Learning about Pokemon Go and Holographic Tech at TENWEST Festival

photo by anita c. fonte

My first session at Tucson's TENWEST Festival last week was titled: Augmented Reality, and began with two enthusiastic speakers from the City of Tucson/Reid Park Zoo.  The executive director, Jason Jacobs and their event planner, Melissa McCargar, shared the "fast track" story about how the zoo incorporated Pokemon Go (an augmented reality game) into their summer schedule.  Expecting 500-1,000 paying patrons on 2 nights at the zoo, who would be looking for Pokemon characters, the event ballooned into 3-4,000 people and extended to 5 nights. Partnering with Tucson Comic-Con and the local business, Heroes & Villains, the expanded event netted $68,000 for the zoo and 200 new memberships.

The second speaker, Peter Nolan, from Tactile Company/Phoenix promoted Microsoft's HoloLens--a tech tool combining virtual and augmented reality=mixed reality.  As he demonstrated the tool, holographic 3D images were shown (using google maps) of Reid Park Zoo and (for 3D excitement) Niagara Falls.

Although much of this information (and the tools) are beyond my practice, learning about them helped me imagine how to embrace the new tech world with a little less anxiety and consider the possibilities for: a) using these resources to expand interest in and support of entertainment venues (such as the zoo), and b) using a HoloLens to train employees in "how to" do a virtual task without having to actually "do" it, thus avoiding unnecessary risks on the job.

So, right from the start, Tucson's 2nd TENWEST Festival www.tenwest.com had me at "hello."

UA Geo Spatial Planning Project, a collaboration with BuildUP^ Tucson & Beyond

While the TENWEST Festival was wrapping up the UA Collaboration Leadership Summit on Poverty was taking place.  It's impossible to be in both places--which is why it's so important to connect through social media resources.  And that's what Iris Patten and Anita Fonte have been doing since the first BuildUP^ Tucson & Beyond gathering in April.  Through the summer BuildUP^ gatherings face-to-face, the first UA GeoSpatial Project meeting in July, Facebook pages, and yes, the occasional phone calls, the trajectory of the UA's effort has been generating next steps.

Last week, through site visits to two neighborhoods (Barrio Anita and Barrio Blue Moon), 10/27-28 Summit sessions on how to measure project outcomes and how to impact local policies, how to frame the project with authentic community-based language, the effort is designing these actions:

• With the two, and possibly other engaged neighborhoods, conduct an "energy challenge" which measures concrete "energy" elements (water use, electricity, etc.) as well as the less concrete element of neighborhood activities/social capital. January 7-March, 20, 2017 
• Note:  The conclusion of the initial challenge will coincide with 3rd International Day of Happiness 
• Develop a partnership with Tucson Electric Power and other energy corporations.
• Apply for seed money 
• Create a University of Arizona "Planners in Residence" Program with graduate students embedded in the participating neighborhoods 2017 and into the future.

For more information on how to get involved in this effort, contact Iris Patten at ipatten@email.arizona.edu

One of several groups at UA GeoSpatial Summit, photo by Iris Patten

More highlights from the TENWEST Festival  www.tenwestfestival.com Field Notes by Anita, will be coming in the days ahead.

Photo by Anita C. Fonte

Updates for BuildUP^ and Intro to TENWEST "my notes from the field"

First of all--we are postponing our Innovate Our Neighborhoods/BuildUP^ event, originally scheduled for 11/12.  Look for a new date in early 2017--delayed for a few weeks since the holiday season "officially" begins with Halloween-New Year and folks are busy with other commitments.

Second--it's been an exciting week at the 2nd Tucson TENWEST Festival.  I have pages of notes to share (just my highlights) and will be making several short posts to cover them.  Please go to www.tenwest.com and www.startuptucson.com for continuing info on TENWEST going forward into 2017.

Here's a few of my smartphone photos to tweak your interest and short comments.  More will be coming next week.

Planning for the many sessions and events began in late Spring at Startup Tucson/CoLab.  Here is one of the Festival leaders, Greg Teesdale, and another event planner eyeing the schedule as we began our detailed sessions.

Here's an example of just one of this week's sessions where there was standing room only!  Sessions were held at CoLab or (as in this photo) at the UA SBS building, both locations in downtown Tucson.

For only $35.00 for all sessions (and Friday's Rialto events/TEDxTucson), Festival participants received this laser-cut id. badge.  And these are the first pages of my notes.

Updates for BuildUP^ and Intro to TENWEST "my notes from the field"

First of all--we are postponing our Innovate Our Neighborhoods/BuildUP^ event, originally scheduled for 11/12.  Look for a new date in early 2017--delayed for a few weeks since the holiday season "officially" begins with Halloween-New Year and folks are busy with other commitments.

