What’s Next for Stand?
12.13.2011 // by: Katherine Currin
As the emerging leaders who drove Chattanooga Stand, the world’s largest community visioning process, Katherine Currin, Teal Thibaud, and Garth Brown are passionate about exploring and refining new ways to increase connectivity between people, resources and networks. Over the past two years, Chattanooga Stand successfully engaged hundreds of individuals in meaningful action ranging from green space improvement projects to launching innovative ideas and organizations to meet social needs.
celebrating community and the places they live
building relationships with neighbors: cowart place
Chattanooga Stand is passionate and equipped to implement creative work in unlikely places. Now, they are taking successful engagement tools and strategies from Stand’s portfolio and planting them in some of the more forgotten, urban neighborhoods in Chattanooga.
planting big ideas for a better future
The task goes beyond just being a catalyst for change, and takes on a new form of engagement that involves close collaboration with existing and emerging leaders within the community. Currently, Stand sees a groundswell of enthusiasm among residents eager to give their time, talents, and resources to make our region better, and greatness mandates that no talent be wasted. As CreateHere moves toward Supernova, Stand seeks your assistance in becoming sustainable. In just two days, Stand received over $7,000 and 16 hours of design and marketing assistance in contributions through Causeway.org.
engaging in unlikely places: glass street
finding innovation in blight
Please visit Chattanooga Stand’s Causeway profile to support and learn more about its projects as it develops. All funds raised by January 1st, will be matched.
Causeway is a new way to give in Chattanooga. It’s pretty new, but it’s getting a lot of attention from community members who seek to launch their social innovation ideas and gain support for their ideas. Learn more about Causeway here.
back to top
Permalink
48 Hour Launch Schedule
11.11.2011 // by: Teal Thibaud
back to top
Permalink
48Hour Launch Pre-Pitches: Which Team Will You Join?
11.08.2011 // by: Teal Thibaud
48Hour Launch is only a week away!
On Thursday, we had our pre-event pitch night, where over 120 people packed into the room to hear ideas being pitched and to find the right team to join for the weekend launch.
If one of these ideas catches your interest, let them know by commenting on their post with your response, especially if you would like to contribute your skills to their team over the 48Hour Launch weekend!
Social Innovation Launch:
OPEN in East Lake: Barbara Brayford
Chattanooga Soul, Your Community Terminal: Mike Thompson
Chinese Rock Garden: Bob Edwards
Online Open City Budget: Andrae McGary
Web & Mobile Neighborhood Watch App: Chris Enter
Sickle Cell Awareness Campaign: Sandra Affare
Open Chattanooga: Tim Moreland
ChattaFont: Jeremy Dooley and DJ Trischler
“All Things Green” Map of Chattanooga: Clifton Burriss
Neighborhood Youth Soccer Tournament: Ben Johnson
Web and Mobile Community Calendar: Dustin Coker
Multi-modal Trip Planner: Jenny Parker
The Awesome Foundation: Bijan Dhanani
Educontribution.org: Reed Tomlinson
Make sure to follow these on Causeway.org as well. If you want to join a team, comment under the ‘cause’ and add your skill set as a ‘way’ to make this happen!
back to top
Permalink
RSA Networks Exchange
11.01.2011 // by: Katherine Currin
Since 2010, I have been a Fellow of the The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). Founded in 1754, the London-based society’s (recently re-articulated) mission is “to develop and promote new ways of thinking about human fulfilment and social progress which speaks directly to our strapline - 21st century enlightenment.”
The society’s current projects include Arts and Ecology, Citizen Power, Connected Communities, Design and Society, Education, Public Services, Social Brain and Technology in a Cold Climate. They coordinate events and maintain a physical space in London called The House. Most of all, the RSA connects a 27,000-strong network of fellows, representing over 70 countries, who support the mission of the society.
Chattanooga’s network is made up of around 15 fellows. Over the past 12 months, the RSA’s Chattanooga network has offered small scholarships and grants to support participation in local programs, such as museum memberships for Calvin Donaldson students, small travel stipends for fellows, and RSA membership scholarships for young professionals.
Here is a sampling of the work that Chattanooga’s RSA fellows are engaged in:
Nelson Irvine, a fellow of 40 years (and a third-generation US Fellow) plans to re-institute the RSA Reflection Riding Lectures at the Chattanooga Arboretum Bioblitz. The series focuses on environmental stewardship and conservation will re-launch with the 5th Annual Bio Blitz in 2012.
Trey Meyer is leading the Broken Windows Brigade program and has leveraged a small amount of support from the RSA network to get matching funds and a considerable community support for improvements in a distressed housing project.
Sharon Turner was awarded a RSA Catalyst grant to build a Saturday Arts Academy out of an urban school with no visual arts on the curriculum. Sharon was able to leverage the RSA funds to successfully raise matched funds of a 10:1 scale. This will help sustain the project for another three years.
Each month, the Chattanooga-based RSA fellows gather together to provide encouragement, fresh perspectives, and problem solve.
I have personally benefitted from these interactions. Fellows have offered valuable advice on how to creatively use the massive amount of data gleaned from the Stand survey and strategies for developing a grassroots support system.
RSA fellows from around the world can also connect with one another through the society’s website, but it is rare that we have face-to-face interactions beyond our local networks. In October, a group of four fellows from the Chattanooga network traveled to New York City for the first ever US Networks Exchange.
