2012 May Newsletter

Free Geek Intergalactic: Minneapolis and Beyond!

Did you know that Free Geek has inspired startups in cities across the United States and Canada? So far, affiliate Free Geeks have popped up in Southern California, Minneapolis, Indiana, Ohio, Chicago, Arkansas, Rhode Island, Vancouver, B.C., and Toronto, Ontario. These computer reuse and recycling nonprofits are collectively known as “Free Geek Intergalactic,” and together we are bridging the digital divide, maintaining high environmental standards, and promoting free and open source technology all across North America. On a recent trip to the Midwest, I stopped by Free Geek Twin Cities in Minneapolis, MN, to learn a little more about what the Geeks are up to in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Free Geek Twin Cities (FGTC) has been open since December of 2009, and has been offering electronics recycling, refurbished computers, and education to the community ever since. This year promises to be one of change and growth, as the organization recently gained 501(c)3 nonprofit status and is planning to move to a larger space this spring, hopefully near their current location in the Seward Neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Minneapolis has been ahead of the curve in terms of electronics recycling for some time, as the city has offered curbside electronics recycling since 1997. Before FGTC opened its doors, other computer reuse and recycling organizations had already cropped up to satisfy the eco-friendly demands of this Midwestern metropolis. Even so, when FGTC co-founder Thomas Saunders heard our own Richard Seymour talking about Free Geek at a bookstore in Minneapolis in 2007, he quickly saw that the Free Geek model would be well-received in the Twin Cities. Saunders and several other co-founders met in coffee shops strategizing and fundraising until they were able to move into their first location in late 2009 and open their doors to volunteers.

FGTC is volunteer-powered in the truest sense of the phrase. There are three types of volunteers, based on commitment level: regular volunteers, super volunteers, and staff-level volunteers. Staff-level volunteers are in charge of running the organization; they do everything from running the thrift store and training new volunteers to making strategic decisions about the organization’s future. Currently, FGTC volunteers put in over 1000 hours per month tinkering, training, and saving electronics from the landfills.

Just like at the Mothership (as Free Geek Portland is lovingly referred to within Free Geek Intergalactic), volunteers of all backgrounds can put in 24 hours of service to earn a refurbished computer. Twin Cities area nonprofits are also eligible to receive a hardware grant from FGTC, as several already have in the first two years of operation. Of course, anyone is welcome to shop for an affordable refurbished computer or component in the Thrift Store.

Walking around FGTC, it was easy to see that these Minnesotan Geeks are kindred spirits to us in PDX. Their hard work, creativity, and dedication to Free Geek principles are benefiting an untold many in the Twin Cities area. When asked for advice for other Free Geek startups, volunteer staff member Brad replied, “Keep it simple, follow your plan, and make sure your volunteers know how important they are to the organization.”

Interested in learning more about Free Geek Intergalactic? Visit http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Free_Geek_Startups, or do a basic Internet search for any of the startups mentioned in this article.

Spanish Build with Omar Vargas

Omar Vargas came to Free Geek in February of 2012 as the new Spanish Build Coordinator. Omar brings 10 years experience as an outreach coordinator and actor in a local theater company, and more recently worked at OMSI in their evaluation department working with exhibit developers to figure out the best way to connect the audience with the exhibits. He also has worked on several health projects, doing interviews tackling community health concerns, health issues in poor communities in Portland, and has been an active mime for 27 years.

When asked about the Spanish Build program Omar says he came in to a strong network of dedicated volunteers who teach Hardware ID, System Evaluation, Build, and work in Macland. The Spanish Build program currently operates as follows:

• Three spaces on Tuesdays and Saturdays for Hardware ID at 2:00-5:45,
• Three spaces on Tuesdays and Saturdays for System Evaluation at 2:00-5:45,
• Three spaces on Tuesdays and Saturdays for Build at 10:00-1:45.
• New Spanish tour time Saturdays at 10:30am

One of the changes Omar has made to the program is moving the Spanish tour to Saturday mornings at 10:30 am which has expanded the number of interested participants. There has been a marked increase in volunteers (and fewer open volunteer spaces) since Omar has joined us. To make it easier for our Spanish-speaking volunteers to contact us, we are currently working on offering all phone message information in Spanish.

