December News from the Open Media Foundation

December 2012

Executive Director Report from Tony Shawcross

The Open Media Foundation generates over half of our operating budget each year through our earned income services, but every year we depend on donations from individuals like you to help cover the costs for our educational scholarships, our free drop-in youth program, and other programs aimed at serving individuals who could not otherwise afford to learn the media and technology skills that are essential for literacy and communications in the 21st century. As long as our media and mass communications are reserved for the most privileged in society, our values, our culture, and our economy will remain biased in the favor of the haves, and to the detriment of the have-nots.

This time of year, human services and social change organizations receive the most support from individual donors. And while its important to support those organizations who are addressing immediate and pressing needs, its also important for us to address the root causes of inequity in our society. Here at the Open Media Foundation, we don't view our work as simply providing media and technology services, training and tools to those who would otherwise lack access, we view our work as addressing a primary source of social inequity.

While you can always donate on the OMF or DOM websites, this week there are more ways to give than ever. Please make a donation and support our efforts to engage the community in helping the media conversation of tomorrow represent all of us, not just corporations and the privileged communities targeted through commercial media.

Ways to support OMF this month:

Attend our Dec 7th Fundraising Dinner: $150/plate an intimate dinner from Denver's best independent restaurants: Black Pearl, City O City, Root Down and Watercourse.
Donate on Colorado Gives Day: Donations made through Giving First by midnight tomorrow are matched with donations from First Bank and the Community First Foundation.
Bid on Items in our Silent Auction: The auction closes at 9:30 on Friday, but you can bid today at openmediafoundation.org/auction.
Purchase a Gift Membership or Class: Select from over 20 OMF classes or purchase a DOM membership, with access to top-notch video production equipment for a year.

In this Issue

E.D. Report

Upcoming Classes/Events

Year End Tax Benefits for Giving

Studio Internship Announcement

DOM's 6th Anniversary Fundraiser and First Friday

Nonprofit Spotlight: CAVP

OMF Staff Spotlight: Bart Lantz

Upcoming Classes & Events

Shooting Video with DSLR Cameras
December 4
6pm-9pm

Colorado Gives Day
December 4

DOM's 6th Anniversary Party
December 7
Fundraising Dinner @ 6pm
Awards and Music @ 7:30pm

Field Production Workshop
December 12 & 13
6pm-9pm

Final Cut Pro 7 Workshop
December 18 & 19
6pm-9pm

Final Cut X Workshop
January 3rd
6-9pm

Christmas Eve
December 24
OMF Closed

Christmas Day
December 25
OMF, DOM Closed

DOM Holiday Closure
December 26
Regular hours resume Dec. 27

New Year's Day
Jan 1
OMF, DOM Closed

Charitable Giving:
Year End Tax Benefits for You and OMF

As you do your tax planning, we hope you will consider making good use of the income tax charitable deduction. Regardless of your income, in most cases, you can lower the taxes you pay by making your donation by December 31.

Giving is about much more than tax savings. Your charitable gifts make an important difference in what we are able to accomplish. Read more about charitable contributions and tax deductions on our website.

Want To Learn More About Television Stations?

Do you love television and broadcast? Want to give back to a community TV station? You could be perfect for our Station Access internship program.

This position is a great fit for someone with an interest in studio management and has a passion for independent production, as well as the ability to commit to a 12 hour/week, 200-hour total internship schedule. OMF interns receive incredible

benefits, such as access to free classes and a free Unlimited membership during the duration of the internship and a $175-level membership for the year after they complete the 200 hours.

If you are interested in this opportunity or any other internship opportunities at the Open Media Foundation, please visit our internship page for more information.

