With our first experiment with the sms and organizing coming to a close in Brooklyn; we are excited about expanding the use of SMS with IJJRA as well as beginning to work with a few different organizations who want to incorporate the SMS platform into their work. This week I was in Boston meeting with a few organizations who are interested in becoming a community partner with The Urban Labs.
Boston will be the next urban center we will enter in the coming quarter. There are three coalitions The Urban Labs hopes to partner with who are working on very different issues affecting young people; quality education;a civil right, peer to peer civic education and coordinating voters through out the state. All campaigns will offer The Urban Labs several usage studies using SMS technology as an organizing tool.
What I enjoyed about these meetings was how receptive these organizations were to experimenting with the SMS platform created by The Urban Labs. They all understood the power of data collection and deepening communication with their and between their members.
The potential of understanding how organizers can use SMS to support their work is powerful. Organizers build and facilitate the building of healthy relationships towards a common goal. The more organizers can track the people whose lives are touched by the magic being done through the vision of the organization the more effective they can be in building authentic relationships.
In June we will know who are community partners will be in Boston. I am really excited about seeing how these organizations explore this arena. We will also be doing evaluations and talks regarding the first experiment with IJJRA about being the first partner for The Urban Labs. Its going to be an educational summer!
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