Second--it's been an exciting week at the 2nd Tucson TENWEST Festival.  I have pages of notes to share (just my highlights) and will be making several short posts to cover them.  Please go to www.tenwest.com and www.startuptucson.com for continuing info on TENWEST going forward into 2017.

Here's a few of my smartphone photos to tweak your interest and short comments.  More will be coming next week.

Planning for the many sessions and events began in late Spring at Startup Tucson/CoLab.  Here is one of the Festival leaders, Greg Teesdale, and another event planner eyeing the schedule as we began our detailed sessions.

Here's an example of just one of this week's sessions where there was standing room only!  Sessions were held at CoLab or (as in this photo) at the UA SBS building, both locations in downtown Tucson.

For only $35.00 for all sessions (and Friday's Rialto events/TEDxTucson), Festival participants received this laser-cut id. badge.  And these are the first pages of my notes.

Build Up^ Continues and Evolves

At the August BuildUP^ Tucson & Beyond Meeting, info sharing focused on the outcomes of the UA's GeoSpatial Collaborative Planning Project and its October 2nd Session, the 20th and 21st.  Iris Patten has established a facebook page for continued participation and it can be found at www.facebook.com/geospatialcollaborativeinitiative .  Info was also shared about the continued outreach from the Mindfulness Education Exchange to offer classes to organizations as well as individuals www.mindfuledex.com and on the upcoming Rainbow Build event with Tucson Habitat for Humanity www.habitattucson.org. Updates on the TENWEST Festival was also shared and tickets for that event October 21-28 can be purchased at www.tenwest.com .

NEW ANNOUNCEMENT:  In continued support of the TENWEST Festival, Community Renaissancewill be purchasing four tickets to be raffled at the September BuildUP^ Tucson & Beyond gathering in late September.  The date is still pending for the September gathering, but it will take place at the usual location, La Cocina, 201 N. Court Avenue, 5:30-7 p.m.

BuildUP^ Tucson & Beyond is evolving into a next stage:  Innovate our Neighborhoods.  An initial intro and planning meeting for this collaborative effort is happening on November 12, 10-1p.m. at Tucson Habitat for Humanity.  This creative collaboration will combine resources from UA's GeoSpatial Project, ASU's Happiness Lab, Southwest Fair Housing Council's Opportunity Index, the Santa Monica Well-being Project's Toolkit and other local and national resources to produce new (i.e. innovative) methods of engaging and increasing neighborhood capacity for sustainability, economic opportunity, happiness and well-being.  More information on the content of this meeting will be posted here as well as via the BuildUP Tucson & Beyond googlegroup.  If you want to be part of the google group email me at anitafonte@gmail.com .

Community Renaissance and The Partnership for Engagement and Civic Equity (PECE) is also exploring both online and face-to-face opportunities to join with The Kettering Foundation's National Issues Forum Institutes dialogues on "Making Ends Meet: How Should we Spread Prosperity and Improve Opportunity?" www.nifi.org

Last item is we are at beginning stage of preparation for the 3rd International Day of Happiness, Tucson & Beyond which will be extended to two days in 2017: Sunday, March 19 the the official March 20th global celebration on Monday.  Let us know if your organization wants to be part of this event. www.facebook.com/dohappytoday

As you can see, we have a lot of positive energy flowing from the summer into early autumn, so join us as we work together to make communities Better for Us! www.communityrenaissance.biz

BuildUP^ Tucson and Beyond Updates

On April 20th, close to forty folks from Tucson, Pima County and Sierra Vista met at Startup Tucson to focus on how new online tools and collaborations can help buildup^ our communities.  After greetings, information was shared and discussed about the following efforts:

• Santa Monica Well-being Project
• Community Renaissance's Do Happy Today Partnership with Limberlost Neighborhood and others 
• Southern Arizona Fair Housing Council's Opportunity Index  
• University of Arizona's Geodesign Collaboration Leadership Summit 

The conversations have continued through informal social networking gatherings the third Thursday of the month at La Cocina Restaurant http://www.lacocinatucson.com and through a BuildUP^ google group and at http://www.facebook.com/buildup .  Sixteen additional members have participated in the informal La Cocina gatherings of 10-12 and another forty have expressed interest through Facebook. Forty nine members are registered on Facebook.

At the La Cocina gatherings, participants share brief info about the positive work they are doing and, if appropriate, make an "ask" from the group that other participants can respond to and/or support. Previous gatherings included info and asks from The Mindfulness Exchange Project, City of Tucson Urban Landscaping Program and Water Dept. City of Tucson Ward 3.

