To encourage donations Free Geek is doing a giveaway with Portal Tea Company!
Every donor who gives $20 or more will be entered to win:
- $25 gift card to Portal Tea Company
- Free Geek t-shirt
- $50 gift card to shop in Free Geek’s online store
Donate to enter:
https://secure.givelively.org/donate/free-geek/powering-the-next-chapter
Update from Free Geek about their fundraiser:
"We’re almost at 10% of our goal raising nearly $14,000 so far thanks to the incredible support of our community and partners!
We still have 90 days left in this campaign and need your help to power Free Geek’s next chapter as we move into our new home and expand our impact across the community."
Donate here:
https://secure.givelively.org/donate/free-geek/powering-the-next-chapter
More info about the move:
@jonschwenn may I get introduce to you to #FreeGeek. Both here in #Portland and also #Minneapolis.
@killyourfm @codemonkeymike it was great to have you out at @SeaGL this year! I never get a chance to actually attend the presentations, but looking forward to seeing it once we finish processing the recordings...
This project is super neat and I'm probably going to roll out a version for all of the less-technical folks I currently support.
I was wondering, have you connected with the #FreeGeek folks in Portland? The Seattle chapter shuttered some time ago, but I think they are going strong.
Not saying we did everything right, oh, we most certainly did not...
The #FreeGeek I miss was part mutual aid project, part hackerspace, part environmental action, part peer learning, part absurdist art project, primarily volunteer driven, and at times painfully idiosyncratic. I miss it so, so much!
I am pretty sure it is now just another charity with a dash of environmental advocacy and very rudimentary job skills training.
At least they can cross their Ts and dot their Is now.
Nevermind the fact that #FreeGeek was a springboard for me from being basically homeless into an world traveling (for better and worse) free software developer.
Nevermind that I met someone else at FOSSY in 2023 who their volunteering at FreeGeek landed them an engineering job at a Intel working on open source.
But because we did not properly track all our anecdotes during the organization's infancy, it was all basically worthless...
The talking points Juan Muro Jr. gave at the 2023 FOSSY panel on behalf of #FreeGeek just wrenched my heart.
"People don't need skills in open source, they need jobs and jobs don't do open source."
As someone who had a continuous presence there for 14 years as a volunteer, collective member, staff, and board liason with staff...
They inherited a multimillion dollar non-profit organization and tossed the values that got it there under the bus.
well, word's gotten out, so i can spread it around
the board and management of Free Geek Twin Cities are deliberately ruining it
https://www.reddit.com/r/TwinCities/comments/1nndfd3/wth_happened_to_free_geek/
UPDATE: This laptop has been claimed.
I offered it to a rather prominent Mastodon user who frequently posts #mutualaid requests but they didn't respond, so now I will offer it to you: I have a HP Spectre x360 convertible netbook which won't run Windows 11, but will run #Linux great. If you need it more than I do, it's yours, especially if you're in the #Portland area. I will ship it though if you're really in need and out of the area. If no one claims it it will eventually go to #FreeGeek.
Zoom registration link for those who can't attend in person:
https://oregonstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/JpEWh9V0RYqShLS15VnelQ#/registration
Questions? Contact 503-347-9700 or email [email protected]
On May 9th, the federal government announced the cancellation of the Digital Equity Act. The $2.75 billion act was passed to fund initiatives that bridge the digital divide across America. In Oregon, the Digital Equity Act would have funded: • More free digital skills classes for the community • More free one-on-one Tech Help • Low/No-cost internet plans • Provided faster, more reliable internet (including bringing internet access for the first time to some rural areas!) The Coalition of Digital Equity (CODE, headed by Free Geek) and the Oregon Broadband Equity Coalition (OBEC) are hosting a town hall event to highlight how the digital divide affects people across Oregon and how loss of this funding might impact organizations, schools, businesses, communities and individuals in Oregon. This Zoom registration is for those who are unable to attend the event in person. OSU is hosting the Zoom live streaming for the town hall. Event Details Date and Time: Wednesday, August 27th from 2-3:30pm In person location: Medford Library, 205 S Central Ave, Medford, OR 97501 IT support and Zoom live video stream provided by Oregon State University.
Ahimsa
Nate Allen
Wm Salt Hale
Vagrant Cascadian
deafhobbit