Somehow the fall semester has already rolled around. I’m trying to focus most of my energy on writing my dissertation, which deals with the use of the internet by the low wage immigrant worker’s movement in Los Angeles. At the same time, lots is going on with VozMob, and I’m also preparing to co-teach a course on multimedia for social change together with Holly Willis. Here’s from the course description:

This course is for students who want to use participatory multimedia as a tool for real social change. From the birth of Indymedia during the Battle of Seattle, to the growth of MoveOn as a significant player in Presidential politics, to the visibility of Twitter in the Iranian election crisis, to LA-based community media projects like Mobile Voices, the appropriation of new media tools and skills by community based organizations and social movements is a key aspect of our rapidly changing times. In this innovative service-learning course and workshop, students will work with community based organizations in Los Angeles to help develop participatory media projects for social change. Course instructors will help participants find a community partner, either individually or in teams. Participants will work with the community partner to develop and implement a plan for a participatory media project, and will meet in a weekly seminar to share, reflect upon, and workshop their project together with other students.

Ambitious, I know, and with potential for great chaos, since the students aren’t all working with one partner but will be organized in several teams. We’re hoping it will really push them to think about how their skillset and interests can connect to some of the amazing organizing that folks like IDEPSCA, KIWA, and the Southern California Library are doing here in Los Angeles.