6 months, 3 months, past, present and future - (please circulate)
Michael Maranda
for the Chicago Wireless Initiative?
6 months ago the Minneapolis Model came up on our radar. Grassroots
leaders were enthused. Seasoned Chicagoans fell into two camps: those
that saw what such a fight represented in the history of Chicago, and
those who interpreted from that history that most defeatist of
positions --summed up in the following phrases... it can't happen here
- this is Chicago - get the best deal you can.
3 months later three networks came together to launch the Chicago
Digital Access Alliance on open principles and the highest of values,
and to carry that campaign to the neighborhoods of Chicago. We asked
the simple question: what kind of Chicago do we want? What is our
vision of Digital Excellence?
Again, 3 months ago the Wireless Request For Proposal was issued - and
we could claim a significant victory from the start: Digital Inclusion
was now on the City's agenda.
Today we are at a turning point in the campaign. We are in a position
of strength, we're building momentum and we have the moral and economic
high-ground. We know what Digital Excellence means for Chicago, and we
are confident that the City will see things our way as we take the
public campaign into high gear.
We can now look ahead 3 months and 6 months.
Aldermanic and Mayoral elections will over by then. Our public
campaign will have reached all of Chicago and will be recognized
nationwide for its importance and will have set the stage for deeper
dialogue on the public use of technology.
When the Minneapolis organizers took up the fight they believed they
had only three months ahead of them. They wound up in a 15 month
struggle and came out with the Community Benefits Agreement that
brought Digital Activists together with City leadership and together
garnered their city national recognition. They knew they were on sound
footing when the city changed the language of the RFP's key Digital
Inclusion elements from desired to required.
We should be ready for a long campaign. We should voice strongly our
concerns on the three key dimensions of this opportunity for Chicago's
Economic Development and the Civic Life of our Neighborhoods: the
ownership model, the technological merits and whether the digital
inclusion strategy puts us on the path to Digital Excellence with an
integrated and integrating strategy led by long time Chicago grassroots
leaders.
What will the answer be? That depends on who stands up and whether we
stand together under the right principles.
Spread the word on the work of our coalition. Our time is now. Get
involved.
* Join the mailing list at http://www.digitalaccessalliance.org
* Support the Campaign with donations or time.
(joi...@digitalaccessalliance.org -- (312) 212-3623)
* Call your Alderman and let them know Chicago needs a Community
Benefits Agreement for the City Wireless Initiative and that the
Chicago Digital Access Alliance has established the model for Chicago
neighborhoods.
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Executive Director, CTCNet Chicago Chapter
Co-Founder, Chicago Digital Access Alliance
Co-Chair, Illinois Community Technology Coalition
President, Association For Community Networking