#off the block

By Joanna Pawlowska

Last week, TechWeek invited us to the West Side of Los Angeles to host a Listening Party as part of their week of programming in Santa Monica. With our friends over at KCRW, we wanted to get creative on how to spark an interesting and meaningful conversation for our guests (also attendees of TechWeek’s conference) at the intersection of our two worlds: public media and technology.

Journalist George Lavender recently wrapped “Off The Block”, a five-part series for KCRW’s Independent Producer Project in which he explores the impact that incarceration has - not just on individuals but on the wider community. Through powerful audio storytelling, he traces the path from city block to jail block and back. The thought-provoking stories defy stereotypes while illuminating the humanity in the issues George explores. In other words, his work offers excellent fodder for a Listening Party discussion that invites our guests to consider how the smarts, strategies and energy of Silicon Beach and the tech space could be applied to drive innovation in solving big social issues in Los Angeles and beyond.

Thanks to everyone who joined us! And for those at home, you can Host Your Own Listening Party around the story at the heart of our discussion. 

My friends and family on Long Island have been telling me about this new joint in Sayville that serves some killer sandwiches and is set up like a gourmet butcher shop or deli. This past weekend I finally got to try it out. When you step in, you’re inside a nice little butcher shop. They sell prepared foods, and cuts of meat like you’d find at a deli, but they also have a nice dry-aging room…

Installation views of Off the Block, an exhibition at Southampton Arts Center featuring winners of NYFA Artists' Fellowships (AFP): Claire Watson (AFP '07 Sculpture), Hiroyuki Hamada (AFP '09 Sculpture), and Andreas Rentsch (AFP '98 and '08 Photography). The exhibition is curated by David Terry, Director of Programs and Curator.

Off the Block runs from June 26–July 20, 2014. For more information, visit the Center's website.