Civic Engagement – Test News Blog

Technology Leader Chosen as City’s First Community Technology Advocate

Seattle’s Chief Technology Officer Michael Mattmiller has hired civic technology leader Candace Faber to be the City’s new Community Technology Advocate.

New Civic Technology Advocate for Seattle, Candace Faber

When not working on internal projects, Candace Faber will be the public face of Seattle IT in the civic technology community. She will reach out and engage with the local community on open data and other public technology projects.

Other assignments will also include overseeing the Digital Equity initiative/Digital Equity Action Committee, working with City departments to shape open data and civic technology projects, representing the City of Seattle to the open data and civic technology community and organizations.

Faber brings an impressive resume to the new position. Since 2013, she has worked in Seattle as a strategy consultant and project manager, leading efforts such as Hack the Commute, Hack to End Homelessness, and the Washington Technology Industry Association’s FullConTech. As the Government-Community Liaison for Open Seattle, she has worked closely with Seattle’s open data program, local technology firms, and the developer community to support our local civic technology ecosystem. She will continue and expand this work as the City’s new Civic Technology Advocate.

Previously, Candace was a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, serving at the U.S. embassies in Russia, Poland, Belarus, and Afghanistan, and on the global e-Diplomacy team. Candace holds a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Washington.

Coalition for Refugees from Burma: Another Technology Matching Fund Success Story

Siobhan Whalen, Youth Program Manager for Coalition for Refugees from Burma and Seattle CTO Michael Mattmiller.

It’s only been a few months since the award, but one recipient of a Technology Matching Fund Grant is already doing great things.

The Coalition for Refugees from Burma is featured in the International Examiner for its work promoting digital equity and critical computer skills. 2015 was the third time CRB received a grant and it’s obviously built a solid foundation. According to the article, “CRB’s project Nexus: Connecting Newcomers with Technology is a program focused on teaching computer literacy courses, training parents of school-age youth to support their children’s education, and offering enrichment programs that engage youth with high-tech concepts and careers. As part of the project, CRB will also buy 10 new laptops for refugees to use throughout computer training courses.”

It’s even expanded to reach out “to address technology equity among a broader spectrum of newly-arrived refugees, which include refugees from all of the world, including Burma, with the help of partnering organizations, Somali Youth and Family Club (SYFC) and Seattle World School.”

The Technology Matching Fund seeks to improve digital equity by connecting populations that have limited access to technology, empowering residents with digital literacy skills, building capacity for diverse communities to use technology for civic participation. This project definitely fits that vision.

Is your organization interested in applying for a 2016 Technology Matching Fund Grant? Find out more.

Seattle Channel Once Again Best in the Nation

Seattle Channel was named the best municipal television station in the nation when it received the prestigious Excellence in Government Programming award from the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) at the group’s annual meeting held in San Diego, Calif., last week.

Additionally, the city-operated station won 13 programming awards for its variety of public affairs, arts and community coverage. Seattle Channel also captured first place for government-access station website. Last December, the station launched a redesigned website, which features a robust archive of award-winning programming.

NATOA honors excellence in broadcast, cable, multimedia and electronic programming produced by local government agencies. This year, NATOA received 800 entries submitted in 65 categories by local governments across the country.

“Seattle Channel is a community asset that deepens understanding of local issues and advances the conversation on public policy priorities,” said Mayor Ed Murray. “Congratulations to all our staff for this much-deserved national recognition.”

This is Seattle Channel’s sixth NATOA win in nine years for programming excellence. Seattle Channel competed against other government-access TV stations

Art Zone with Nancy Guppy

with budgets over $1 million. The station was recognized with the top government-programming award in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014.

“Seattle Channel is an important resource for residents,” said Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee. “The station’s commitment to in-depth, inclusive programming not only serves to inform people, it highlights the diverse civic and cultural landscape of Seattle.”

Seattle Channel programs that won first-place awards include the public-affairs program City Inside/Out with Brian Callanan; the showcase of Seattle’s creative scene Art Zone with Nancy Guppy; and Community Stories, which features documentaries about Seattle’s inspiring people, programs and cultural traditions. See a complete listing of the awards with links to video below.

“Our staff is committed to compelling content and quality production,” said John Giamberso, Seattle Channel general manager. “It’s truly an honor to receive this recognition from our peers in local government.”

Other recent Seattle Channel awards include a 2015 Kaleidoscope Award for outstanding achievement in the coverage of diversity from The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) and a 2014 Northwest Regional Emmy Award. Both awards recognized a Community Stories documentary Honor Totem, which chronicles the carving of a totem pole to honor a woodcarver killed by a police officer.

