During this presidential election cycle, the campaigns have put online tools front and center—raising money, organizing events, and getting their messages out. But those tools aren’t reaching young people who don’t identify with just one party, haven’t been involved in elections before, and feel more strongly about issues than politics.

One Economy, with its history of helping low-income people use technology to connect with information and resources to build better lives, has launched a new website, 247 Townhall (www.247townhall.org), to challenge young people at all economic levels to reclaim their voice, gain leverage in the political process, and make changes in their own lives.

Young people who are engaged in their communities are more likely to vote and take action. Using innovative technologies, 247 Townhall enables youth to work together to identify solutions. 247 Townhall users share video clips, blog about issues, post comments, interact in small discussion groups, and find the resources they need to get involved.

247 Townhall is... a community forum dedicated to change

247 T

ownh

all

�

What is 247 Townhall?ProgrammingThe Public Internet Channel NetworkOne Economy Corporation

••••

Contents

247 Townhall is... a community forum dedicated to change

�

Young people who are engaged in their communities have more positive

views of government than those who are not. They are more likely to vote

and take action, according to the Center for Information and Research on

Civic Learning and Engagement. One Economy has a successful history

of using technology to connect low-income people to online tools for

building better lives. One Economy created 247 Townhall to help young

people in America at all economic levels to reclaim their voices, gain

leverage in the political process, and make changes in their own lives.

What kind of information and resources are available?

Using innovative technologies, 247 Townhall enables young people to share

their ideas, work together, and take action for progress. 247 Townhall users:

Create a profile

Share video and voice clips

Blog and comment on issues in their communities

Interact in small discussion groups

Find the tools they need to get involved

Who is 247Townhall for?

247 Townhall was created for young Americans who are in their

teens and twenties. In 2006, this demographic included 32 million

people in the United States—14 percent of eligible voters with

a diverse range of concerns. Two-thirds of them believe that

government should do more to solve problems, yet only a minority

says they regularly participate in civic engagement activities.

•

•

•

•

•

Why did One Economy create 247 Townhall?

�

Programming

If I Were President247 Townhall’s If I Were President campaign is partnering with

musicians, personalities, and intellectual leaders from all political

stripes—including Mos Def, Martin Luther, and Kimiko Joy—to promote

greater civic engagement and leadership among underserved young

people. In the run-up to the election, the campaign is gathering

and distributing user-generated videos about national and local

issues, all prompted by the phrase “If I were president….”

Partnering with the Marguerite Casey Foundation, One Economy

Corporation recently launched an online video contest as part of

the If I Were President campaign to capture the aspirations of young

people across the county. Winners will be announced October 15.

The George Watsky ShowIn The George Watsky Show, environmental Activist and HBO Def

Jam Poetry spoken word artist George Watsky travels the country

working with young people, activists, green collar workers, and

policymakers to generate creative ways to curb climate change.

George Watsky epitomizes the young activist, providing 247 Townhall

users a model for engagement and action in their communities. As he

interviews and showcases other young spoken word artists and poets,

Watsky motivates young people to get involved and speak up.

If I Were President

�

Flip it ForwardThe Flip It Forward campaign brings together Youth Speaks’ vast network

of young poets as correspondents using Flip video cameras as their

eyes and ears, capturing the opinions of low-income people around

the country as they present their own presidential platforms.

Spoken word poetry is a fusion of verbal expression and performance

art. In the Flip It Forward campaign, young poets address pressing

issues in the United States and the presidency. The campaign

features poets from across the country giving fellow 247Townhall

users a sense of the challenges other communities are facing.

Equity Across AmericaEquity Across America follows the 247 Townhall street team on their

cross-country journey to the 2008 PolicyLink National Conference on

Regional Equity. Along the way, they visit some of the most impoverished

communities in America, asking a simple question: What challenges are

facing your local community and what can be done about them?

In the United States, underserved communities have fallen

dramatically behind in terms of regional equity. New Orleans

was chosen as the epicenter of this movement because of

the unique challenges it faces post-Hurricane Katrina.

Hosted by spokesperson Danny Glover, the resulting documentary

tackles the big issues facing communities across the nation—from

gang violence to waste management—and brings awareness to

the issue of regional equity and the need to build and, in some

cases, rebuild healthy communities across the United States.

FLIP IT Forward

EQUITYACROSSAMERICA

�

The Public Internet Channel Network

To supplement its programming, the Public Internet Channel draws together One Economy’s network of public-purpose media. More than 15 million people have used these online resources to improve their lives.

The Public Internet Channel The Public Internet Channel (www.pic.tv) is a next-generation, public-

purpose online network. Everything on the Public Internet Channel

is relevant, current, accessible, and, whenever possible, local—

always with a clearly-defined public purpose to inspire, inform, and

engage, while giving people the tools they need to take action.

The BeehiveThe Beehive (www.thebeehive.org) is an award-winning, multilingual

Web portal that provides low-income individuals web-based tools and

information about financial services, education, jobs, health care, and

family. The site features topics that can help people raise their standard

of living by accessing information and learning how to take action

on issues that are important to them and can change their lives.

ZipRoadZipRoad (www.ziproad.org) is One Economy Corporation’s one-of-a-kind

education tool that helps students, parents, teachers, and caregivers

find education-related resources in their communities. By simply

entering their zip codes, people are quickly on the path to finding

information about schools, as well as quality and affordable after school

tutoring and other learning programs in their neighborhoods.

�

About One Economy

One Economy Corporation is a global nonprofit that leverages the power

of technology and information to connect low-income people to the

economic mainstream. One Economy brings broadband into the homes

of low-income people, produces public-purpose media, and trains and

employs youth to enhance communities’ technology capacity.

Learn MoreFor content and partnership inquiries, contact Mohammed Soriano Bilal

at (503) 820-3821 or mbilal@one-economy.com

For press inquiries, contact Austin Bonner

at (202) 393-0051 or abonner@one-economy.com

For more information about One Economy,

visit us at www.one-economy.com