[HacktionLab] Welcome (again) to HacktionLab and how to get involved.

[Mike Harris]

Hello Everyone,

I thought I'd write an email to this list to re-introduce the
HacktionLab project to everyone and let you all know what's going on and
to invite you to get involved.  There are 61 of you on this list; that's
a lot of lurkers!  It's easy with projects such as this not to know how
to get involved and to see various people who seem to know what's going
on and to sit on the sidelines wondering whether there's anything one
can do.  I know this, I've lurked on many a list myself!

So this email is an attempt to make contact with all of you, to say
welcome and please get involved, there's lots to do and we're completely
open to new people and new ideas.

Firstly an introduction, my name is Mike and I've been involved in HL
since it started up roughly two years ago.  Previously I've been
involved as a tech and editor for various Indymedia collectives, am a
member of Bristol Wireless and also have worked for a number of years
providing internet via satellite and 12-volt cybertent spaces at various
events.  I wanted to get involved in HL to help strengthen the UK
network of tech-activsts, activists and techs and also to get to know
more of you out there and to feel part of something bigger.

The idea of HacktionLab was initially to have regular (once or twice a
year) gatherings for tech-activists for the change for face-to-face
contact, a forum for an exchange of ideas, and a change to chill out and
get to know each other better.  Since we started, we've had four
gatherings, two near Monmouth, Wales, and two in Leeds and Bradford.

During last year's gatherings, we undertook two projects that we're
working on this year.  We are having an interim gathering in Oxford on
the weekend of the 3rd/4th April primarily to work on and plan these two
projects:

1.  To produce a booklet (of less than twenty pages) that covers in as
layperson's terms as possible various themes where IT and on-line tools
could help activists, or where activists might need a clearer
understanding of them.  This is in course, it's proven slow going due to
everyone having day jobs and other projects, but we've got quite a lot
of content coming along.  The current idea is to have a
comic-strip-style illustrated booklet with lively anecdotes to introduce
dry topics.  Some of the articles in the booklet will be backed up with
online HOWTOs for those needing more information and to save on cramming
too much into a small space; it also will make it easy to keep content
that's likely to change frequently up to do. There's a Crabgrass group
for this booklet at https://we.riseup.net/hacktionlab+outreach

We need help with the booklet.  People to write, proof-read, design,
print and distribute it.  It would be great to be able to get it out in
April/May this year, but really as soon as possible would be great. 
During the April get together we're going to attempt a bit of a 'book
sprint' to get as much content as possible ready to go to design and print.

If you're interested in being involved, please join the Crabgrass group
and do consider coming to the April gathering.  If you can't make it,
but are up for being involved, then please let us know through this list.


2.  To widen the appeal of the next rural HL, which takes place in June
at Highbury Farm, Redbrook, Wye Valley, so as to appeal to non-tech
activists interested in getting more 'tech'd up' with topics ranging
from using free software, to running a 12-volt cyberspace to
communicating securely using encryption techniques.  The preliminary
dates for it are Friday 11th until Sunday 13th.

To pull-off HacktionLab this year will require people willing to come
and help with running workshops, running the kitchen, setting up the
event, cleaning and tidying the area for the workshops, tatting down
afterwards, helping to run the evening's entertainment, entertaining us
during the evening, running the on-site crew bar, working on promotional
materials and getting the materials out there.   We will also be after
facilities, such as tents, marquees, video projectors, screens,
flip-chart stands, etc.

If you're interested in being involved in HacktionLab and are able to
help out with anything at all, even if you've no prior experience, and
whether or not you consider yourself a 'tech' or an 'activist', please
try to make it to the April gathering.  If you can't make it to Oxford
then please email this list or me directly and let us know what you're
up for doing.  You can also call me, my number's at the bottom of this
email.

If you can come to the April gathering, we NEED to know numbers
URGENTLY, in order to make sure we have adequate food and crash space
available.   If you intend to come, please add yourself to the list of
people at https://labs.riseup.net/decider/issue/view/uquoongarimeiyeishoh

So, I do hope some of you can get involved with either of these projects
and hope to see you in Oxford, or at Highbury Farm in June.

Cheers,

Mike.

-- 
Mike Harris
w: http://mbharris.co.uk
t: +44 7811 671 893