Tomorrow’s exhibit is the result of a year-long photo training with students from two Indianapolis high schools – Southport and North Central. Their photos document life in their new country, covering everything from school to home to play.The photographers will be on hand to discuss their images with the public. Don’t miss this special opportunity!

What: Project Einstein photo exhibition

Where: The Indianapolis City Market farmer’s market – 222 E. Market St, Indianapolis

When: Wednesday August 10th from 10:30am to 1:30pm

To learn more, read the press release and check out images from the spring photo exhibition at North Central High School, taken by my mom, Freddi Stevens-Jacobi.

You were born in KweKalu, a place near Mae Sot, Thailand. You live there one year when the Burmese government attacks the poor camp. Your fifty year old grandma carries you to escape, with bombs and fire all around. Thank God, your life is not taken away. When the attack is clear, many people in your village go back, and they can’t find their houses. Instead they find ashes and death.

What is it like to grow up in a civil war? To flee your homeland with your family? To live in a refugee camp? To trade all of the above for a new life in a new country – with the potential for freedom, but only if everything you know is left behind?

These are questions we sought to answer with a recent exhibition of photography by Burmese refugee students in Indianapolis, Indiana. The photographs, taken over the past year as part of Project Einstein Indianapolis, a program focused on telling the stories of refugee youth through photography and digital media.

When I was growing up in Indianapolis, I had never heard of the Southeast Asian nation of Burma/Myanmar. Although there was a small but growing population of Burmese people in nearby Fort Wayne Indiana at the time, I knew nothing about the country, where a military dictatorship has ruled since 1962. If I had, perhaps I would have learned how different my life was from the lives of Burmese people my age. Whereas I grew up in  relative peace, with access to public schools and health services, many of Burma’s 60 million people grow up without either, and in many parts of the country there continues to be active warfare by the Burmese military against ethnic minority groups. More than 3 million people have been displaced by war, political oppression and economic hardship into the neighboring countries of India, Thailand, Bangladesh and Malaysia, where they live trapped in refugee camps or illegally as migrant workers.

I didn’t learn about Burma until I went to college, studying at American University which has long supported the democracy movement in Burma. And it wasn’t till I traveled to the Thai-Burma border in 2003 and met Burmese refugees there that I learned about the growing ties between my hometown and people from Burma. By 2007, when Mark and I were learning from Burmese refugees in Thailand as part of a team from the Center for Peace Building International – research that inspired us to found Digital Democracy – there was a growing population of Burmese refugees who had been resettled in Indianapolis. Now, there are more than 5,000, representing primarily the Karen & Chin ethnic groups from Eastern & Western Burma, respectively.

Because of my own personal journey of learning about Burma, it has been humbling to work with the Project Einstein students at Southport & North Central High schools as they have told their own stories through words and text. This past month, both have had the opportunity to showcase some photography and highlight their other talents at events at both schools. At Southport High School, Chin students and other English language learners performed in a concert on April 26, and a few of their framed images were on display in the atrium of the theater. On May 3rd, Karen students at North Central high school debuted their photos to fellow North Central students and the community at large, with a reception that was previewed by the Indianapolis Star.

The reception was an evening of celebration and pride for the Project Einstein North Central students, which included students born in the US and Latin America as well 14 Karen refugees from Eastern Burma and one student from Iraq. They dressed in traditional clothing as they welcomed a crowd of more than 200 to see their images and read their journey stories, which were printed on small cards that viewers read while walking up a ramp representing the journey from the refugee camps in Thailand to their new home in Indianapolis. In the atrium, photos were on display taken by participants of Project Einstein Thailand, depicting life at the Leadership Management Training College in the Mae La Refugee Camp. On the walk up the ramp, scenes of camp life were interspersed with facts about Burma, refugees in Indianapolis, and how to support new refugees through supporting Exodus Refugee services. At the  top of the ramp the framed images were on display, and viewers could speak with the photographers and eat refreshments, including Karen food made by one of the photographer’s family.

The reception was a truly special event, made possible by the work of many volunteers who helped hang the show, set up for the evening and invite viewers to come. Project Einstein Indianapolis is supported by the Clowes Fund, and a grant from the Washington Township Foundation paid for the printing and framing of the images. Most of all, I want to thank the staff and students at both schools who have made this program possible. They embody the idea of Project Einstein – that even though Einstein was a refugee, he could still do great things.

Check out more images from the reception, and stay tuned as we organize a joint show for the students work this spring. Contact info(at)digital-democracy.org if you would like to purchase any of the students’ images.

Photographers Eh Blue and Shar Ka Pru Say greet visitors along with Washington Township Superintendent Dr. Mervilde

Family members walking up the ramp at North Central, representing the journey from "Thailand" to "Indianapolis."

