1/13/2015 Casa Latina Meeting Willa

Casa Latina

January 13^th, 2015

8:10 AM – 12:00 PM

            Ivette and I met with Emily Gaggia at Casa Latina to discuss the progress of the workshops. Emily needs all of the information about the volunteer hours, reflections, and materials by the end of January. We also discussed what type of technology to purchase for the children. One of the ideas was buying stop motion cameras and software. However, we thought that it might be too complex and perhaps frustrating for the amount of time we have during each workshops. I think that we should buy digital cameras, printers, and the proposed tablets because we know how to use those. We have a better chance of teaching them to use it. We also discussed gift cards for the staff members who also volunteered. We were thinking of $30 gift cards to Target or Fred Meyer’s. We were able to talk with Araceli over the phone as well as when she arrived later.

            After our meeting with Emily and Araceli, Ivette and I went downstairs to talk with Sierra about advertising the workshops on the Casa Latina’s Facebook. While there, Kasey also walked in. We talked with them for a while about the grant as well as the aims of the workshops. We also talked about our website and adding a link to Facebook. They wanted us to change our wording about Casa Latina on our website. It was great to meet with both of them and get their feedback. It was also really good to meet with them face to face because now we have that connection that we can draw upon.

1/6/2015 Federal Way Library Visit Willa

Time and Location:

Federal Way Library Reflection

January 6^th, 2015

8:10 AM to 12:15 PM

            Ivette and I drove to the Federal Way Library in her tiny, but loud, old VW bug. In between the loud vrooms, we talked about the plan for the meeting with Catherine Lord and Edna. Our approach, as it has been throughout the project, is to start where we are, which means that instead of bringing any kind of definite plans to the table, we wanted to have an open discussion about what the library could offer and what we could offer in return in order to create a successful partnership. Our only steadfast requirements are a workspace for the people, childcare for their children, the requisite technology, and volunteers to help.

            The library has a beautiful space with large windows that allow viewers to see the forestry outside. It is also a large space with many computers and books of course. After we arrived, we looked at the meeting rooms where we would be holding the workshops as well as providing educational activities for the children.

I think that the future workshops at the Federal Way Branch library will be incredibly successful because of the enthusiasm of Catherine and Edna. Furthermore, they had a lot of different avenues for spreading the word about the February programs.

            Afterwards, Ivette and I headed back to Seattle and stopped by a coffee shop to discuss the blog and reflection posting for the class. We also talked about a way organize the posts using tagging.

11/20/14 Daily Log Post Workshop Ivette

Empezando Donde Estamos Casa Latina 11/20/14 

List things that happened today:

Ivette, Sarah and Freddy participated in the first tech workshop from 5-7 on 11/19/14.  We had 7 participants in the workshop.

Shared the FemTechNet fem(manifesto) with the women, read aloud then broke out into 3 small groups and discussed and shared experiences and which sections of the manifesto we identified with and why.  This then led to a conversation about if we agree with the manifesto and we want to be inclusive, open and accessible, how do we balance that with providing a format (structure) that is responsible and transformative while accessible.  

There was positive response from the women about identifying with the manifesto and having that be the starting place for framing our workshops and reframing the conversation about technology as tools.  

Additionally, shared some information about the larger project, what what was taking place with the story time and activities with the kiddos and about the library partnership.    

Martha identified that she would be our leader for the Dec 10th workshop and help with topic and guidance.

Jen, Xochitl delivered storytime and craft time, Tess helped out.  

In the news -  11/21 Casa Latina is hosting a vigil to hear what the executive action is going to be from President Obama.  

