Last May, we announced the winners of the N2Y4 Mobile Challenge which called for innovative mobile applications supporting social good. One of those winners was Mobile Voices, a platform for immigrant workers in Los Angeles to create stories about their lives and communities directly from cell phones.

Since the earthquake struck one week ago, there have been a number of technology organizations (from Google to Ushahidi to Frontline SMS Medic), working around the clock with the State Department on a coordinated effort, that uses technology to support the relief efforts in Haiti. The Extraordinaries is one part of this larger initiative.

Visit the Haiti support page here.

I recently had the opportunity to catch up on the work the Digital Democracy team is doing.  Digital Democracy was an N2Y4 Featured Project.  Here's a great recap from Emily and Mark:

The French American Charitable Trust (FACT) Social Justice Awards were a unique part of the N2Y4 Challenge. Five Featured Projects were awarded a 'bonus' prize of $5,000 a piece (you can see the winners here), but FACT's commitment to this year's crop of finalists didn't end there. To help each of the Featured Projects become sustainable and grow their base of financial support, they provided support for NetSquared to do outreach on behalf of the finalists as well as collect fundraising resources, tips, and tricks into one place.

At N2Y4, a number of projects received an extra, $5,000 prize as part of a grant from the French American Charitable Trust (FACT). In addition to these awards, FACT has generously funded NetSquared and TechSoup Global to provide development assistance to all of the finalists from N2Y4.

At N2Y4, a number of projects received an extra, $5,000 prize as part of a grant from the French American Charitable Trust (FACT). In addition to these awards, FACT has generously funded NetSquared and TechSoup Global to provide development assistance to all of the finalists from N2Y4.

At N2Y4, a number of projects received an extra, $5,000 prize as part of a grant from the French American Charitable Trust (FACT). In addition to these awards, FACT has generously funded NetSquared and TechSoup Global to provide development assistance to all of the finalists from N2Y4.

The N2Y4 Conference brought together innovators and entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations and funders, all to connect with each other and help selected winners in the N2Y4 Mobile Challenge from the cast of 14 Featured Projects.  There were sessions, pitches, how-tos and open space connections.  It was a packed couple days, filled with a-ha moments, new ideas, and open questions to continue exploring after the event had finished.

This post is ultimately about the role technology plays in Burma-centered human rights action, the bulk of which is carried by a conversation with U.S. Campaign for Burma
board member Nickie Sekera. Bear with me, however, as the rambling preamble touches on how relatively small and intimate the nonprofit/activist tech world is.

This month's Net2 Think Tank question is: How do real-world (offline) events fit into social media conversations and campaigns?

My thinking: Social media conversations and online campaigns create whole new models for bringing together & powering the progressive movement. Although at core: People coming together in the real-world are key to fueling how we organize for change. We need real world events to be a central part of our online organizing. We need offline events to meet each other, bond eye-to-eye, and forge the collaborations that will make our social networks stronger, better connected, and ultimately transformative.

So - a major question is: How can your online community also support events in the real world? What kind of offline events are the best fit for your community? And what real world event models can you learn from or partner with? Well, let's look at five different event types and see if one or more of 'em sparks some ideas for your community!