[New-imc] Proposed new IMC!

[evan at protest.net]

Just in case folks are interesting i found their website at
http://springfieldimc.org/

in solidarity,
evan

On Mon, 3 Jun 2002 marc at msanson.com wrote:

>
> A proposed new IMC is being requested.
> Details are as follows:
>
> Proposed IMC Name:=09Springfield Independent Media Center
> Contact Name:=09=09Marc Sanson
> Email:=09=09=09marc at msanson.com
> Phone:=09=09=09217-546-1210
> City:=09=09=09Springfield
> State:=09=09=09IL
> Country:=09=09United States of America
> Tech Contact Name:=09Lisa Hensley
> Tech Contact Email:=09mslisa at insightbb.com
> Tech Contact Phone:=09217-428-9278
> Regional Focus:=09=09yes
> Issue Focus:=09=09%issue%
> Event Focus:=09=09%event%
> Critical Dates:
> Supporting Groups:=09*The Springfield Community Network
> *The Media Activist Coalition
> *Heartland Peace Center
> *Springfield Greens
> *Mary Wood Branch, Women=92s International League for Peace and Freedom
> Other comments:=09=09We have conducted public events and programs aimed a=
t attracting a diverse group of people and interests.  We plan to continue =
reaching out to underserved and diverse interests in our community through =
outreach and through the stories and issues we cover.  We will also seek ou=
t the involvement of local organizations representing minority, homeless, w=
omen, immigrant, disabled and GLBT communities.
> Resources to contribute: Although we have limited physical and financial =
resources at this point, we have a wide variety of skills and knowledge we =
can contribute to the global IMC network.  Skills among our members include=
: web design, video production, technical training, grassroots organizing, =
consensus training,  and many years of combined experience building progres=
sive movements and organizations.
>
> Why we want to be an IMC: The Springfield Independent Media Center is a g=
rassroots organization committed to using media production and distribution=
 as a tool for promoting social and economic justice in Springfield, Illino=
is and the Sangamon River Valley.. It is our goal to further the self-deter=
mination of people under-represented in media production and content, and t=
o accurately illuminate and analyze local and global issues that impact eco=
systems, communities and individuals. We seek to generate alternatives to t=
he biases inherent in the corporate media controlled by profit, and to iden=
tify and create positive models for a sustainable and equitable society.
>
> We wish to participate in the Indy Media Network in order to be able to s=
hare our skills and efforts with those working toward similar goals through=
out the world.  We also hope to draw upon the knowledge, skills and energy =
of others in the network in order to help us achieve our purpose and vision=
 locally.  Among the purpose of the Springfield IMC are the following:
> - Move beyond coverage of only activist news and work toward providing a =
viable local alternative news source (i.e. covering local events that are i=
gnored or poorly covered by corporate media)
> - Actively reach out to communities which are under-served and under-repr=
esented in the Springfield area press and provide a forum for their voices =
to be heard and welcome them to participate in the SIMC
> - Facilitate the production and dissemination of audio, video, photo and =
print stories by the general public
> - Awaken critical thinking with regards to media, specifically the corpor=
ate and state media systems - provide links to alternative media, activist,=
 and research groups
> - Share Internet and technical media skills in workshops
> - Utilize all forms of new and old technologies to achieve these goals so=
 as to reach communities in our region who may not have access to the Inter=
net
>
> Individually, we also have our own purposes for promoting independent med=
ia locally and in joining the global IMC network.  Below are some of the in=
dividuals in our collective and their own personal statements:
>
> Joe Lanter
> Hello, I'm Joe Lanter.  I am interested in being involved with the IMC be=
cause there is a crying need in Springfield for viewpoints that are progres=
sive.  IMC and The Space (a local organizing center with which I am also in=
volved) are two avenues for this need to be fulfilled.  I hope to bring som=
e skill in organizing and a little content to the IMC banquet.
>
> Marc Sanson
> I=92ve been involved in the Springfield Independent Media Center since th=
e winter of 2000/2001, as well as other community and progressive interests=
 in Springfield IL.  It is through my interests in peace, social justice, p=
olitical reform, community building, and local control over media that I ca=
me to the SIMC.  It is my goal to utilize my skills in journalism, web desi=
gn and organizing to help build a grassroots movement locally and contribut=
