##Introduction

Many communities already have people who work toward improving the local digital environment. These individuals and groups grow and maintain the technology their communities need to foster healthy relationships, build resilience, and increase access to critical information. Most importantly, they are good listeners with strong ties to their communities. Digital Stewards bring people together to define shared challenges, collectively find solutions and make change.

Goal: Identify the role that community members play in building a more healthy digital ecosystem in their communities.

Time Required: 1 hours / 60 minutes.

Materials:

• Sheets of paper for everyone
• Pens for everyone
• White board or pads of paper
• Article about Detroit Digital Stewards (1 copy for each participant)
• Video about Vozmob

##Activity: Listen to Stories

In this activity, participants will learn about two different examples of digital stewardship. Before you begin this activity, participants should review the difference between a digital justice and a personal or community problem in Identify Digital Justice Issues.

###Case Study 1: Detroit Digital Stewards [20 min]

Pass out copies of the article about Detroit Digital Stewards. Make sure everyone has a pen and paper.

As you read, write answers to the following questions:

• what digital justice issue are the organizers trying to solve?
• how is the community addressing the issue?

This should take about 15 minutes.

As a group, each person can read the issue and 1-2 goals they wrote down. A notetaker should write the answers to each of these questions on a board or big pad of paper for everyone to see.

###Case Study 2: VozMob [20 min]

As a group watch the VozMob video.

As you read, write answers to the following questions:

• what digital justice issue are the organizers trying to solve?
• how is the community addressing the issue?

This should take about 10-15 minutes.

As a group, each person can read the issue and 1-2 goals they wrote down. A notetaker should write the answers to each of these questions on a board or big pad of paper for everyone to see.

###Synthesis [20 min] Reflecting on these examples, discuss the questions below.* The facilitator can read a question, while the notetaker writes the responses of participants.

How do each of these projects…

• Result in a real improvement in people’s lives?
• Give people a sense of their own power?
• Alter the relations of power?
• Be winnable?
• Be widely felt?
• Be deeply felt?
• Build leadership?
• Provide community access or training opportunities?

* These questions in Identify Digital Justice Issues, which based on Popular Technology Workshops by Virginia Eubanks (@PopTechWorks).