Making Democracy Mobile

Mobile technology is changing the world around us. Hear how digital divide activists are championing mobile devices as a 'gateway technology' allowing disenfranchised populations to participate meaningfully and confidently in the digital realm? What lessons have been learned and what does the future look like in urban environments such as Vancouver, San Francisco and Los Angeles. How can web 2.0 and community generated media and open source broadcasting strategies support community building? The stories we tell each other are the glue that holds our communities together. How is mobile technology and live screens creating new ways for people to tell stories, and interact individually or in groups, for audiences near and far, in multiple languages. Empowerment through technology, one mobile device at a time! Panelists: Mark Burdett (San Francisco), Amanda Garcés (Los Angeles), Irwin Oostindie (Vancouver).

Amanda Garcés

Amanda Garcés (Mobile Voices, Los Angeles) is the Project Coordinator for Mobile Voices, and has worked organizing Latino immigrant day labourers for the Institute of Popular Education of Southern California.

Mark Burdett

Mark Burdett (Mobile Voices, San Francisco) handles the Drupal web interface for Mobile Voices in Los Angeles, and is into researching mobile technology as it applies to community empowerment. Mark is an experienced Drupal developer and brings his years of experience in web-based independent media platforms to this mobile future.

Irwin Oostindie

Irwin Oostindie (W2) is the Executive Director of W2, opening at Woodwards in Fall 2009, is cofounder of Fearless, and has worked on numerous social justice, community media, and cultural projects internationally and in Vancouver. 20 years ago he founded the Under the Volcano Festival, and is now a self-prophesed policy wonk speaking and writing on such issues, while living with his daughter in the DTES