Technology and Civic Engagement

ZeroDivide believes in building and strengthening the capacity of underserved communities to use emerging technologies to influence public policy and business practices.

We believe that a committed investment in technology has the ability to engage, amplify and create influential voices leading to healthy and vibrant California communities. Conventional forms of democratic activism are being transformed by technology. The Internet has proven to be a powerful force, capable of strengthening connections between citizens and representatives and facilitating new forms of public engagement.

The use of technology is demonstrating the power of online politics and forever changing the way campaigns are organized. The use of social networking tools in this year’s election takes online political action to an unprecedented level in its ability to fundraise, network and mobilize civically engaged individuals. According to a Pew report Hispanics are the nation's largest and fastest growing minority group; at 46 million strong, which translates to about 15% of the U.S. population. Hispanics are emerging as a pivotal constituency in the upcoming presidential election. Unprecedented numbers of Latinos turned out for this year’s presidential primaries, supplying the margin of victory in several key contests.

At ZeroDivide, we work with our community investment partners to ensure that all members of society, especially members of underserved communities, have the opportunity to exercise their civic rights.

This month we will be reporting on the work of several of our community partners who are involved in e-democracy/civic engagement. We invite you to learn more about them now and in the weeks to come:

HOPE (Hispanas Organized for Political Equity)

Founded in 1989, HOPE serves over 3,000 Latinas annually. For 18 years, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) has been working to provide a critical voice to Latinas to develop their personal growth, prosperity, and political clout. HOPE has served the Latina community with innovative programming that provides leadership development, statewide networking opportunities, experiential learning, and one on one interaction with local, state, and federal officials and agencies.

ZeroDivide is working with HOPE to develop a variety of web-based advocacy tools that will increase the number of informed Latina voters, motivate them to become politically active and advocate on behalf of HOPE’s policy agenda, and increase the number of Latinas directly communicating with policymakers to impact state policy. HOPE anticipates connecting with 50,000 Latina registered voters in California to mobilize and increase their political capacity and alerting them about current issues affecting education, health care and immigration.

NALEO

The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund (NALEO) is the nation’s premiere Latino leadership organization. NALEO members represent all political parties, all levels of government, and diverse constituencies – from metropolitan cities to rural communities.

ZeroDivide supports the Latino Information Technology Empowerment Initiative (LITE), a comprehensive web outreach strategy designed to provide the Latino community with culturally competent, detailed bilingual information on naturalization and voting processes and procedures; and enhance the ability of Latino elected officials to serve their constituents. ya es hora ¡Ve y Vota! is a campaign which aims to increase Latino voter participation through a multi-faceted civic engagement strategy developed to encourage and mobilize hundreds of thousands of Latino low-propensity voters across the country. The critical technological elements of this initiative are the implementation of NALEO Educational Fund’s web-based canvassing software. This tool will help to increase the voter engagement capacity of grassroots organizations across the country; and expand NALEO’s 1-888-Ve-y-Vota voter information hotline.

Radio Bilingüe

Radio Bilingüe is a network of five public radio stations in California with an established tradition of producing and distributing Latino news and information programming for both commercial radio and the national public radio system. As a nonprofit radio network with Latino control and leadership, Radio Bilingüe is the only producer of national Spanish-language programming in the public radio system. In addition, Radio Bilingüe has reached out to other underserved audiences. In the past eight years, Radio Bilingüe's programming has also offered African-American and Southeast Asian music and public services.

ZeroDivide is working with Radio Bilingüe to expand the get-out-the-vote component of the Elecciones '08 campaign to galvanize Latinos in California, via bilingual radio talk shows, educational messages and web activity, to participate in the 2008 elections. Radio Bilingüe will produce and broadcast 22 radio programs and announcements; develop and release to the public a web section dedicated to promote voter registration, awareness and participation; and invite listeners and web visitors to engage in the electoral conversation via highly interactive tools (radio call-in, blogs, and email) to broadcast on the airwaves and publish online.