring.

Why Are People so AFRAID?


Because of Corporate Greed.


People are so afraid because corporate greed makes them feel.....


Powerless


Insignificant


Insecure


Dependent


Defensive


Penalized for not conforming


How can people take back the power that was ALWAYS theirs?

Inspiring Website Designs

This page inspires me to create amazing websites.  

50 Unique and Inspiring Website Designs

http://www.onextrapixel.com/2010/07/19/50-unique-and-inspiring-website-designs/  



 Seriously some of these website interfaces are wicked cool.

PROJECT PROPOSAL

What is your vision statement for your major project?

Proposal

Problem: Lack of accessibility to services by disfranchised communities
Goal/suggested solution: Connecting people to the resources they need whether non-profits, service agencies, community business, ect.

How:
A website that is EXTREMELY user friendly so that those without much tech savy skills can still use it to find the resources they need within a specific area.
Ex: Input zipcode number and services within that area similar to store branch locator
-Option to search for specific services such as family literacy programs or food banks within that area but the focus would be local or specific to Metro Detroit.

Problem #2: Figured out where the resources are but most people do not have transportation.  (huge issue) so part of the this website feature would be helping other to get to the places they need too, whether through ride shares or automatically helping them map out their route through having all available transportation  methods in the system which can automatically plan their route.

Or providing a ride-share forum, posting bus-schedules, figuring out what other public transportation options there are for folks with disabilities, seniors, etc, and all of that info
    Also can have group on like feature where one selects resources interested in and then will receive email whenever partner groups add/make resource available.
In summary attempting to connect people to the resources they really need.

What are you planning to investigate and how does it support your vision of Detroit’s Future?
 

-I really need to investigate the scope and intended audience of this project. I think that it is a very ambitious goal but it needs to be narrowed down. Also understanding my audience will inevitably shape how I design this website.  Not exactly sure how to do this part just yet. Might narrow it to geographic are or services provided. 

-Also I am still in the brainstorming stage and all options are on the table, so I have to complete more research by talking to different interest groups whether non-profits, professors, local community members  and others who can provide more insight and help with assessing current available resources.

-In addition I want to explore what is the most user friendly way I can make this website so that you do not need to be really tech savvy to use it. A big theme for me is accessibility in use and in access. So even if for example not everyone has access to internet, this website can a be a tool for agencies, community centers, libraries to utilize to either connect clients to resources or have them do themselves.

-This supports my Vision of Detroit’s Future because it will hopefully connect people to places and resources they need, and a more connected Detroit is needed especially after population loss and the dispersion of services.

What media skills do you need/want for to complete your major project?

  I would definitely need to learn the dynamics of website design so that I can be able to create one that is tailored to the need and purpose of this project. Also, I have to have a good understanding of using graphics in my website so that it can be more user-friendly, and just generally other features that will make a website user-friendly whether font, format, or specific features.  Overall, if I can understand the range of skills, I can than began to understand the capacity of the work that can be created.