We’re proud to announce the launch of our brand new book created by the Project Einstein South Africa youth. It’s designed by Smitha Alampur who is currently in South Africa delivering the books to the children and with writing help from our intern Ellen Knuti.

Project Einstein South Africa tells the story of thirteen young people who live in two shelters in Pretoria, South Africa. Over the course of five days, they learned how to take pictures with digital cameras and edit the images on computers. They chose the themes of Happiness, Peace, History and Culture to explore through photographs and audio interviews.

Read the book below and/or order a copy for delivery. We’re looking for schools elsewhere in the world to pair them with through our digital pen pal program so let us know if you have any leads. Thanks!

“Einstein was a refugee, but he could still do great things.”

Since those humble beginnings, our digital literacy program has grown to now be in Bangladesh, Thailand, Haiti, Kenya, South Africa, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, and in the USA to Indiana and New York City.

I’m excited to now offer our curriculum free for download. Working with IREX International on the Kazakhstan project, we were even able to have it translated into Russian and Kazakh languages. I hope that you find this helpful and please let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see in future issues so that we can incorporate it. As always, it’s Creative Commons license, so feel free to share and add to it yourself also! Just let us know so we can follow the awesome.

Project Einstein Manual

That’s the distance I’ve been driving every day this past week to work with two communities of refugee youth living on opposite sides of town in Indianapolis, Indiana. Many of their experiences – moving to a new country, resettling in the US, adapting to life at an Indianapolis high school – are quite similar, yet they aren’t connected in a way that they are able to talk with and support one another. And many other people in the community aren’t even aware that several thousand refugees from Burma have resettled in Indianapolis, much less do they know about the hopes and dreams of these newcomers.

The distance between the two high schools

We’re working to change that.

Project Einstein Indianapolis is over two years in the making, as we first had the idea to recreate Project Einstein in Indianapolis with Burmese refuges in the summer of 2008. In the meantime I’ve remained in close contact with schools and refugee leaders in Indianapolis, and watched as they’ve struggled with the challenges of adapting to a very different life in the US. This year, thanks to support from the Clowes Fund of Indianapolis, we’ve launched Project Einstein Indy to celebrate the lives of Burmese refuge youth in Indy as well as connect them and their classmates to students in Burmese refugee camps in Southeast Asia

I’ve been working with these youth every day for the past week. It’s been inspiring to watch them draw maps of their communities, learn basic digital photography and work on photo essays about the topics most important to them, including life in Indianapolis, how they get around and their faith and values.

This week, we’re reviewing the photos and creating exhibits to be displayed at their schools for their classmates to see, and then in central locations in the community for folks in Indianapolis to learn just how many refugees from Burma now live here. One exciting aspect of this is that we will be bridging the gap between the refugees on the north  and south sides of Indianapolis, who have been so geographically separated yet have gone through such similar experiences.

Last weekend the Open Video Conference hosted by FIT brought together an eclectic and inspiring group of leaders from the fields of business, activism, education, and art to talk about the present and future of online video. The conference’s topics ranged from the latest technological advances with html5 (new tech that’s helping creators re-imagine media for computers and mobile phones), the past year’s video memes and what made them so incredibly popular, to new open source tools in education, and the impact and security issues associated with the growing ubiquity of cameras and human rights video. The 2nd day of the Conference focused on the latter two topics, tools for education and human rights video, and it was this day of the program that interested me particularly given the focus of Dd’s programs on new media literacy, and the production of our online interactive TV series DdTv.

The day’s opening keynote by Mike Wesch, a cultural anthropologist, was an inspiring way to start the day, a magnetic speaker, Wesch spoke about the exchange between teacher and classroom, and how video and the internet can change a classroom from a lecture-based atmosphere into an exchange of ideas, a means of engaging students in ways not done in the past. He closed by saying that “the best teachers are the ones who learn along with their students”, and I couldn’t agree more, especially as we continue to develop our Project Einstein curriculum, using photography, video and mapping to create conversation and collaboration in the classroom and online. The panel on education provided further inspiration, including the introduction of some new open source platforms being developed which integrate video archives in the classroom. Open Vault – WGBH’s media library and archives – enables students to search the thousands of archived video, cut out specific clips from this video and annotate these clips. Mediathread from Columbia’s Center for New Media Teaching and Learning, using Open Vault, takes it a step further, enabling students to create project pages using this archived video while also bringing in a discussion board, a newsfeed showing updates to these pages, and the ability to bring in material from Youtube and Flickr. What an amazing way to revisit historical records while also re-inventing them. It’s great to see the creation of these open source platforms, projects that could potentially be very useful as we continue to develop and launch Project Einstein in Indianapolis high schools this fall.

