One of the problems with Web 2.0 (and more specifically AJAX’ed applications) is their lack of usability for people with different types of disabilities. AJAX (aka Asynchronous Javascript over XML aka snazzy things done behind the browser screen) is an example of technology that has been adopted widely with graceful accessibility trying very hard to catch up.

The days when informational technology (info tech) and access to it can be viewed as a luxury are over. The poorest of the poor in third world countries view it as a necessity. When given the choice, they will choose the ability to communicate with their families, employers, customers, aid agencies… as important as food and shelter.

This week, I was invited by Andrea Levere of CFED to speak with Jim Fruchterman, CEO of Benetech and ZeroDivide boardmember, in a conversation on technology and community development at the Corporation for Enterprise Development’s board of directors meeting in San Francisco.

A recent conference report published by the Johnson Center at Grand Valley State University focuses on concerns of emerging leaders in the non-profit sector.  One hundred emerging leaders gathered last June 2007 at NonProfit 2020: Issues and Answers from the Next Generation and identified that the future leadership deficit is already here.

I was excited and heartened to hear that the NAACP had selected Ben Jealous from the Rosenberg Foundation to be its next President.

I’m sure that the next few months will be busy—especially with the national elections—as Ben lays out a vision for what the NAACP of the 21st century should look like.

Our Hip Hop Initiative’s Kitchen Cabinet (although there wasn’t a kitchen in sight) met to discuss how hip hop could inform and influence the upcoming elections and the political process.

I first joined ZeroDivide (then the Community Technology Foundation of California—whew, what a mouthful!) as a program officer over eight years ago.

I have no formal education or training in program officiating. (But I should ask: who does? Those of us in the field, we’re all accidental philanthropists for the most part.) There’s no certification per se, no accreditation, no good housekeeping seal of approval for the philanthropy sector.

On Monday, ZeroDivide graduated the second class of our Zfellows at the wonderful Museum of the African Diaspora located in San Francisco. (I recommend checking out their new exhibit: Africa.Dot.Com: From Drums to Digital.)

I met Josh Becker in 2001 when he launched the Full Circle Fund, a giving circle for Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. As a growing and succesful network of highly connected people, Full Circle provides as much knowledge capital as financial capital to its grantees. In many respects, Full Circle reflects much of Josh’s values.