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Harlem Info. Infrastructure Development Initiative (HIID)

Harlem Info. Infrastructure Development Initiative (HIID)

From: "Arthur R. McGee" Subject: HIID (fwd) Message-Id: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 4 Mar 94 01:46:24 EST From: JACKSON FREEMAN A To: amcgee@netcom.com

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Harlem Information Infrastructure Development Initiative

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c)1994 Freeman Jackson

Cultural Computing Foundation, Inc. 501(c)3

The organizations purpose is to provide education and charitable assistance to the general public by providing organizational and individual access to the following INTERNET services: Public Accessible File Services, electronic mail, file transfers and public archives on information related to Art & History. The means of providing such education and charitable assistance includes designing, developing, and maintaining computer facilities for public archives (in the form of electronic data bases) on Art & History, dedicated INTERNET access and routing, INTERNET newsgroup on Art & History, and INTERNET article posting for Issues related to Art & History. In addition, CCF is spearheading the Harlem Information Infrastructure Development Initiative (HIID).

CCF assists organizations in the design, development, and maintenance of Harlem based information systems for INTERNET access for the Public. In addition the organization is designing and developing an Harlem Information Infrastructure Development Center for the Harlem community by 1997. The backbone of the computer center will consist of a network of scientific workstations which will be linked to City College through a leased high-speed telephone line. Upon the completion of the computer center, the organization will provide ongoing education and charitable assistance by maintaining and operating the public computer center for public archives/data bases on Art & History, dedicated INTERNET access and routing for Organizations and Individual, INTERNET newsgroups on Art & History, and INTERNET article posting for issues related to Art & History. This will be accomplished by community support, government assistance, politicians, consultants, and a full-time staff that will be hired during the final stages of the construction of the computer center.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Harlem Information Infrastructure Development Initiative

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A Community Mission for Citizen Teleliteracy

We can no longer afford to neglect minority communities when it comes to information technology. It is time to radically change the way the data superhighway is developing-- to shift from an information repository for the privilege few to an information system that empowers all citizens. The ability to retrieve highly specific data rapidly from global sources, and to work collaboratively with others to fling that information into entrepreneurial opportunities through global niche markets, seem to be the key skills required for success in the emerging global information based society. With industrial-age jobs disappearing, we can't afford to leave anyone behind as our nation's economy shifts to an information-based economy. As networking becomes the highway to commute to work, we need to assure everyone finds the means to "cybertravel."

HIID is about a shift --historic shift-- in the way the data superhighway is developing. Cultural Computing Foundation believes it is time for a new information infrastructure initiative for all people, a new guarantee of effective, efficient, and responsive civic networks. CCF is taking action to put Harlem's Information Infrastructure in order. Harlem Information Infrastructure Development is a long-term commitment to change. Many organizations and leaders are contributing to this agenda, bringing their experience and insight to a difficult and urgent task.

HIID begin February 4, 1994 when CCF developed an organized team in order to compete for Information Infrastructure funding from all corners of the government-- to commercialize the City of New York's databases inorder to provide business opportunities for the Harlem community.

CCF turned to organizations which know the Harlem community, data superhighway technologies, New York City economics, and the City of New York's Databases. CCF organized City College, New York City Partnership, New York Software Industry Association, the Computer Data and Communications Service Agency of New York, and WNYC Communications into a team, to examine ways of commercializing the City of New York's databases inorder to empower the Harlem community. This Reinvention Team is leading the transformation of Harlem by examining new ways of how Harlem can do business. Other organization have begun to join these efforts.But the Harlem Information Infrastructure Development does not stop there. HIID represents the beginning of what will be an ongoing commitment to change. Our goal is to improve the standard of living in Harlem, and to move its culture toward initiative and empowerment. We intend to redesign, to reinvent, to reinvigorate the entire Harlem Community. Confidence in the Harlem community has never been lower. As the Industrial Era has given way to the Information Age, Harlem institutions--both public and private--have come face to face with obsolescence. Harlem is broken, and it is time to fix it. Some may say that the task is too large; that we should not attempt it because we are bound to make mistakes; that it cannot be done. But we have no choice. Harlem is in trouble. It has lost its sense of mission; it has lost its ethic of public service; and, most importantly, it has lost the faith of the people in the community. In times such as these, the most dangerous course is to do nothing. Harlem must have the courage to risk change.