The afternoon’s focus on human rights video began with a panel focused on the ability for people around the world to use video due to the growing availbility of mobile phones with video capabilities as well as other inexpensive devices. This topic is particularly relevant to Dd, as our series DdTv is filmed entirely with mobile phones and flip cameras, and this inexpensive, small, and easy-to-use equipment enables ease of filming, access, and security on the ground as we’re launching our programming. The panel lead into a workshop, Building Solutions for Human Rights Video, of which I was one of the featured speakers. One of the issues that arose dealt with the safety and security of those filming and of the subjects in video, and so it was important for me, while speaking, to highlight the specific challenges Dd faces as we work with video and work to build trust with our partners and their communities around the world. Of course, building trust is one of the most important elements when working with a new community, and it’s also extremely important to give the people and organizations we work with the opportunity to tell their often inspiring personal stories and have these stories viewed online in a public forum by individuals around the world, but in a way that does not compromise their own safety.

Sam Gregory, Program Director of Witness highlighted the issue of ethical responsibility that one has when filming, to not, through this filming, re-violate a person (who’s potentially been a victim of a human rights abuse) by failing to get the consent of the subject. This point is crucial to filming human rights video, and hits home with me as an issue that we confront head-on in the field. Whether it’s women who have been a victims of gender-based violence in Haiti, or former political prisoners from Burma, both of these subjects and people have been highlighted as part of DdTv episodes, and both groups are working with us as we develop programming that enables them to report abuses similar to those of which they’ve been victims. It’s important to make sure that those being interviewed and filmed know exactly where that video will be shown and in what context. When we film, we make sure it’s clear to each person that we film what we’re doing and what it will be used for – and ultimately the relationship between our team and our subjects makes for more compelling interviews and more powerful viewing experience, and also, and importantly does not have a negative effect on the programming that we’re building within these communities. When possible, we also screen the videos that we have produced for the communities that we’ve filmed, and in doing so, this increases the transparency of our organization for our partners.

If these precautions had not been taken then the risk of hurting the subject due to lack of information about the distribution of the content could be potentially dangerous, and reverse any positive results that could come from the video. In a conference setting like OVC, with hundreds of people looking on, and many that are making video of all kinds, it’s particularly important to highlight these issues, to spread awareness throughout the community of people contributing to the constantly expanding presence of video online. As video technologies are constantly changing it’s exciting that people have the ability and inspiration to highlight the issues facing their own communities through this medium, and equally important for those of us who have and continue to work with video, and know these risks, to educate people about the security issues that go hand-in-hand.

Since last year’s PE session the students have been working on a lot of their own interesting projects. In addition to their normal coursework the students formed an organization of their own called the Dream of the Future Group. Last spring DFG visited communities of internally displaced people who have fled fighting between the Burmese government and armed Karen groups to distribute school supplies to children. They spoke with the teachers and community leaders struggling to provide education in the desperate conditions of the IDP camps and discussed ways they could support them.

Soccer in Mae La Refugee Camp

Not only did they successfully complete an extremely difficult (not to mention dangerous) project, DFG had the foresight and savvy to record their trip and put together a DVD showcasing their work through photographs and video. The borrowed equipment for filming and editing from friends, neighbors and relatives. And though I can tell you that this DVD exists – I held it in my hand – I sadly cannot tell you what it contains. On my trip to the school I discovered that my laptop’s CD/DVD drive does not work. Something I didn’t know since, in today’s world of YouTube and downloadable music I hardly ever have reason to USE the drive. To add to our collective frustration, the students only had been able to afford one blank DVD and so had only the one copy. Unfortunately, I could not take it from them, and I had to leave it behind.

Despite my disappointment at not being able to see their work, the fact that they had experience shooting digital video was a great encouragement when I introduced the students to the Life in a Day project, which we posted about on our blog in July. My discussion with the students inspired some very interesting conversations about what one can film to give the world a sense of daily life for young people living inside a refugee camp. We also talked about different ways to protect participants’ identities and security, a critical issue when filming people who have fled political and ethnic persecution.

But once again, the many restrictions on people’s lives inside the refugee camp reared their heads. Despite our best efforts, DHL and Thai customs blocked the cameras from reaching me so that I could bring them to the students. While undoubtedly frustrating the experience also had a lot to teach me about the realities of life in the camp. Somehow, the much-vaunted services of the modern parcel delivery service I am so used to could not get the job done. It was as if the rules that we normally operate under did not apply, indeed I often found that was the case in the camp.

Finally, while with the students I took the opportunity to shared Dd’s recent good news. Very soon, we anticipate a Project Einstein to be connecting the students at LMTC to their Karen and American counterparts in Indianapolis where Emily will soon be preparing the US half of the digital penpal link-up.

