Down at the DiscoTech

The Detroit Digital Justice Coalition's inaugural event, Discovering Technology (DiscoTech), was a great success. 150 participants of all ages and experience levels participated, including a high percentage of senior citizens and high schoolers.  We screened The Internet is Serious Business, which investigates how the Internet’s physical infrastructure works, who owns the Internet, and why it matters. The screening was followed by lively discussion. Students from Real Media out of Western High School operated five "consultation stations" where they taught how to use Skype, Facebook, Gmail and free Photo-sharing sites. Local technologists taught computer-building and synthesizer-building. We raffeled off the computer that we had built throughout the day.  We surveyed DiscoTech participants on their technology access and needs. Seniors from the Detroit Griots conducted audio interviews. We distributed our awesome Digital Justice Zine. 

Click the image below to read the zine. Or click here to download a print-ready version.

We asked DiscoTech participants to draw their vision of the Internet. Here are some renderings:

Click the image below to view images from the event:

The Detroit Digital Justice Coalition is endorsed by Allied Media Projects, Michigan Welfare Rights Organization, Detroit Sierra Club, Hannan House Sound Studio, 5E Gallery, East Michigan Environmental Action Council, the 1440 Collective, the Hush House, the Open Technology Initiative, Real Media, and Urban Neighborhoods Initiative.