Hi Folks, Glad to see new energy around this idea of using technology to fight back against an oppressive system.
I started an open source project to see if there was interest in developing an app that provides real-time verified alerts about immigration raids to people. I've gone through a couple of iterations of this idea. I'm sure I'm not the only or first one to think of something like this, but I first came across this idea while working at United We Dream and collaborating with MIT's Center for Civic Media on a project called Undocutech <https://www.facebook.com/undocutech>. Then the idea resurfaced while I was helping build some online infrastructure for Movimiento Cosecha <http://www.lahuelga.com/>. I started working on a prototype using Meteor.js, but felt discouraged by the lack of interest and haven't really worked on it. A couple of months ago, I refactored the prototype to use React.js, a modern front-end framework. That project is currently open-sourced, and on Github:* https://github.com/Cosecha/redadalertas <https://github.com/Cosecha/redadalertas>* Open-sourcing it was an attempt at gaining attention/energy, and help in developing the project. However, considering the sensitivity of the subject, a serious solution would most likely need to be developed in private. I've already been faced with questions/concerns about the security of open sourcing an app like this. I've also realized through some iterations of a solution, that a mobile app is not really necessary. The core functionality of something like this can be accomplished with SMS. If anything, a web app can be used to present the data about where raids are happening. And that would allow for less attack vectors if there is no website, or app, to hack into. I must also admit that I'm not much of an organizer (or salesperson), so I never put prototypes in front of people to validate and get feedback from the people this solution would serve. For a project like this, more that just developers and designers would be needed: - Project Managers - Organizers to train people on using the tech, and work orgs on pushing it to the public - Fundraisers - Maybe some lawyers to at least be conscious of the legal lines something like this would blur A bit about myself: Born in Mexico, I've grown up in Phoenix since I was four. I'm currently a DACAmented person, and work as a full stack developer. I started out in the movement in 2009 while attending Arizona State University. After graduating, and being a farm-hand while having a Business Management degree for a few summers, I decided to go back to the city of Phoenix and start a business repairing computers. My involvement in the movement also led me to pick up graphic design skills, website skills, mainly because it was needed and I would volunteer for that kind of stuff. I eventually served as Online Coordinator for United We Dream around the time we started asking for administrative relief. While at United We Dream, I had the honor to meet Aaron Swartz (RIP) while he was at ThoughWorks. I remember him telling us about our ideas for apps (paraphrased) "Don't worry about whether it's technically possible. If the movement needs it, I can build it for you." That blew my mind. It inspired me to continue into my passion of design and technology. I moonlit some online courses for a year, then decided to be a freelance web developer to accelerate my learning. I did that for a couple of years. It's been a tough road, but I recently got a job as a web developer, where I am learning even faster, and want to put that knowledge to good use. And I think the time is right. I look forward to seeing something come to fruition. Cheers, Celso On Sat, Feb 11, 2017 at 2:31 PM Andrés Leopoldo Pacheco Sanfuentes < alps6...@gmail.com> wrote: > I contacted Celso Salinas-Mireles, an immigration rights activist and > coder, about this, and he told me he has an open-source project that > tries to do just that, but he needs help in getting it going. So it > sounds like this is a great opportunity to jumpstart this badly needed > app and get it into the hands of millions of vulnerable people > residing in the US ASAP. Talk about a sense of urgency! > > He should be joining this list shortly, in the meantime I cc him here > so that he can catch up to the initial bits of conversation about the > topic. > > Best Regards | Cordiales Saludos | Grato, > > Andrés L. Pacheco Sanfuentes > <a...@acm.org> > +1 (347) 766-5008 <(347)%20766-5008> > > > On Sat, Feb 11, 2017 at 2:32 PM, Andrés Leopoldo Pacheco Sanfuentes > <alps6...