heya all,
just a reminder we are meeting next tue 29th at 12:30. its got a bit quiet
and some people have said its a bad time for them so may do a doodle if
people cant make this one.
join link is here if you didnt get the google event invite:
https://meet.google.com/hdt-rsrq-gtb
i had a go at a statement of intent (below) for this group to fit into the
org chart on the update blog (
https://gfsc.community/our-first-three-months-as-the-geeks-for-social-chang…)
and would love feedback on it!
i've also got some updates for you on a second attempt at a national
lottery bid.
agenda link here if anyone wants to put anything else in:
https://pad.gfsc.studio/k_8wU5rMRI6mAR4yL-vF9A#
*We are a collective of tech practitioners trying to create a better world*
Much like climate justice work a decade or two ago, tackling big tech feels
insurmountable at the moment. We need to address the culture, practice and
stories around technological transformation by talking about the people and
projects doing it, and celebrating our wins and learning opportunities. A
lot of open source software is sadly quite far from a dropin replacement
for the incredibly mature and stable corporate stack. But perhaps a bigger
problem is that tech is always never at the top of things to fix in
anyone's theory of change so it bubbles perpetually in the wrong quadrant
of the urgent/important matrix. If we are going to ever reduce our
dependance we need to:
1. actually state the problems we are trying to fix with technology (and
stop buying more magic bullets),
2. commit to working together to find out how we can collectively address
them (and have a chance of de-siloing our work in the process),
3. in doing so, use adapt and create software actually fit for our
purposes that we collectively own and run
The GFSC Community Tech Partners group are all working within this
framework, with different specialities and approaches:
* Creating websites and webapps: Lutalica, Common Knowledge
* Adapting and using existing open source tools: Autonomic
* Developing, maintaining and hosting our own non profit open source tools
we want others to use: PlaceCal, Mapped, Resilience Web, Mastodon, Karrot
* Raising money for these alternatives and creating sustainable economies:
Donor Whisperer, Profit for Purpose
* Helping community groups access technology: Geeks for Social Change
Studio, Fractals, Tipping Point
All of us have a set of shared principles (we need to work on these!)
We meet regularly to help nurture and grow left-tech economy, skills and
experience
We deliver services individually and as a collective, keeping each other
accountable and creating a culture of best practice and sharing nicely
Thoughts welcome!!
--
Dr Kim Foale (she/they <https://name.pn/kim-foale>)
*Working hours: Mon-Wed 10-5pm.*
Learn more about Geeks for Social Change Community <https://gfsc.community/>,
a collective building post-billionaire technology for a survivable world.
See work by Geeks for Social Change Studio <https://gfsc.studio/>, my
community technology consultancy.
If anything about this email is confusing or unclear please let me know. I
am happy to provide information in different ways such as clearer language,
over a phone call, with a voice note, or in plain text. Please don't feel
the need to ever apologise for responding to my emails at your own pace.
*Those who do not move, do not notice their chains.*
