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Online Registration is now OPEN!
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Conference Resources & Documents
“Digital Justice" means equal access to information and communications technology, and information literacy for all individuals and communities. To achieve it we need more people like you – from all walks of life and all disciplines -- to understand and advocate for this critical democratic value.
We need you to join us, learn from each other and take
action.
Digital Justice may be obvious to some, but it is still a mystery to
most Minnesotans. This is because “digital” changes have
happened gradually with no overall plan for how – good or bad --
these new ways of doing business, educating ourselves, providing services,
and engaging in civic life have affected Minnesota’s quality of
life.
We are at a Digital Crossroads.
Ironically, many of us are overwhelmed
by the proliferation of digital technologies such as cell phones and
the Internet. Yet we have citizens among us who cannot access information
through these tools because of economic, geographic, or educational barriers,
even as public services are increasingly available only online and in
English. Even as we have more user-friendly technology tools to help
us sort through vast amounts of data that can help make more informed
decisions at local, state, and national policy levels, we find those
data crunching and mapping resources shut down or dismantled for lack
of public funds or political will.
Despite some advances in closing the "digital divide”---most
communities of color, low income communities, and some rural areas are
still left out. They are disconnected and denied the opportunities that
digital connectivity offers. Worse, because we have left much of the
digital transformation of our society to market forces, some parts of
the community are systematically excluded from connectivity and the resources
that connectivity brings.
Can we find the balance again – between
market and public interests – that will bring the full measure
of digital opportunities to everyone seeking those opportunities?
On December 12th---the 2nd Annual Digital Junction Conference sponsored
by the Minnesota State Network Fund will provide people with the chance
to learn how others have found ways to access digital resources and how
they have used them to improve life
in their communities.
Launch New Activities for Digital Justice Advocacy
Two to four MSNet
planning grants will be awarded on December 13th (the day after the conference)
as a result of strategic work done at the conference. You can be part
of a coalition to organize a planning proposal on December 12th. Your
coalition can have $2000-$5000 to help support on-going convening of
your group between December 13, 2005 to March 31, 2006.
The planning
grants can help you design a project, develop a strategy and put forward
a proposal for up to $45,000 in funding that would be awarded next April.
This conference will provide key guidance for those interested in applying
for those grants.
Register now---it is easy
and low-cost. If you are an education, youth organizer or grassroots
activist---you can even register as a group for
the entire conference including pre-conference Digital Connectivity 101
sessions.
Contact us at info@MSNetfund.org for
further information, or call 651-645-9403.
Co-hosted by Minnesota Rural Partners, Inc. and the Community Computer Access Network (C-CAN), the Twin Cities-based Community Technology Empowerment Project. Sponsored by the Minnesota State Network (MSNet) Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation and HP.