High Performance Computers and Communications are essential tools for achieving HIID's goals: for strengthening Harlem's economy, creating high quality jobs, protecting the environment, and improving its health care and education system. Harlem must sustain leadership in science, mathematics, and engineering to meet the challenges of today. ... and of tomorrow. Investing in HIID is investing in Harlem's future

One of the principal purposes of HIID will be to establish clear community goals for information infrastucture investments and to ensure that High Performance Computers and Communication policies and programs are developed and implemented to effectively contribute to those community goals. Our most important gauge of success will be our ability to make a difference in the lives of the Harlem people. We must use this new initiative to harness science and technology to improve our quality of life and the Harlem's long- term economic strength. Private sector involvement with HIID will be essential to developing successful science and technology policies that help Harlem businesses achieve sustainable growth and create high quality jobs, as well as to supporting its academic and research institutions.

THE HIID CENTER

The Harlem Information Infrastructure Development Center will benefit the government by providing the training necessary for citizens to access government information electronically. Local experts will assist the general public in accessing information and services through Internet at the HIID Center. Government services most important to the Harlem community will be tailored through customized on-line menus for enhanced ease of access by the public. The HIID center will provide a single point of access for local, state and national government services, accessible with the help of friendly local on-line public servants. Government CD-ROM databases will be economically mass- produced and made locally accessible from the HIID center, regularly updated, and tailorable for the needs of Harlem community, CD-ROM databases providing gigabits of government information at very low costs. The HIID center will offer citizens individual Internet IDs, providing global citizenship and telepreneurial passports. The HIID center will offer citizens self-teaching lessons and local Internet email access. The governments biggest benefit of the HIID center will be the national tap on local innovations. Widespread grassroots involvement will be necessary for the potential of electronic delivery of government services to become reality and for the Harlem community to be an leader in the information age. Most Harlem workers today crave for a better job and more direction over their lives. Many feel literally imprisoned by their situations, which are often related to what they have been able to learn to do. For years there has been the pledge that one day low-cost, computers connected to global networks would allow creative individuals the chance for engaging in rewarding labor regardless of bodily location or time domains. This flexibility represents the potential for a new era of economic freedom for Harlem workers. The HIID Center will bring a promise of individual economic freedom, job satisfaction, and mobility to the Harlem community.

The HIID Center will produce global citizens who know how to collaborate, and share information with others, and will become the successful entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Creating bottom-up innovations through telepreneurship. The HIID Center will establish the highest degree of citizen teleliteracy for developing global economic leaders. Harlem Community leaders will learn how to support training programs for establishing citizen teleliteracy for individual and community economic development through creation of the HIID Center as free, local, global teleports with self-teaching lessons. HIID Center will be an incredibly powerful, and versatile Harlem Networking Systems.

The HIID Center will include:

Free, local telecomputing for the Harlem community.

Free self-teaching on-line lessons on the advantages of local, national and international microcomputer.

Local on-line discussions that provide a public forum for discussion on local issues and serve as a springboard for innovations.

Local interest groups could request their own conference(s), to be either open to the public or closed to a defined group.

On-line discussions shared with other communities, potentially to give the Harlem community a link to national innovations and resources.

Global economic development trade contacts, and information Science and Technology Transfer Organizations will be to the Harlem community available via Internet. If a particular Harlem business is interested in a particular technology or application, they will be able to readily join with others, on-line, that share the interest in staying current on technological developments in that specific area.

The global Internet will soon be the commercial data highway for the whole planet. The National Information Infrastructure will soon be the national information highway complex, with all the economic potential our national railroad and highway system brought to communities a century ago. The Harlem community will be prepared to benefit.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Write: Freeman Jackson 138 w. 133, #2A New York, NY 10030 (212)368-5428

email jack7548@css1s0.engr.ccny.cuny.edu


Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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