247 media kit 082108

247 media kit 082108

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  47 Townhall During this presidential election cycle, the campaigns have put online tools front and center—raising money, organizing events, and getting their messages out. But those tools aren’t reaching young people who don’t identify with just one party, haven’t been involved in elections before, and feel more strongly about issues than politics. One Economy, with its history of helping low-income people use technology to connect with information and resources to build better lives, has launched a new website, 247 Townhall (www.247townhall.org), to challenge young people at all economic levels to reclaim their voice, gain leverage in the political process, and make changes in their own lives. Young people who are engaged in their communities are more likely to vote and take action. Using innovative technologies, 247 Townhall enables youth to work together to identify solutions. 247 Townhall users share video clips, blog about issues, post comments, interact in small discussion groups, and find the resources they need to get involved. 247 Townhall is... a community forum dedicated to change
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  247 Townhall is... a community forum dedicated to change Contents • What is 247 Townhall? • Programming • The Public Internet Channel Network • One Economy Corporation
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  Why did OneEconomy create 247 Townhall? Young people who are engaged in their communities have more positive views of government than those who are not. They are more likely to vote and take action, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. One Economy has a successful history of using technology to connect low-income people to online tools for building better lives. One Economy created 247 Townhall to help young people in America at all economic levels to reclaim their voices, gain leverage in the political process, and make changes in their own lives. What kind of information and resources are available? Using innovative technologies, 247 Townhall enables young people to share their ideas, work together, and take action for progress. 247 Townhall users: • Create a profile • Share video and voice clips • Blog and comment on issues in their communities • Interact in small discussion groups • Find the tools they need to get involved Who is 247Townhall for? 247 Townhall was created for young Americans who are in their teens and twenties. In 2006, this demographic included 32 million people in the United States—14 percent of eligible voters with a diverse range of concerns. Two-thirds of them believe that government should do more to solve problems, yet only a minority says they regularly participate in civic engagement activities.
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  Programming If I Were President 247 Townhall’s If I Were President campaign is partnering with musicians, personalities, and intellectual leaders from all political stripes—including Mos Def, Martin Luther, and Kimiko Joy—to promote greater civic engagement and leadership among underserved young people. In the run-up to the election, the campaign is gathering and distributing user-generated videos about national and local If I Were President issues, all prompted by the phrase “If I were president….” Partnering with the Marguerite Casey Foundation, One Economy Corporation recently launched an online video contest as part of the If I Were President campaign to capture the aspirations of young people across the county. Winners will be announced October 15. The George Watsky Show In The George Watsky Show, environmental Activist and HBO Def Jam Poetry spoken word artist George Watsky travels the country working with young people, activists, green collar workers, and policymakers to generate creative ways to curb climate change. George Watsky epitomizes the young activist, providing 247 Townhall users a model for engagement and action in their communities. As he interviews and showcases other young spoken word artists and poets, Watsky motivates young people to get involved and speak up.
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  Flip it Forward The Flip It Forward campaign brings together Youth Speaks’ vast network FLIP IT Forward of young poets as correspondents using Flip video cameras as their eyes and ears, capturing the opinions of low-income people around the country as they present their own presidential platforms. Spoken word poetry is a fusion of verbal expression and performance art. In the Flip It Forward campaign, young poets address pressing issues in the United States and the presidency. The campaign features poets from across the country giving fellow 247Townhall users a sense of the challenges other communities are facing. Equity Across America Equity Across America follows the 247 Townhall street team on their cross-country journey to the 2008 PolicyLink National Conference on Regional Equity. Along the way, they visit some of the most impoverished communities in America, asking a simple question: What challenges are facing your local community and what can be done about them? EQUITY ACROSS In the United States, underserved communities have fallen AMERICA dramatically behind in terms of regional equity. New Orleans was chosen as the epicenter of this movement because of the unique challenges it faces post-Hurricane Katrina. Hosted by spokesperson Danny Glover, the resulting documentary tackles the big issues facing communities across the nation—from gang violence to waste management—and brings awareness to the issue of regional equity and the need to build and, in some cases, rebuild healthy communities across the United States.
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  The Public InternetChannel Network To supplement its programming, the Public Internet Channel draws together One Economy’s network of public-purpose media. More than 15 million people have used these online resources to improve their lives. The Public Internet Channel The Public Internet Channel (www.pic.tv) is a next-generation, public- purpose online network. Everything on the Public Internet Channel is relevant, current, accessible, and, whenever possible, local— always with a clearly-defined public purpose to inspire, inform, and engage, while giving people the tools they need to take action. The Beehive The Beehive (www.thebeehive.org) is an award-winning, multilingual Web portal that provides low-income individuals web-based tools and information about financial services, education, jobs, health care, and family. The site features topics that can help people raise their standard of living by accessing information and learning how to take action on issues that are important to them and can change their lives. ZipRoad ZipRoad (www.ziproad.org) is One Economy Corporation’s one-of-a-kind education tool that helps students, parents, teachers, and caregivers find education-related resources in their communities. By simply entering their zip codes, people are quickly on the path to finding information about schools, as well as quality and affordable after school tutoring and other learning programs in their neighborhoods.
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  About One Economy OneEconomy Corporation is a global nonprofit that leverages the power of technology and information to connect low-income people to the economic mainstream. One Economy brings broadband into the homes of low-income people, produces public-purpose media, and trains and employs youth to enhance communities’ technology capacity. Learn More For content and partnership inquiries, contact Mohammed Soriano Bilal at (503) 820-3821 or [email protected] For press inquiries, contact Austin Bonner at (202) 393-0051 or [email protected] For more information about One Economy, visit us at www.one-economy.com