The purpose of our visit was to present the work we are doing in Chattanooga and to share some insights as to how we move beyond conversation into action. The RSA is looking to our community for cues on how they can foster healthy networks and enable individual fellows to engage in meaningful work. Our response: quality leadership and a strong sense of shared purpose.
It was an honor to represent our community, and we hope that our work will continue to position Chattanooga in the limelight as a place where people get things done.
+++
While in New York City, I enjoyed some of these noteworthy sightings, sites, & restaurants:
On the Lower East Side, I came across The National Debt Clock.
This was followed by a very timely run-in with members of the Occupy Wall Street movement marching to Occupy Times Square.
Just off of Times Square, streets designed for people and performance.
Passing through Chelsea, is the infamous improv and sketch comedy hub, Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.
Continuing West to hop on the High Line, which stretches from West 30th to Gansevoort between 10th and 11th Avenue, for a stroll down to the Meat Packing District.
In the West Village, Art Bar and The Jane, built in 1908 as a hotel for sailors with cabin-like rooms. (Thank you, Veronique!)
Just off of Washington Square, The Center for Architecture’s current exhibit, Buildings = Energy, brings awareness to energy issues in New York City’s built environments.
In Nolita, Lombardi’s - America’s First Pizzeria! This institution has been in operation for over 100 years and they’ve perfected their trade.
Note: the Storefront for Art and Architecture is not open on Monday’s. Their current Storefront Facade, Sacred Spaces In Profane Buildings, looks pretty great and I was sorry to miss it. The Storefront Facade is one of New York’s only alternative platforms focusing primarily on architecture and the built environment.
At the intersection of Houston and 2nd Avenue, a sliver of vacant land between two tenements was being temporarily occupied by The Guggenheim Lab, ‘a mobile laboratory traveling around the world to inspire innovative ideas for urban life.’ The lab had just wrapped up its 53-day long stay in New York and was being dismantled for travel to Berlin and then Mumbai. Over six years, the laboratory will travel to nine major cities worldwide. Part urban think tank, part community center and public gathering space, the laboratory seeks to address issues of contemporary urban life through programs and public discourse.
Staying in the East Village, for great sushi at Kanoyama and then a trip around the corner to McSorley’s Old Ale House. Established in 1854, McSorley’s offers its patrons two choices of brew: ‘light’ or ‘dark.’
back to top
Permalink
48 Hour Launch: Social Innovation
10.24.2011 // by: Teal Thibaud
This November’s 48 Hour Launch provides a platform for building collaboration among Chattanooga’s entrepreneurs, creatives, specialists, and business minded people to join together in teams and accomplish something awesome together over a weekend.
There will be three different types of teams representing:
technology based ideas
product based ideas
social innovations
Over $30,000 of prizes will be awarded to winners in these three tracks, with each prize package including valuable business services from local supporters of innovation. In addition, up to three business ideas will be admitted into the SpringBoard Accelerator Program ($1500 value each). This will be awarded to the top three ideas selected by a panel of qualified business leaders and social entrepreneurs.
Chattanooga Stand and Causeway are sponsoring the Social Innovation track. Causeway.org, a new platform to support civic entrepreneurism, will provide a process for you to find causes that you care about, and work with others to make a way for these causes to be implemented.
Social Innovation refers to new strategies, concepts, ideas and organizations that meet social needs of all kinds. 48 Hour Launch weekend offers participants an opportunity to collaborate with passionate and committed people to develop better ways of functioning as a society, big or small, and tackle some of the main challenges we face in our community.
WHO?
Anyone. Your idea doesn’t have to reflect your day job or be a dev nerd to pitch it.
48 Hour Launch gathers designers, social entrepreneurs, web developers, creatives, marketing minds, and business professionals to work on potential start-ups.
Two ways to get involved:
Pitch an idea and form a group.
No Idea? Join a team and share your skills!
WHEN?
Pitch Night-
November 3rd, 6PM at the CO.LAB.
Pitch your idea early and build a team.
48Hour Launch Weekend-
November 11-13th, 6PM - 6PM
1517 Mitchell Avenue (The Old YMCA Building near Main St.)
Demo Night-
November 13th- 6PM ($5 at the door for the public)
Food, coffee, and beer will be provided through the weekend, your registration fee helps us to cover those costs.
HOW IT WORKS:
Call for Ideas
Ideas are always more powerful when shared. Your idea can be either a specific solution to a problem, or simply identify a need in a particular area. Either way, an idea that will create new models for solving social problems. We are looking for ideas they may become a stand-along venture (spare time gig), help a pre-existing non profit or governmental organization, or become a social enterprise, charity, or other business.
In the Meantime
-To get started, log on to causeway.org and create a profile.
Next, post your cause that can be launched in 48 hours.
Please make sure to check the 48Hour Launch category when submitting your cause.
Once your “cause” is approved, you can begin rallying support around your cause and gathering the resources and volunteers you’ll need during the 48Hour Launch weekend.
-Createhere is hosting OPEN FRIDAYS. Come by on Fridays leading up to November 11th for feedback and idea development.
How you win?
The weekend ends with Demo Night on Sunday, November 13th at 6PM.
We invite the community at large and a panel of judges, $5 at the door.
The public vote and panel of judges will choose the idea that is most likely to get off the ground, as well as the potential to scale-up or replicate the idea. The social innovation project chosen by the crowd’s vote will be awarded a package of relevant business services and $2,500 seed funding will be chosen by a panel of judges.
Please e-mail teal@chattanoogastand.com if you have any questions, or drop by on a Friday. We are looking forward to seeing you on November 3rd.
back to top
Permalink