Connect With Us

Celebrating Six Years of Independent Voices on Denver Open Media, Friday December 7th

The Open Media Foundation's Independent Voices fundraising dinner on Dec.7th will feature food prepared by chefs from Denver's best independent restaurants, including Watercourse,

City O' City, Root Down, and Black Pearl. Strange Brewery will provide free micro brews and chai tea will be provided by the renowned Bhakti Chai. Tickets are $150 and include a one-year Programming Membership to Denver Open Media (DOM), which includes discounts on classes and allows you to upload video content to air on DOM's Comcast Ch. 56, 57, and 219. Each ticket sold provides much needed financial support for OMF's ongoing efforts to put the power of media in the hands of the community. Dinner begins at 6:00 p.m. and DOM's First Friday festivities begin at 7:30 p.m. in Studio A, taped live and featuring DOM's Independent Voices award ceremony and music from Denver's very own Achille Lauro. The First Friday celebration is free and open to the public and will also be streamed on our website. To register for the dinner, email development@openmediafoundation.org.

Nonprofit Spotlight: Colorado Anti-Violence Program

OMF recently launched a fresh and new www.coavp.org for the Colorado Anti-Violence Program (CAVP). Eleanor Dewey, CAVP's Director of Youth Organizing, answers a few questions here about what CAVP does in our community and how they use media to share their story.

Please provide a brief description of your organization.

For 26 years, the Colorado Anti-Violence program has been working on the ground to eliminate violence and increase safety within Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer communities throughout Colorado. CAVP connects with survivors and victims of violence through our Advocacy program, providing resources, referrals, a 24 hour hotline, and on-going one-on-one support to community members. Our Training and Education Program trains hundreds of service providers, shelters, schools, organizations, law enforcement and community members each year, ensuring services and spaces are accessible, safe and accepting of all LGBTQ people. CAVP in the last three years has also begun a youth project, Branching Seedz of Resistance, using strategies of community organizing, art, media, and popular education to spark dialogue, educate and empower youth to take action to prevent violence.

What are the issues that you are trying to bring to a larger audience?

Our work serves as not only a resource to survivors, but is a tool to raise community awareness about violence within and against the LGBTQ community and the creative ways we can all prevent further violence. CAVP seeks to address violence on a community-based level, not relying on police and prisons, rather by developing our own processes that maintain the humanity of survivors, victims and those that cause harm. We understand that in order to end violence we must continuously work to transform the root causes of violence in all forms large and small.

What are some of your primary goals for 2013?

In 2013 we will be strengthening our advocacy program through implementing new technologies and innovative strategies to connect with and support more survivors of violence in rural and urban Colorado. Our greatest impact as a training and education program comes when we offer ongoing, in depth, and comprehensive training series to organizations and individuals. 2013 will see an increase in our partnerships and comprehensive trainings resulting in policy and systemic change that will increase LGBTQ community support, safety and justice. Branching Seedz of Resistance aka BSEEDZ will be releasing Rainbow Warriors in early 2013, a short film about the resilience LGBTQ youth of color experience in the face of suicide.

Tell us about your experience working with OMF.

OMF did an excellent job of taking our vision and needs for a website and developed a gorgeous, practical, accessible site for CAVP and BSEEDZ. With staff support and training from OMF, we are able to easily update and expand our site, keeping it always relevant and useful for our community.

How has your website helped accomplish CAVP's mission?

Our new website serves as a powerful gateway for survivors and community to access services, request trainings and get connected to CAVP as a volunteer or donor. Our site will continue to serve as an information hub, providing news, educational materials, videos, curriculum, and information for survivors and their friends and family.

OMF Staff Spotlight: Bart Lantz, Community Technology Administrator

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm an old school geek, when I stumble upon a box of ethernet cables or video cards it feels like Christmas. When not discussing the finer points of binary with robots, I also enjoy gardening, biking and knitting. I recently received a BS in Math, I also have a BA in Theatre Arts from a previous life.

Why do you think community media centers are important?

Community media centers are important because they provide resources for the community to become makers of media, to voice their opinion and to be heard in the public dialogue necessary for democracy to flourish. Community media centers are also important because they level the playing field for producers of all income levels and allow them the chance to make high quality videos that can compete with corporate media.

Where do you see yourself in the future?
In the long term: Chief Engineer of an intergalactic spacecraft. But until that opportunity materializes, I see myself continuing to work in the fields of media activism and open-source software.

What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy helping out the producers and interacting with Denver Open Media users. I also really enjoy working on the OMF network: it's an interesting blend of working with the physical ethernet and fiber optic cables and also the purely intangible software controlling it all.