ONLINE / OFFLINE

I've lived in a world with the Internet and constant technological updates my entire life. I've also grown up in a world where most Americans don’t know their neighbors, with some studies finding that Millennials, young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 (I’m 23), are least likely to know their neighbors. These facts are from coincidental.

One of the biggest complaints we have heard from residents throughout the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) process is that new residents moving into the neighborhood don’t want to get to know their neighbors like the older culture in Northwest Denver where folks knew their entire block.

It seems more and more that people are moving their communities online through social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and NextDoor.com. There is nothing inherently wrong with these sites, but they can either create or tear down community depending on how they are used.

One of the main problems with the Internet is the idea of anonymity and problems with physical separation. It’s much easier to type something hateful or rude to someone that isn't in your immediate vicinity and may not have a picture of you or know your name. Anybody who has spent any amount of time online on social media sites, article comment sections, or chat forums have seen this type of unproductive bickering where opinions are rarely changed (i.e. controversies like GamerGate).

Where, then, is the place for the Internet and technology in community? North Denver happens to be a place where great things are happening online. These illustrations show how online community can build up offline community.

#WeAreNorthDenver was a movement started by the Hispanic community in Northwest Denver after flyers were put up around the Highlands area that targeted Hispanics and other racial groups. This movement is more than just a hash tag and has been used as a resource for community members to create and share events, keep up with neighborhood news, and mobilize outside of this online community. Recently they posted a list of neighborhood associations on their Facebook page, encouraging members to join and advocate for themselves from within.

Other examples include blogs like this one, neighborhood publications like The North Denver Tribune, campaign websites to organize volunteers for local elections, and advertising for events happening in the neighborhood, all of which can be found online. When technology is used like this, it can build up offline community - not destroy it.

What we have with modern day technology is a resource that can be used for both good and bad. North Denver and all communities that are surrounded by these technologies have a choice: use technology to organize, advocate, and collaborate, or use it as a way to keep distance from our neighbors and mask our identity while attacking others. The problem then, is not the tech itself, but rather how we choose to use it. Let’s use our online resources to make community happen offline.

- John Putnam, The 32^nd Avenue Jubilee Center Episcopal Service Corps Intern