Here is a listing of Seattle Channel’s 2015 NATOA awards:

Excellence in Government Programming

First Place

Children/Young Adults: Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest http://www.seattlechannel.org/explore-videos?videoid=x52560 Interview/Talk Show: City Inside/Out – Marijuana Mess http://www.seattlechannel.org/explore-videos?videoid=x29769 Election Coverage: City Inside/Out – Gun Politics http://www.seattlechannel.org/explore-videos?videoid=x28689 Ethnic Experience: Community Stories – Enfu http://www.seattlechannel.org/CommunityStories?videoid=x53569 Arts and Entertainment: Art Zone with Nancy Guppy http://www.seattlechannel.org/artZone Documentary: Community Stories – Honor Totem http://www.seattlechannel.org/CommunityStories?videoid=x20716 Government Access Station Website http://www.seattlechannel.org/

Second Place

Library: CityStream – All About Libraries http://www.seattlechannel.org/feature-shows/citystream?videoid=x53213

Ethnic Experience: CityStream – International Examiner Snapshots in Time http://www.seattlechannel.org/explore-videos?videoid=x20386 Municipal Channel Promotion: Seattle Channel – It’s Not What You Think http://www.seattlechannel.org/aboutus?videoid=x31715 Videography: Seattle Channel production staff

Third Place Community Awareness: CityStream – Beacon Food Forest http://www.seattlechannel.org/explore-videos?videoid=x29838

Honorable Mention Seniors: CityStream – Washington State Senior Games http://www.seattlechannel.org/explore-videos?videoid=x28761

Profile of a City/County Dept.: CityStream – Dementia Friendly Parks Programhttp://www.seattlechannel.org/explore-videos?videoid=x53729

Seattle Channel is a local TV station that reflects, informs and inspires the community it serves. Seattle Channel presents programs on cable television – channel 21 on Comcast (321 HD) and Wave (721 HD) – and via the Internet to help residents connect with their city. Programming includes series and special features highlighting the diverse civic and cultural landscape of the Pacific Northwest’s premier city.

#NationalRadioDay A Success in Seattle

Did you know Seattle has seven new, hyper-local radio stations to serve individual communities and voices that may not always be heard?

Several low-powered FM stations gathered at the Central Library Plaza to celebrate National Radio Day.

Many people braved a drizzly Thursday on August 20, 2015 for National Radio Day. It was a celebration of seven stations that are either on the air in Seattle or soon will be. It’s estimated that 90 percent of Seattle neighborhoods will be in the broadcast area of at least one of the new stations, and that many areas will be able to tune in to two or more.

These stations give students a chance to find their voices, learn about storytelling and present content that may not be heard anywhere else.

Programs represented included Rainier Valley Radio, Hollow Earth Radio, KSPU and more.

2015 Technology Matching Fund Grants

STEM programs, community radio stations, English language and literacy training, job finding assistance, expanding and upgrading computer labs for disadvantaged kids and low-income seniors, the recipients of the 2015 Technology Matching Funds grants have projects as diverse as their backgrounds.

Councilmember Bruce Harrell thanks the TMF grant recipients for coming to Seattle City Hall.

Part of Seattle’s commitment to digital equity, the Technology Matching Fund provides grants annually up to $30,000 for technology projects. City dollars are matched by the community’s contribution of volunteer labor, materials, professional services, or cash. The next grant deadline will be in March, 2016. The Technology Matching Fund seeks to improve digital equity by connecting populations that have limited access to technology, empowering residents with digital literacy skills, building capacity for diverse communities to use technology for civic participation.

This year the City awarded grants to 22 local nonprofit groups. Some projects include:

Kids from the Big-Brained Superheroes Club and Seattle Chief Technology Officer Michael Mattmiller

The Big-Brained Superheroes Club will provide a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program for youth from Yesler Terrace, ages 8 and up.

The Coalition for Refugees from Burma will use the funds to purchase new laptops and provide basic computer literacy courses for newly arrived refugee adults, conduct trainings for parents of school aged youth to support their children’s education, and offer enrichment programs to engage youth with high-tech concepts and careers.

Seattle’s Millionair Club plans to expand the current computer lab from 8 workstations to 32 to become a Workforce Development site and provide job safety training, financial literacy, and online educational opportunities.

Sound Care Child Solutions wants to provide tablets for classrooms in 30 Sound Child Care Centers and train teachers how to use them, share with parents on devices, and translate into the home language of the family.

Miriam Zmiewski-Angelova from Sound Child Care Solutions. Her son Nashoba approves of the grant.

If you have a local nonprofit and want more information on Technology Matching Funds grant you can go to the Community Technology website, read Brainstorm e-zine or follow Community Technology on Facebook or Twitter @diginclusion. This year half of the recipients had never received grants before. Maybe you can be one of the many success stories.

Best of luck to all of the nonprofit recipients. We look forward to seeing the lives you enriched through your programs.