Personally, I’m really looking forward to watching this exchange. In my time in Mae La I was constantly surprised by the resourcefulness of the people there. Though certainly deprived of many material things and extremely restricted in their ability to communicate with the outside world they found endless ways to reach out and learn about what’s happening beyond the boundaries of the camp.

An example that never failed to amuse me was arriving in camp on certain mornings and being asked by people there “Did you see the match last night?!” They were, of course, referring to the World Cup. From what I gathered they would find a friend or relative that had a TV and satellite hook-up, or perhaps a computer (all technically contraband in the camp) and crowd the set a dozen at a time. And so despite the obstacles they watched the games – watched them live – and were eager to discuss the relative merits of the German and Argentinean offenses or that blown call just before half-time. And while discussing sports may seem a trivial thing I found it extremely significant that people who are restricted to this small, remote corner of the globe find ways to stay connected, on their own terms, to the rest of the world.
There is no doubt in my mind that without technology like cell phones the camp residents’ insatiable interest in the outside world would never have been fulfilled (DHL clearly won’t do it for them). I believe that Project Einstein has the potential to be a transformative new tool for the students at LMTC and, ultimately, for the people of Mae La in general.

I should say, too, that I am excited to see all the things that the students in Mae La have to teach their American counterparts. The students in Indianapolis are in for an education the likes of which they have never imagined. Though as Americans they have access to all the information they could ever want, there is still much of the world they do not know and much they can learn from their fellow students in the refugee camp.

In the end, I left LMTC humbled. If ever I thought my own work was admirable, it seems small compared to the drive and commitment of these young people who, though refugees themselves, didn’t hesitate to face considerable dangers in order to help those less fortunate than they. I am proud to count them among Dd’s partners and I look forward to the day when their American colleagues in Project Einstein get to meet them. And when all of you can hear their stories and get a glimpse into their lives directly from them.

This past Saturday we were honored to be a part of “Life in a Day“, a project to create the first user-generated documentary. Presented by Google, Producer Ridley Scott, and Director Kevin McDonald, this project asked people around the world to film their lives on one day, Saturday July 24, 2010. What kind of stories were they looking for? Stories of the everyday, answering questions such as, what makes you happy? What’s in your pocket? What do you fear?

Project partner Against All Odds Productions contacted us to help connect them  to communities that do not have access to the technologies necessary to film their lives. We sent video cameras to staff members, Emma Hulse in Guatemala, Rachel Brown, Cody Valdes and Tegan Bukowski in Nairobi, Gabe Hopkins in Thailand and partner Ketie Danelia in Georgia, enabling them to film the communities they’re living in and working with. In addition, Co-Director Emily Jacobi took video cameras with her to Port Au Prince Haiti, to film with women leaders working there. Importantly these communities are able to keep these cameras that were sent, and continue to film their lives.

Please see some of the pictures from their shoots:

Life in a Day: Georgia

Life in a Day: Kenya

Since arriving in Nairobi this week, Rachel and Cody, along with Media Manager Tegan Bukowski, have spent time with the local tech community at iHub Nairobi and met with groups in preparation for the first element of the project: leading digital photography workshops with youth in Kibera later this month. This series of workshops, centered around themes of peace, is based on Digital Democracy’s Project Einstein photography training curriculum, and will allow Kenyan youth to document what they believe represents, promotes, and maintains peace in their communities, and will then share their photographs with their peers and with their communities through public exhibitions. Check out the amazing work they’re up to! Visit their website for frequent updates, photos and more.

Liz Hodes testifies at NYC Council Tech Committee on Open Data

Introduction 029-2010, seeking to establish open data standards for all city agencies. Int. 029-2010 (formerly Intro. 991-2009) aims to increase government transparency and facilitate easier access to public data.

Beyond the ‘good government’ benefits of this legislation, the bill will also unlock City data to enable web developers and entrepreneurs to interact with City government in new and unforeseen ways. Data published under this legislation will be readable by any computer device, including laptops and phones, for innovative developments. This Gov 2.0 inspired transparency legislation targets application developers, startups, small businesses, and academics with the ultimate goal of strengthening the connection between government and the public, while re-energizing the small business-tech sectors and highlighting New York’s digital future.

You can read her entire testimony below. Please let us know your thoughts and ideas as we continue to push for open data as a crucial part of digital literacy in our schools and of democracy in the 21st century. For more information, please visit the New York Council Committee on Technology Blog or watch the video (Liz’s presentation begins at the 1:06:40 minute mark).

Digital Democracy’s NYC City Council Testimony – Council Tech Committee – Open Data / Int. 029-2010