List Action Items from workshop:

• Create a schedule of themes to share with the community look at list previously identified in the women's advisory meeting as well as the topics that came up today (organizing information, antivirus, working with powerpoint, backing up computer, navigating excel, formulating an agenda, adding apps to tablets). Ivette and Sarah will work on setting the schedule and sharing it w Mujeres Sin Fronteras and the format for the workshops.
• Add to flyer:  Language around bring your own technology or "ten confianza de taer tu propria tecnologia".  
• Have a conversation with Emily and Ricardo and see about contracting someone from MSIM to check out computer lab computers and get them up to speed as they have some issues and need to be looked at. 
• Talk with Araceli and figure our logistics for entering and exiting Casa Latina, keys, alarms, etc..
• Figure out where we will store our resources.
• Have mujeres lideres sign up for topics of interest to partner with us as we move forward.  Mujeres lideres will be compensated for their time when they step up as well as for those that participate in the women's advisory meetings.  
• Post information in multiple locations, flyers, social media (fb) and email (for the women to practice using this as a means of communication - some said this is a more professional way to communicate but there is a disconnect between that and actually using email).
• Tracking participants for the workshops for reporting purposes.
• Discuss with Tiffany and Emily about purchasing equipment once contract is signed.
• Revisit structure for the storytimes and see about inviting guests to lead the craft as this requires a different level of expertise.  
• Think about Profirio, Christine, Sandra, others inside and outside the UW community.
• Make a handout with 4 agreements on 1 side and the FemTechNet (fem)manifesto on the other to side to provide at every workshop to participants.  DONE.

  Things to look up, check out and explore:

• Seconduse is a website for items look to see if there is an artifact we can find here that would serve for our little free library.  The person from Seattle Times called and gave me this as a place to check out.  Also we may be able to request for it to be donated - there is a form.  
• Collecting Data for the grant and tracking - how do we want to do this?  Last go around with the grant, Casa used a dropbox document that volunteer leaders were inputting?  We should discuss a process.  Same thing with finances.  
• Partnering with other organizations doing great work, no need to reinvent the wheel, but at the same time, being cautious of keeping our work centered with and around the women's needs.  

Describe an important an evocative social interaction that happened today:

As I was planning and thinking and reflecting to prepare for the day, I was torn between having a polished lesson plan together and really diving into FemTechNet (fem)manifesto as a starting place of transparency and reframing about the whole idea of the workshops.  During our time together there were a few instances of examples of the women placing an emphasis of how technology can do agenda's better or how because I am in this profession, I prefer to not use technology to keep my calendar (alluding the relevance factor).  It felt right to be able to, in that moment and in plain language, refer to stories and provide examples of imagining other possibilities and that just because something is "more efficient" doesn't mean that it is a) better, b) appropriate, c) universal and that we need to constantly push back and provide a space that recenters women and their lived experiences and allows for us to reframe technology as a tool with limitations.  

Describe a success.

I had envisioned that by the time that our first workshop was done that we would already have a singed contract and that all things would be nice and neatly organized and ready to move forward WITH technology.  While it is in part a failure of the process, I also see this an opportunity to ensure that dialogue comes front and center and being able to share the FemTechNet (fem)manifesto was an incredibly important part.  

Describe a failure.  What fell through the cracks?

There are logistics of space that need to be clarified, who will have access to keys, locking up, access code.  Make sure that before our next class on Dec. 10th that we have the conversation with Araceli and Emily.   

What surprised me the most?

Conversations about needing and wanting someone to talk about backup, antivirus and personal information management - while none of these is my areas of expertise I couldn't be at a better place to make connections.  How can we get students to be able to bring their technical expertise to the community?  

Reflection:  I am really concerned with making sure that while increasing educational opportunities, connecting with community and technology workshops that are decolonizing and utilizing feminist and indigenous pedagogies that are inclusive while also leaving space for being critical and push back.  It is a fine line but definitely worth the journey.  Today I am thankful and grateful that we were able to move forward despite the challenges and make space for dialogue in the process.  I am thankful that Tiffany's readings, conversations with scholars such as reminded me what we know about popular education, which is there must be space for dialogue.   This path is not without tensions, but as Antonio Machado reminds us "caminante, no hay camino/Se hace camino al andar." 

In the words of Freire I will conclude- "If the structure does not permit dialogue, the structure must be changed."