Managing Information in Rural America
In 2000-2001, CDS participated as
contracted participants in the W.K.K. Kellogg Foundation's Managing
Information in Rural America program. The program's stated mission
was, "To help people in rural communities determine how technology
can be used to address the growing concerns of rural populations
on such matters as economic development, education, health, and
leadership." In two rounds of funding, MIRA supported projects
initiated by grassroots community organizations working with local
non-profits to design a wide range of projects from community history,
new technology centers, capacity and training for organizational
development, and marketing campaigns for economic development in
the community. Twelve areas were selected in as many states, and
several hundred people participated at both local and national gatherings.
The projects were two years in duration
MIRA Program Director Caroline Carpenter invited CDS to participate
after she attended both the Digital Storytelling Festival in Crested
Butte, Colorado, and a workshop at the CDS facility in Berkeley,
California. In our discussions with her, we identified some specific
needs and approaches that encouraged us to adapt to a more mobile
and flexible training environment. With Kellogg's assistance, we
created the first portable Digital Storytelling Training Lab, with
eight Powerbook G3 Laptops, numerous small peripherals, and audiovisual
equipment. We also re-organized our curriculum materials, developed
a support web site, and created a series of pre-workshop planning
meetings and support materials.
CDS staff then traveled to each of the twelve sites to conduct workshops
with community activists and leaders. The workshops enabled these
communities to capture the story of their efforts and brought the
group together in a creative environment to connect and exchange
ideas. The participants described the experience as a highlight
of their MIRA participation, and several of the organizations developed
long term programs using the methods of our workshop.
In addition, CDS and the Kellogg Foundation assisted the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology's Center for Reflective Community Practice
working in association with Cambridge Community Television to develop
a program in Digital Storytelling. Finally, the work in this practice
inspired a broad range of activities in the area of community development,
including work in the areas of urban youth empowerment, domestic
violence, and Native American communities.
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