Every generation has been impacted by times of great strife. On one hand, we've come so far, and on the other, we are stuck in the cycle of conflict. Same pattern, different topic. And being right in the middle of the current set of divisive circumstances, we can either sit by and hope it passes or we can get active and try to effect positive change. Luckily, more and more people are choosing the latter. They want to get involved in their communities, to make a difference. Unfortunately, it's not always so easy to get started.
Patrick English, Founder of WokeUp, came up with an easy-to-use platform to assist with community organization. The tool empowers citizens who are concerned about a particular topic to take direct action in their local areas. He came up with the idea after the 2016 elections as he felt that the viciousness of the election cycle revealed disconnects within our democracy. It had broken down to the point that people were no longer actually communicating with each other. The division between the ideologies was deepening and we needed a way to come back to a basic level of respect. What better way than to work together for a common, community-based goal to get back on track. We can all work towards a shared purpose to realize that there is more that can bring us together than there is that divides us.
Their mission at WokeUp: "(to) Develop the necessary political infrastructure for the 21st century through a virtuous social network, providing technology tools and resources for effective activism. Encourage the smallest acts of justice and kindness, with an understanding that the power of personal connection can shape our world. Make civic involvement simple, fun and an enduring American value."
At their core, they are a group of longtime activists who made a few simple hypotheses:
In their own words, they are an elegant experiment to test these assumptions. They are building an online infrastructure that allows members to easily organize with fellow members around civic action in their communities. They will be accomplished by providing a repository of resources, as well as an archive of past actions for the purpose of providing guidance and feedback.
If you are ready to get involved in a way that is both empowering and fun, check out their website to learn more.
Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.
Although Michele has worked in the banking industry full time for many years, she originally went to school with a concentration in communications, advertising and marketing. She began her career in sales and retail management, selling electronics and computers. Her love of all things tech eventually brought her back into the electronics arena three years ago when she started with PLuGHiTz Corporation to help with special events as a Production Assistant. Soon she began to dabble with the audio and video and is loving her role as Producer. She's also one of our content writers and assists with product reviews. Looking forward, she is excited to expand her skill set into editing and helping the company continue to grow.