Omar's goals for the future include the possibility of offering one more day a week of open Spanish build shifts, as well as recruiting more bi-lingual staff and interns in order to better communicate with and welcome the Spanish speaking community. Omar has recently helped spread awareness about the Spanish Build program at Free Geek by facilitating and starring in a video made by Univision (http://kunptv.com/multimedia/noticias-locales/39242/6279/reciclaje-de-computadoras-y-clases-gratis) When asked what message he would leave to the Latino and Spanish speaking community he says he wants “the Latino people to understand the importance of re-use and recycling, to bring more awareness to make it a priority, as this is the only planet we have.”

Hardware Grants Spotlight: Reynolds Learning Academy

Thanks to the dedication and hard work of Free Geek volunteers and staff, the Hardware Grants department has granted out over 5,700 computers to local nonprofits, schools, and other qualifying organizations in the last six years. These grants are providing the technology necessary for thousands of people to successfully navigate the information age at schools, churches, community centers, and more. We love following up on the computers we’ve given away to see how they are being enjoyed in their new home. In this edition of the Gnusletter, we focus on a grant for Reynolds Learning Academy East Campus.

RLA East is an alternative school within the Reynolds School District for 8th and 9th grade students who are academically challenged and struggling with behavioral issues at school. This year, Free Geek has granted RLA East 3 laptops, 2 iMac G4s, a network switch, a printer, and other peripherals to expand the school’s technical offerings.

Mike Stead, a teacher and technology coordinator at RLA East, sent us an update on how this new hardware is making a difference at Reynolds:

Thanks to the equipment provided by Free Geek, I was able to install a new computer lab within our school, and we now have a total of 18 computers between three labs up and running….This has allowed us to add a new option for credit recovery on our site using this technology. In addition to the lab space, the three laptops have also all found permanent homes within our school as student work computers within individual classrooms. This has greatly expanded our ability to use technology as a tool in our lessons….I just wanted to personally say thanks on behalf of everyone here for everything you were able to provide.

The Hardware Grants program would not be possible without the support of Free Geek volunteers and donors. Supporting Free Geek means supporting the students of RLA East and so many others within the wider community!

Know of a nonprofit, school, or community organization in need of computers? The process to request a grant is simple: fill out this brief application (http://www.freegeek.org/about/grants/apply/) on our website, and one of our Hardware Grants Shepherds will contact you shortly.

Staff Spotlight: Aradan Thompson

This month, our Staff Spotlight focuses on Aradan Thompson, Thrift Store and Production Staff member.

When did you start with Free Geek? I started in mid-to-late October of 2011.

What were you doing before you came to Free Geek? I studied Physics at Macalester College, graduated five years ago, then helped my older brother open a used video game store in Nebraska. After a couple of years I moved to Portland and worked at the OMSI Science Store for two years. (I used to see Omar around at OMSI, before it was cool.) [ed. Free Geek staff member Omar Vargas previously worked for OMSI as well.]

Why Free Geek? I saw the opportunity to use and expand my knowledge and skills while doing good work, and felt like I couldn’t have found a better match if I had made one up.

You’ve been following many of the leading trends and developments in computing and processing for some time now; what do you think the future looks like for technology reuse? Manufacturing process technology will bring the size and price of ‘good enough’ performance way, way down. We’ll see extremely fast and capable laptops, tablets, and smartphones, with more and more components integrated into fewer and smaller onboard chips. For reuse, this will mean fewer failure points in a device and fewer separate components that need to be tested, but more proprietary hardware that is harder to repair or replace. I think consumers will upgrade more frequently for a while, too. Either way, it’s going to be exciting to see so much computing power become small enough and affordable enough that everyone will have access to a good computer, all the time.

What else do you do around the ‘Geek? I’m an Instructor in Hardware Testing and in Server Build, and I’m developing our A/V Testing into a more complete area. I love tackling new projects, so I’m always up to something around the building.

What do you do in your spare time? I am unfamiliar with that direction of time. Mine only goes forward really fast with some good bits involving bikes, beers, games, and sunshine, with a few quiet bits sprinkled in. Is that normal?

If you could have one super power, what would it be? Telekinesis…wait…*IF* I had one?

Any last words? The probability of anything ever being my last word is vanishingly small.