@gmail.com> wrote: > > I'm very close to the immigrant rights community, and I haven't seen > > anything like these mobile apps pop up. So far it's been hotlines and > > stuff.. > > > > This reminds me of the comments of a journalist friend of Amy Goodman > > on election night: "Welcome to the rest of the world!" and here we go, > > apparently we need to adopt and adapt human rights defense mobile apps > > from the Iran resistance! ;-) > > > > I don't know if other people involved in immigrant rights are in this > > list, but an app along the lines of what's being talked about here is > > well overdue.. I started thinking of adapting the Ushua.. platform to > > track ICE once I paid a couple of week-long visits to the Rio Grande > > Valley in Texas, seeing ICE-TX State Trooper roadblocks and > > cooperation, and even TX National Guard tanks right at the border! > > > > > > Putting 2+2>4 together with the recent thread about doing something > > more with liberation tech than email DL, this is an opportunity to > > spin off an emergency project to come up with ideas and working > > prototypes of mobile apps to track ICE roadblocks and disseminate that > > info. I heard this morning from an authoritative source that these > > roadblocks are in effect in Austin TX whereby they stop motorists with > > the initial " tried-and-true" Arpaio style question: " your license!" > > > > Best Regards | Cordiales Saludos | Grato, > > > > Andrés L. Pacheco Sanfuentes > > <a...@acm.org> > > +1 (347) 766-5008 <(347)%20766-5008> > > > > > > On Sat, Feb 11, 2017 at 12:18 PM, Lina Srivastava > > <l...@linasrivastava.com> wrote: > >> This discussion is something that really should be vetted privately with > >> immigration groups working on this. There is a lot of fear stoking > migrants' > >> anxieties right now, and misinformation swirling about what's > happening. I > >> suggest connecting with United We Dream, Make the Road NY, or DRUM, for > >> example, before going too far down the road with thoughts of design or > >> development. > >> > >> On Sat, Feb 11, 2017 at 1:11 PM, Yosem Companys <ycompa...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >>> > >>> From: Nithin Coca <privateemail2...@progressiveexchange.org> > >>> > >>> This is one case where we should look abroad for examples, as these > types > >>> of situations are not abnormal globally. > >>> > >>> I know that in Iran, there is a tool that is used for avoiding morality > >>> police - something that should be easily adaptable to this case (and I > >>> believe is open source) > >>> > >>> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gerd.app.gershad > >>> > >>> https://www.iranhumanrights.org/2016/02/gershad-app/ > >>> > >>>> From: Craig A. Bowman <privateemail253...@progressiveexchange.org > >>>> > >>>> A few of us are also talking about using the ushahidi > >>>> (https://www.ushahidi.com) platform to do this. In conversations > with them > >>>> now about how it might work best. > >>>> > >>>> 11, 2017 at 9:29 AM, Ms. Andrea Morales > >>>> < > >>>> > >>>> privateemail248...@progressiveexchange.org<mailto: > privateemail248...@progressiveexchange.org>> > >>>> wrote: > >>>> > One easy way > >>>> of doing this would be to use Waze and add "police" check > >>>> > points > >>>> but add "ICE" in the description of the checkpoint itself. > >>>> > > >>>> > > On > >>>> Feb 11, 2017, at 9:11 AM, Mr. Dan Sisken > >>>> <privateemail191...@progressiveexchange.org> wrote: > >>>> > > > >>>> > > An idea based on this week's > >>>> news about increasingly aggressive ICE > >>>> > actions targeting immigrant > >>>> communities. > >>>> > > > >>>> > > Does anyone know of any examples of a mobile, > >>>> crowd-sourced app that > >>>> > could be used to pinpoint ICE checkpoints. > >>>> Such an app could be used to > >>>> > avoid ICE and for spontaneous > >>>> demonstrations. > >>>> > > > >>>> > > I don't have any connection to activists; > >>>> just putting the idea out > >>>> > there. > >>> > >>> > >>> -- > >>> Liberationtech is public & archives are searchable on Google. > Violations > >>> of list guidelines will get you moderated: > >>> https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/liberationtech. > Unsubscribe, > >>> change to digest, or change password by emailing moderator at > >>> compa...@stanford.edu. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> > >> -- > >> Lina Srivastava > >> -- > >> twitter | linkedin | facebook | instagram > >> www.cielab.in > >> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> Liberationtech is public & archives are searchable on Google. > Violations of > >> list guidelines will get you moderated: > >> https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/liberationtech. > Unsubscribe, > >> change to digest, or change password by emailing moderator at > >> compa...@stanford.edu. >
-- Liberationtech is public & archives are searchable on Google. Violations of list guidelines will get you moderated: https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/liberationtech. Unsubscribe, change to digest, or change password by emailing moderator at compa...@stanford.edu.
