PledgeBank United States
I’ll do it, but only if you’ll help

Pledge “catcomm2011”

"I will set up a $10 monthly donation to CatComm in January 2011 (or a single $120 donation) but only if 199 others will too, and only if CatComm finds matches for our donations dollar for dollar."

— Jay, Documentary Producer

Deadline to sign up by: 31^st December 2010
13 people signed up, 186 more were needed

More details
Last week I landed in Rio with a mission: to begin documenting the social impacts of hosting mega-events, specifically the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games here in Brazil.

Just yesterday, I was present in a community facing forced evictions and saw first hand the power of citizen journalism, how cell phones and other new emerging technologies can be used as powerful tools of resistance and social justice advocacy. In this particular instance, the mere presence of cell phone cameras in the hands of community members quickly snuffed an escalating case of power abuse: police trying to stop myself and another CatComm volunteer from documenting what was happening, when there was no legal basis for such an intervention. All of the material shot by the community was quickly gathered in the hands of a video blogger creating documentaries accessible online, around the world. Injustice can no longer hide itself from the ever present lens of the citizen journalist.

As a documentary filmmaker, I can attest to the power of media, both to uncover truths, or to conceal them. Truth will forever evade us if we fail to consult the perspectives of those living a particular reality, and in the communities being most directly impacted by the pending mega-events, these voices are typically inaccessible. CatComm has an unprecedented opportunity to help Rio's communities advocate for change before the Olympics, and I hope that you will join me in supporting their work, which is now more important than ever in Rio.

Catalytic Communities' mission is to integrate low-income communities into the fabric of society using online and offline networking forums and communication tools. For the past ten years, CatComm has provided support to over 200 Rio de Janeiro neighborhoods to access local and global networks to increase their visibility, networking capacity, and media exposure.

Now, in light of rapid changes taking place in Rio de Janeiro for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, CatComm's work is more vital than ever. The communities CatComm traditionally supports are being targeted for forced evictions through government mandates involving almost no participation or due process.

As the only organization in Rio working at the intersection of community development, social media and global networks, CatComm has an important role to play.

If this pledge is successful, the $48,000 raised will help pay for community journalism, documentary production and legal trainings in 2011. CatComm will then map community initiatives, stories and communities’ online communications channels in an easy-to-use interface. Community content will be translated to English, posted on the evolving www.RioOnWatch.org website, and channeled to international media partners.

With your help meeting this pledge, community news stories from neighborhoods that were isolated just a short few years ago, will now be given international exposure, thus pressuring sensitive local officials to engage communities in participatory decision-making. As Rio and its communities become an increasing focus of international attention and news in coming years, you will be able to visit CatComm's interactive map and see, in seconds, what the communities themselves have to say, without relying solely on mainstream media sources. Imagine that!

-- Jay

Please get the word out about this Pledge. Visit www.catcomm.org for more information, follow us at www.twitter.com/catcomm or fan us on www.facebook.com/catcomm.

See a diagram describing our upcoming Programs and Desired Outcomes--what you will be supporting http://bit.ly/ccprograms.

Note: CatComm is a 501[c][3] tax-exempt organization in the USA and a registered non-governmental organization in Brazil.