Examples from the most recent gathering on 7/21 are:

From Debbie with "damenschen: making life better for people with dementia"--where can she offer baby dolls to be be placed (and assuage anxiety for) seniors with dementia?  Response: Cascades of Tucson.  Also, Debbie shared the upcoming STEAM Adventure for 900 4th-8th graders at PCC/Northwest. http://agentsofsteam.org

From Tina Marie, a member of Tucsons Young Professionals/TYP:  she is a startup coach and business coach at www.profitproject.co  . She is assisting TYP with IGNITE 520 on 10/21 and needs help in raising funds through sponsorships of $1500-10,000.  Response: pending

From Michael/President of Limberlost NA:  shared info on the progress of the Limberlost Family Park's Walking Path which will proceed with funds through City of Tucson Parks and Recreation. His ask--is there/could there be a way to add an app such as Pokemon Go to draw people to walk the park?  Response:  Valley of the Moon is purchasing a "lure" to draw more people to their venue which is already registered on the Pokemon Go map.  Also from Michael who is developing desert-designed greenhouses through Nurse Tree Arch www.nursetreearch.com .  He is looking for team members to help build more structures.  Response:  suggestion to contact Citizens for Solar and Solar Tucson

From Kevin at Fengshui Planning http://www.fengshuiplanning.com .  He shared information on an upcoming Habitat for Humanity "out & about mixer" sponsored by the GLBT Chamber of Commerce, 7/29 5-7:30 p.m. at Habitat for Humanity Tucson http://www.habitattucson.org .  They are trying to raise $90,000 to build affordable housing for a Habitat approved family.  He is also working with Limberlost Family Park to raise funds for reflective benches on the Family Walking Path.  

From Maggie http://www.facebook.com/safepark is working with others to build an eco-village for members of the homeless community.  Response: scholarship offer to attend the UA Geodesign Collaboration Leadership Summit "Mitigating Poverty".

From Iris at UA Geodesign Collaboration Leadership Summit http://bit.ly/collabsummit .  This summit on 7/28-29 will focus on innovative collaboration and mapping approach to reduce the level of poverty...in S. Arizona.  She encouraged participants to register for this event.

From Zach, at Valley of the Moon http://www.tucsonvalleyofthemoon.com .  He noted their recent successes, including being the newest historic preservation-registered site in Tucson.  They are transitioning into a volunteer organization the needs more organizing capacity and asked for help with that transition and help with rebuilding their adobe house. Response:  Michael offered his leadership and development resources and Hillary offered assistance from her contact at the UA College of Architecture.

From Lisa at Pima Public Library http://www.library.pima.gov .  She described how the main library's Idea Space is evolving into Idea Camp with staff development programs at Martha Cooper Library, Oro Valley and main administration.  She also shared that she will be going the LeanIn Circle National Conference and bringing back new ideas to Tucson/Pima County's Women of Purpose Leanin Circle.  She asked for help with WordPress.  Response:  Debbie told her about a WordPress Meetup Group.

From Anita and Mark http://communityrenaissance.biz .  Anita shared info on the upcoming TENWEST Festival http://www.tenwest.com .  Volunteers to help with TENWEST are needed.  She also briefly shared info on Community Renaissance's Program Do Happy Today and the upcoming Tucson Birthday with DHT at Cinema La Placita 8/18 http://www.cinemalaplacita.com.  Cupcakes will be provided from Cakes for Causes http://www.cakesforcauses.org .

Zach offered a celebratory toast to everyone's efforts and either Kevin or Anita will offer the toast at the next gathering at La Cocina 8/18 5:30-7 p.m.

POST MEETING:  Anita and Iris and Kevin are exploring collaborating with other BuildUP^ and Do Happy Today Partners on the next BuildUP^ event in early November.  Also, a new BuildUp^ motto has been identified from a Facebook post:

The Partnership for Equity and Civic Engagement

Ten years ago, the consulting business www.communityrenaissance.biz/index.html introduced the Partnership for Equity and Civic Engagement (PECE, pronounced "peace").  PECE is Community Renaissance's organizational branch that offers pro bono programs and services.

Within PECE, a group of us started Just Communities Inc. (JCI) which is now conceptually housed at the Southwest Fair Housing Council www.swfhc.com.  Also as PECE programs, we initiated Do Happy Today in 2014, followed by BuildUP^ Tucson & Beyond in April, 2016.

As we update and redesign our website, we are also revisiting what programs PECE will continue and which ones will be changing.  We hope you share ideas with us about how to continue to serve our communities in Southern Arizona and beyond.

Please send your suggestions to info@communityrenaissance.biz   Thanks!!