e to the global IMC network in any way I can.
>
> Sheila Nopper
> After visiting with folks in Seattle who were organizing the first indyme=
dia center to coordinate the media coverage of the demonstrations at the 19=
99 Festival of Resistance against the WTO, I began to work toward creating =
an IMC affiliate in Springfield, initially by making it the focus of my mas=
ter=B9s project for my self-designed degree in Media & Cultural Activism.  =
I was able to offer the SIMC skills in organizing, community building and a=
lternative media which I developed from years of activism within Toronto=B9=
s multicultural milieu, as a programmer and documentary producer at communi=
ty radio station CIUT, as a freelance writer and from local projects develo=
ped by the Media Activist Coalition which I founded in Springfield in 1999.=
  My emphasis has always been to provide a radical critique of the status q=
uo, and a place where the marginalized voices silenced by corporate media c=
ould be heard.
> In collaboration with other Springfield-based media, and peace and justic=
e activists, as well as some guidance from UCIMC, SIMC has developed a non-=
hierarchical and transparent organizational structure that is supported by =
a commitment to making decisions by building consensus.  Though at times it=
 has been a struggle to accomplish this task, I believe the resolve of the =
group members to continue through the sometimes-difficult process of buildi=
ng consensus on these issues demonstrates our determination to become an IM=
C affiliate.
> As someone who has always promoted the concept of integrating a physical =
space with the cyberspace component of indymedia---especially here in Sprin=
gfield where access to a collectively operated community center was nonexis=
tent---I am very pleased that the SIMC has decided to utilize and help fina=
ncially sustain "The Space," a small house that was recently rented by the =
new non-profit Springfield Community Network.  I think The Space will stimu=
late more people to "become the media" as well as help to build a more dive=
rse and integrated web of activist projects in the area.
> As for myself, I will soon return to Canada where I plan to continue to p=
articipate in the indymedia network as a freelance contributor to the
> Vancouver and/or Victoria IMC.
>
> Ron Sakolsky
> I have been interested in starting an Independent Media Center in
> Springfield ever since returning from Seattle where I got to visit the ju=
st established IMC right before the Festival of Resistance in 1999.  My ong=
oing interest has been to link Springfield up as a participant in the globa=
l network of IMC media activists and news sources, and to have a local IMC =
that can hopefully be a catalyst for the community-building process here in=
 Springfield by offering an opportunity for progressive people to "become t=
he media" and collectively create a culture of resistance.  What I have bro=
ught to the table is my skills at organizing/activism, consensus decision-m=
aking and grassroots fundraising.  While I personally will be leaving Sprin=
gfield to move to Canada in August, I am increasingly impressed with the SI=
MC's accomplishments.  We now have a website and have begun to cover local =
stories, are attracting new participants, and have been involved in creatin=
g a promising new physical space in the community in conjunction with the H=
eartland Peace C!
>  enter where grassroots activists can meet, hold events, organize and jus=
t plain hang out together.  Consequently, it seems that we have at this poi=
nt, after much perseverance, established a solid foundation on which to bui=
ld an active SIMC affiliate of which we can all be proud.
>
> Bill Jarrico
> Springfield is a flat and pious place.  The ground isn=92t steady because=
 of carelessly dug mines under the city.  I haven=92t had the exposure to l=
eft culture here that I had before I came.   I hope to write and speak for =
the SIMC and maybe there are other ways I can help.  I=92ve been a computer=
 programmer since 1964 (in several different places) and have also worked a=
s a lawyer.  I am the moderator of a website for local writers.
>
> Lisa Hensley
> I wish to bring my internet, computer and media production skills to the =
Springfield IMC in order to report on stories, groups and activities ignore=
d or under reported by mainstream media and to teach others these skills in=
 order to empower them to become the media themselves. I am also interested=
 in event organizing in our physical space in order to promote SIMC's prese=
nce in the community and to facilitate outreach to the community as well.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> New-imc mailing list
> New-imc at lists.indymedia.org
> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/new-imc
>

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