Public Computer Lab opens in the ARK
by bardamu Tuesday, Jul. 15, 2003 at 7:03 AM
c_roselund@yahoo.com imported from the old IMC postnuke site

Saturday, July 5, a free and public computer lab will open at the ARK, a community space at 511 Marigny street, with seven internet capable computers and DSL lines.

Doing Something Productions, which is the creation Bingwa, an actor from Berkeley, California, has started the lab as a means to combat illiteracy and lack of technology access in New Orleans, primarily for inner city youth. "Our mission statement is to make technology and education as accessible in alcohol in New Orleans", Bingwa said, a reference to the sharp contrast between the availability of inebriation and education.

The computer lab operates with locally donated computers and much of Bingwa's labor. He says that he "found everything he needed" at the ARK to operate, with the exception of the computers.

Bingwa plans to keep the lab open twenty hours a day, which is in sharp contrast with the public libraries, whose hours are very limited and inconvenient for most residents, and where there are long waiting lines to use the few internet machines. Volunteers will receive access to the lab for seven days in exchange for two hours of time donated. Bingwa sees the lab as a model that can be replicated in other cities where there is a need for access to technology. In addition to the seven computers in the ARK, Bingwa's group has brought 30 computers to the homes of inner city children.

The Computer lab comes at a good time for the ARK, a community space that has been struggling to survive. The ARK is housed in an old warehouse across Elysian Fields, two blocks from the bars on Frenchman street, and is also home also to PLAN B, the New Orleans bike project, as well as hosting alternative events such as travelling circuses, that sometimes have a difficulty finding other venues. Faced with rent that was formerly paid in the summer by many punk shows, this year the ARK has been unable to host any music because of neighborhood complaints.

On the wall outside the computer lab is a poster for the Venice Dream Team, a project that Bingwa assembled in 1992 in Venice to bring inner city youth in contact with the world and to teach entrepreneurial skills. Volunteer professional photographers and community activists provided practical training to eight youths from the Venice Beach, CA, area, teaching them photography, journalism, graphic design and social awareness. From 1997 to 2000 they traveled through 13 countries and financed their trips with calendars that they created, which show off the photography of the members, some as young as eight years old.

Bingwa discovered New Orleans when travelling with the Dream Team, and kept coming back, discovering the city a little more each time. He says he was struck by the contrast between the poverty and wealth on either side of St. Charles avenue, as well as the local flavor of places such as the Marigny.

The Venice Dream Team is available online at www.venicedreamteam.org.

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