I am so inspired by Kid President. If you haven’t seen the video, go watch it now, and get your pep talk on. So… with kid on our shoulder, let’s think about how to make NYC more awesome. From a tech policy perspective :) A few weeks ago the (already awesome) NY Tech Meetup launched a call for conversation about how to make NYC a better place — for the tech community specifically, and for the broader community more generally. The set of goals they kicked off the conversation with were:
Make New York City the most wired city on earth by providing every New Yorker and every New York business, regardless of location, access to the fastest broadband networks at the lowest cost.
Reinvent the education system to allow every child, young adult, and all New Yorkers to develop the skills necessary to thrive in a 21st century economy and world.
Make New York City the clear choice for entrepreneurs, software engineers, and other technically skilled professionals to start a business and build a career by making it easy to find partners, financing, office space and housing, employees, and access to markets.
Support the appointment of a Deputy Mayor for Technology Innovation with an appropriate budget charged with the responsibility of reinventing New York City government with a 21st century framework.
Make New York City’s system for civic participation the most open, transparent, accountable, participatory, and innovative in the world.
Make New York City the most citizen-connected community on earth, where its people connect with each other to unleash a powerful new 21st century economy: selling to each other, renting to each other, funding each other, sharing with each other, coworking with each other, meeting up with each other, and hiring each other.
Support public policies that would ensure that technology and the opportunities available to the tech community can reach all New York’s citizens, and help solve issues related to healthcare, human rights and justice, gender equality, transportation, the environment, and other issues of fundamental importance to all New Yorkers.
(note: I had a hard time bolding the last one :-) These ideas are a starting point, and it’s been interesting to see how people have reacted to it so far — re-prioritizing (through voting) the list above and adding new ideas. What I like about the NYTM’s list is that it’s not just about making NYC a place that’s inviting for companies to locate to (through things like tax breaks, etc), but about making NYC a leader as an open, connected, wired city. It’s about using tech policy as a starting point to bring opportunities afforded by the internet and networks of people to the city as a whole.
"What if there really were two paths… I want be in the one that leads to awesome." -#kidpresident — Brandon Hatmaker (@brandonhatmaker) February 3, 2013
So, in the words of Kid, let’s get on the path to Awesome. In NYC and everywhere.
As of 11am this morning, buses in Brooklyn are telling the internet where they are. And I'm proud to say that our work is behind it. For the past several months, we've been working with the MTA on this one-line pilot, to demonstrate that it's possible to achieve a workable bus tracking solution using existing hardware (in this case, farebox computers that will be rolled out citywide soon + GPS device + cell modem) and open source software (in this case, the excellent OneBusAway). The hope is that this approach can work city-wide, and for a fraction of the cost of other approaches. There is lots of good coverage out there in the blogosphere, particularly over at Second Avenue Sagas, which did an in-depth look prior to the launch, as well as a follow up post-launch. You can also read our official reaction to the launch on the OpenPlans blog. On a side note, in anticipation of some amount of attention related to the MTA launch, we also put up a new OpenPlans Transportation website today, showcasing our services and projects in the transportation space. It's nice to finally see the business that we've been building for the past year take a bit more shape. I really love this photo -- it is a huge honor to have something we worked on (in this case, the screen shot of the map behind the mobile phone) featured on an honest-to-god MTA transit ad. That is super geeky, I know, but as a lifelong New Yorker and transit rider, it's pretty cool. Now, as Jeff Maki, our project manager for the MTA project, said on his way out of the office today: time to go to bed and dream about buses moving on a map... // photo: Ben Kabak on Flickr
Earlier this year, my friend and former colleague Thor Snilsberg started a new nonprofit organization called CityScience to improve the quality and relevance of science education for urban students. In their words:
CityScience is committed to raising the quality of science education and supporting environmental stewardship. By using the natural and built environments of cities as laboratories for active learning, we transform teaching to make science relevant and engaging for PreK-12 students.
Thor has been working hard all year getting CityScience off the ground, and I'm excited to see it start to gain traction. I'm writing about it today because I just got a really great update & fundraising email from Thor on behalf of CityScience which inspired me to make a donation. That email is the real subject of this post -- I was really blown away by its clarity and sincerity -- as an introduction to the organization and an invitation to become a supporter, I think it's hard to beat. Really nice work, Thor. Pasted below is the email. Read it, and then go make a donation to CityScience.
Dear Family and Friends, Many of you know that 2010 has been an exciting year for me professionally. As the founder and Executive Director of CityScience, I have enjoyed the challenges and complexities of starting a nonprofit to improve the quality of science education in urban school districts. As important people in my life, I am writing to update you on CityScience’s progress and to seek your support. Currently, the United States ranks 24th in international science scores; science is taught less than 3 hours a week in most schools. Because these disparities are even greater in urban areas, CityScience strives to spark students' interest in science while training teachers to make science more hands-on and connected to students' lives. As our mission suggests, cities are natural laboratories for learning and scientific literacy is a key underpinning of our economy and society. To learn more about our unique programs, goals and approach I encourage you to visit www.cityscience.org. Below is a list of CityScience's 2010 milestones. Based on the feedback on our work to date, 2011 will be an exciting year. As family, close friends and existing supporters, I hope this note inspires you to make a tax-deductible donation to CityScience. I look forward to visiting with you in the near future. Best wishes, Thor Snilsberg _____________________________________________ 2010 Milestones Mission & Identity – As you read CityScience's mission to the right, you will begin to see our hands-on approach to improving science education. In developing our logo, we wanted to emphasize how thinking, problem solving and action are life skills learned through scientific inquiry. Recent Programming – In our first major partnership, CityScience provided curriculum for a youth program in the newest National Park. Seeing students develop a passion for geology, forestry, aquatic ecology and architecture was the highlight of the year for me. Our work was recognized by National Parks Service, as being the most "deliberate use of curriculum they have seen," earning us an invitation to present our approach to their educators. 501(c)(3) Incorporation– Thanks to the generosity of two attorneys at the law firm of Skadden Arps, CityScience earned its official nonprofit status June 19th. I have been busy writing grant proposals and introducing the organization to foundations interested in supporting science education, project-based learning and the environment. Board of Directors– Building a board that understands the importance and promise of science education is especially important to me. CityScience is fortunate to have eight board members that all have advanced degrees in science, education, or urban planning. Their expertise and commitment has been essential to helping me tackle countless start-up tasks. In-kind Donations, Corporate Support & Fundraising– The in-kind support of Consider-it-Done Accounting, Durst Organization, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, and All Star Moving and Storage have defrayed major overhead costs at key points. Our first corporate sponsor, Carpet Cycle, is not only the region's premier carpet recycler, the founder and CEO has become a great friend and mentor. And while I have a lot to learn about fundraising, the list of individual supporters continues to grow. Every donation is like a vote of confidence that brightens my day. Office & Employees– CityScience moved into its first office in October. We are walking distance from Grand Central Station, and I hope all of you have a chance to visit us soon. Our expert instructors and teacher coaches deliver top notch programs and I look forward to continuing to develop our staff and pool of talented contractors. Curriculum & Science Equipment – The curriculum CityScience inherited from the Center for the Urban Environment (CUE) includes fifty subjects and well over two-hundred lesson plans that get students outside to learn science. Developed and time tested for thirty years in New York’s schools, parks and after-school programs, these programs made CUE the largest environmental educator in the five boroughs before it closed in 2009. While it was a capital project that sank CUE, the programs are exemplar and it is an honor to be chosen to carry them on.