Thursday, January 31, 2008

Launch over lomitos

FYI: The next CoCuMu meeting will be Saturday, March 29, right after the NVAC meeting, around noon. Meet at the PCO and head out for lunch + gelato at 4D.

2008 is off to a snap-happy start, with the official launch of the Ahecha Paraguay youth photography project! Once we got the lomitos arabe order going, here’s how we chomped into the meat of the meeting-

Donor Thank You notes

We got the list of Ahecha donors (thanks Allison and Jim)!

Some post-meeting developments- Allison is going to create a template thank you letter with the PC logo. If PC does not provide free postage, we are going to use the extra funds from project budget savings. Let Jen know if you are willing to meet in Asuncion mid-Feb to help out with printing and mailing.

Ashley suggested sending out handmade photo postcards. Consensus is yes, we want to do it but it'll make more sense to do come Final Exhibition time in July/August.

Jim emailed out the donor list to the group so people can send out personal thank yous.

Camera kit formation

Jim and Chris have picked up the cameras from Kodak! They will be stored inside PC “med kits” that will be stored inside water-resistant nylon bags to ensure they are campo-proof! For now, the kits will be held in Jason Cochran’s office.

The Ahecha PY pilot group
The first month’s project facilitators will consist of all CoCuMu members: Rachel, Jen, Orlando and Kelly.
The mission: to brave the untested campo terreno of organizing a photography workshop and local exhibit with PYan youth. Report back with suggestions to develop the resource manual that will be included in each camera kit.
Timeframe to check out cameras, hold workshop and in-site exhibition: Feb 15 – March 15. Please fill out request form and turn into Chris Spahr at the Coordinator’s office.

Preliminary camera checkout schedule
February 15: Rachel, Jen, Orlando, Kelly
March 15: Allison, Brad Cannon, Kyle, Matt Nigrelli
April 15: Jim, Tammy, OPEN, OPEN
May 15: Ashley, Adam, Anthony, Claudia

Resource manual – Check last blog entry for topic assignments. Email all materials to cocumu@gmail.com. Ashley, Adam and Orlando will be meeting on or around February 15 to work on layout and assembly. The goal is to have a preliminary resource manual to include with the kits beginning March. Other materials that will go into the kit are a copy of Wanna Take Me a Picture (book in English) and Born into Brothels (documentary).

Ahecha PY tote bags – now going for 20.000 Gs a pop at the Coordinator’s Office. For future orders, we can look into getting goods from the Tienda Pilar in Asuncion.

Looking ahead temas– Project publicity (next Kuat), Camera liability (Jason looking into issue with PC lawyer), Future CoCuMu/Ahecha PY coordinators (are you up for the challenge?)

Lastly, all the focus may be on Ahecha PY but new projects are always welcome! Be it art camps, cultural radio resources or , CoCuMu is your sounding board for all those brilliant thoughts inspired by those gritty micro rides, vecinos be they cerrrad@ o abiert@ and long terere has.