Anita Who? Happy Ada Lovelace Day!

as part of a 1900+ person pledge to blog about a woman in technology honoring ada lovelace day, i have to put out the name of one, anita brown. it was a toss up as we could only pledge to blog about one person or i would certainly have included red burns in the mix (red, if you are reading this:  i am very excited about working under your guidance at ITP. you’ll get my post next year!).

brown founded one of the earliest (if not first) online resources, the now defunct black geeks online, to address digital divide issues, particularly  for african americans. she was an avid advocate to close the digital divide in the u.s.- before it was popular and after the topic seemed to fall to the wayside in the u.s. i met ms. brown at columbia university several years ago. i was inspired by her knowledge and passion for the subject. i am still surprised  at how little i hear of her in conversations about early web pioneers who didn’t limit their aspirations to financial gain. i could hardly find news of her passing (she was 63) , save for an obituary in the washington post nearly three years ago.

like too many civic-minded entrepreneurs, brown seemed to run out of steam just as digital divide concerns were beginning to become of interest to the mainstream again. i am constantly reminded of lesser known talented people who could truly stand to benefit from the kind of support that will provide lasting energy to overcome fatigue. entrepreneurship can be a lonely experience. being focused on more than the bottom line can take a toll on more than the psyche. i often wonder what it might have been like if ms. brown were alive to experience the wave of socially-focused entrepreneurs and initiatives that support them including echoing green, ashoka and the school for social entrepreneurs. 

it’s easy to mistake her name for others: anita baker, anita bryant, anita hill (yes, i went there)-  but her legacy remains. there are those who know and value her work, endeavoring to carry the torch for digital literacy and information for all. i count myself as one. three cheers for passion, ideas and inspiring people.

 

learn more about the pledge here:

* http://findingada.com
* http://www.pledgebank.com/AdaLovelaceDay
* http://twitter.com/FindingAda
* http://groups.yahoo.com/group/findingada
* http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=47550446005

Watch The Speech, Watch History (Inauguration Speech)

watch president barack obama’s speech and swearing in here.

“…know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.”

in case you missed it, here is the full text of president obama’s inauguration speech (text courtesy of yahoo!; photo courtesy of karen 2020 via flickr and creative commons).

2009 Is Just The Beginning Of The Dream

Yahoo! logo with image for MLK Day 2009

it seems fitting that we celebrate mlk day this year in prelude to the inauguration of our 44th president, barack obama, the first african american elected to lead america. there have been plenty of references to dr. king’s historical “i have a dream” speech in consideration of the significance and promise of the incoming obama administration- and rightfully so. yet, its true significance is in the fact the dream is just beginning- not just for one group, but also for the whole nation. even the world.

in spite of tumultuous happening in just about every facet of our society, we have an amazing opportunity to help ourselves by helping those around us. president-elect obama has touched on this throughout his campaign and in weeks leading up to tomorrow’s inauguration. it’s not a new idea, but one that will be re-invigorated through the hope and optimism that colors the mood of the country in anticipation of change for the better.

read what dr. king said during a speech presented in 1957.

as a nation, we can do whatever we collectively make up our minds to achieve. hopefully that will be to stand united and to serve united.

Prayer in the Square 2008 at Times Square in NYC

Prayer in the Square 2008

**update September 7, 2008** Prayer in the Square was awesome… literally. thousands came together at times square (approximately 20,000 people) and at city hall (around 30,000 people), in addition to those that tuned in by radio and live web stream around the world. you can view the 2008 gathering here.** next year’s gathering is scheduled for September 13, 2009.

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Prayer in the Square 2008 is taking place in the infamous bright lights, big city zone (aka, “the block that disney bought”) on Sunday, September 7  from 3 pm to 4 pm. over 200 churches and thousands of individuals are expected to gather in the square to pray for the city and nation. it will be an encouraging and uplifting experience. come on down at 3 pm or head over to the Times Square Church at 1 pm for an early service and walk down with everyone. it should be a sight to behold. check out the proclamation here.

Stuff White People Like

**update**

another entertaining post about the consumption of bottled water led a reader to post a comment linking to another blog. it’s okay, but the genius of the swpl blog is its initially unassuming humor. i did end up wondering about my own identity as a result of this post and oh- i learned what the word cuckoldry means. not my favorite word of the day. <- (

**original post**

so, my first read of the morning was something from a blog i stumbled across called stuff white people like. the blog post was called “being the only white person around” and i had to laugh as i read it. the author has a sense of humor, for sure. it’s an entertaining read but i think some of the other readers take the thing way too seriously. lighten up! it’s a blog! of course, everyone has their own opinion but the take on restaurants intrigued me. i am not white. i am not male. when i went abroad for the first time over seven years ago, i was hoping not to run into any americans, white, black or otherwise. i didn’t go out of my way to avoid them, but i wasn’t complaining that few besides myself were around. still.

i don’t know that i need a bunch of “ethnic” people to accompany me to a restaurant to feel the experience is authentic, though. besides, whites are considered ethnics, too, depending on where they are from. i might want someone familiar with the cuisine to help me select a dish that suits my vegetarian preferences. one of my closest friends who is chinese (american) introduced me to moroccan food and the experience was nothing short of authentic (unless we had indeed been in the country or at someone’s house). as for the african american or black restaurant comment, i think it’s more a matter of americans not really being into domestic food as trendy and the content of the food. neo-soul is a bit popular because it appeals to the current american preference for foods low in “killer” content. i don’t think it is necessarily racist or ignorant (not that the author was suggesting so). the blog is light-hearted and entertaining, although it probably won’t cure you if you suffer from white guilt.

In The Spirit of The Times

it’s easy to get caught up in the day to day affairs of material life; especially now. should i buy blu-ray or dvd? iphone or crackberry– er- blackberry? 42 inch or 52 inch? my place or yours? you get the point. as we think about the positive legacies bequeathed by martin luther king, jr. and many that paved the way before us, i think about leadership and so do others. check out this interesting post on mlk as leader:

http://fromthepipeline.blogspot.com/2008/01/what-if-somebody-had-told-mlk-he.html

What Will The Next eBiz Leaders Look Like?

i was reading about meg whitman’s impending retirement as ebay ceo. besides marveling at the fact that some folks can still actually think about retiring (i am in my early 30’s and have never really thought about it as an option) i wondered what the future faces of web business will look like. the dld conference main page shows a slide of pics with all sorts of industry leaders i recognize- some i have actually worked with- and they all look… young. i mean so in a geek-chic sort of way. so i do wonder quite literally what the next faces of corporate leadership will look like. let’s hope it’s a diverse picture and with a few wrinkles as they age (please let the botox revolution go down in fiery flames!).

I Take That Train…

everyone knows nyc oozes diversity, but there’s little that drives the point home better than the subway. in fact, i think that’s my train whirling past. i stumbled across this very telling pic by activefree as i was scanning an article on idealist re: diverse ethnic voice in media.