• Oceana, Michigan

  Reimagine Your Local Economy: Harnessing AI for a Regenerative Economy

  Posted by DrRon Suarez on December 28, 2024 at 6:16 pm

  See this board in Miro

  Let’s break down how to launch meetings at libraries that will effectively showcase your digital platform and inspire community stakeholders to embrace a regenerative, AI-powered circular economy, all while building community-owned internet networks.

  Phase 1: Planning and Preparation

  1. Identify Target Stakeholders:

     • Who are you trying to reach? Think beyond just “community members.” Consider:
       • Local business owners (especially those with sustainability focus)
       • Non-profit leaders and community organizers
       • Educators (from local schools and adult education programs)
       • Farmers and agricultural groups
       • Makerspace and DIY enthusiasts
       • Local government representatives (sustainability or tech focused)
       • Library staff and management
       • Residents with an interest in tech or sustainability
     • Tailor your message: Each group will have different needs and interests. For example:
       • Businesses might be interested in new market opportunities in the circular economy.
       • Educators might be interested in AI-powered teaching tools or ways to equip students.
       • Community organizers might be interested in tools for efficient resource sharing.

  2. Develop a Compelling Narrative:

     • Focus on benefits: Instead of starting with tech details, emphasize the outcomes. How will your platform help them:
       • Build a Stronger Local Economy: Showcase examples of circular economy models and how they benefit their area.
       • Empower Community Collaboration: Emphasize shared resources, mutual support, and the ability to collectively solve local problems.
       • Democratize Technology: Highlight how AI can be a tool for local good, instead of just for big corporations.
       • Build Community Resilience: Explain how locally controlled internet access strengthens the community.
     • Frame it as an Alternative: Clearly contrast your approach with the exploitative nature of large tech companies. Emphasize local control and ownership.
     • Avoid jargon: Use clear, simple language, especially when explaining AI and related concepts.

  3. Platform Mock-Up and Use Cases:

     • Create a basic demo: Even a simple mock-up of your digital platform can be powerful. It doesn’t need to be fully functional yet, but it should illustrate how it works.
     • Develop Use Cases relevant to your stakeholders: Prepare specific scenarios demonstrating how the platform could help them in real life. Examples:
       • Matching waste materials with reuse opportunities.
       • Connecting local producers with consumers.
       • AI tools for optimizing urban farming or resource allocation.
       • Collaborative project management.

  4. Partner with Libraries:

     • Why libraries? They are trusted community hubs with existing meeting spaces and often have a mission to support digital literacy.
     • Reach out to libraries: Schedule a meeting to present your vision and explain how it aligns with their goals.
     • Offer value: Emphasize how your program can increase library usage, promote their resources, and increase their relevance in the community.

  Phase 2: Launching the Meetings

  1. Design an Engaging Workshop:

     • Keep it interactive: Avoid long lectures. Include small group discussions, brainstorming sessions, and hands-on exercises (even with the mock-up).
     • Focus on problem-solving: Start by exploring the challenges they face in their community related to the circular economy, then show them how your platform can help.
     • Make it accessible: Provide clear instructions and cater to varying levels of tech literacy.

  2. Promote Your Meetings:

     • Leverage library channels: Use library newsletters, social media, and posters.
     • Reach out through partner organizations: Inform your targeted stakeholders, community groups and local networks.
     • Create a simple landing page: A webpage or social media page to share meeting details and registration information.
     • Use a clear and eye catching message that conveys why it is important for people to come.

  3. First Meetings – What to Focus On:

     • Icebreaker and Introductions: Have a way for attendees to connect with each other.
     • Present Your Vision: Clearly articulate the goals of the project and its benefits to the community.
     • Interactive Platform Demo: Show how the platform works and how it solves real world issues.
     • Small Group Brainstorming:
       • Challenges: What are the current obstacles to a more regenerative economy in their local area?
       • Opportunities: How might a digital platform help them in addressing these?
       • Specific Use Cases: What kind of projects or actions do they want to work on?
     • Open Discussion: Encourage feedback, questions, and ideas from the attendees.
     • Call to Action: Invite them to participate in the next phase (such as joining a working group or beta testing the platform).

  Phase 3: Follow-up and Iteration

  1. Collect Feedback: Use a survey or discussion forum to gather input on the meeting and the platform concept.
  2. Iterate and Improve: Use the feedback to refine the platform and your program.
  3. Build a Community:
     • Create online forums for sharing ideas and resources.
     • Organize working groups focused on specific projects.
     • Host additional meetings to foster collaboration.
  4. Start Community Owned Internet Development:
     • Use the group to explore options.
     • Find funding opportunities.
     • Find Technical expertise.

  Key Takeaways for Success

  • Community-Driven: From the very beginning, emphasize that this is about building something with the community, not for them.
  • Clear Value Proposition: Focus on benefits, not just technology. Why should they care?
  • Accessibility: Ensure that the platform and meetings are accessible to people with varying tech literacy and backgrounds.
  • Patience and Persistence: Building a regenerative circular economy and community networks takes time and dedication.
  • Collaboration: Partner with libraries, organizations, and other relevant stakeholders for maximum impact.
  • Focus on Local Benefits: Highlight that this is about your community, your people and your environment.

  This is a powerful vision. By starting with small, focused meetings and building on the collective intelligence of your community, you can create a real alternative to extractive tech models.

  Answers are from Gemini 2.0 flash experimental

  

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  DrRon Suarez replied 6 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies

  • planning
  • webinar
  • workshop
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