"The Medium is the Message"--Marshall McLuhan

Greetings from the warm South West folks!

I apologize for not posting sooner, but gosh, time does fly by, eh?

With the 6-month marker recently passing for all of us being in our first year, serving as an Americorps DASCORPS VISTA, let's give it up for all of us---woot woot! Congrats ;)

I would say a refreshing and assuring incident recently was our 6-month eval report. During that meeting with my supervisor and filling out the online evaluation (thank you surveymonkey, love that service!), it helped to give me a bit of perspective and reassurance of how I was doing as a VISTA. Sometimes, there are moments where I feel uncertain or just in a weird funk where I think to myself, "Am I doing all I can for this organization and my commitment?" This brief moment of uncertainty is natural, and almost comforting as well, because I am confident in saying I have been doing a great job. My performance is credited to the great support system provided by the Quote...Unquote, Inc staff. After these brief moments of self-reflection, I think about all the great partnerships, community building efforts, and the assistance with fundraiser efforts that makes me feel good about my role here...

I will list out a few of the things I have further enhanced or developed over the last couple of months:

* Worked on QUQ goals for the Prometheus Community Radio Tour
* Steve and I met with members from Enlace Comunartio, NPO that provides resources for immigrants and battered women, about ways to partner together--work with their youth program and film some of their community events
* Compiled logos for the partner orgs we work with for Colleen to upload to our "partnership" section of the website
* Met with Gwen and Amelia to discuss initial strategies for fundraising....Researched and compiled information on Small Business Association--this would potentially allow QUQ apply for contracts and non-competitive federal funding
* Organized all necessary information for QUQ to host a table/booth at the upcoming Digital Arts Conference held at UNM Continuing Education
* Organized all necessary information/articles/graphics for the e-newsletter to be sent out
* Worked on outlining and creating an instructional guide for others to follow for the construction of the e-newsletter (sustainability)
* Facilitated Enlace members and Vagina Monologues performers to be guests on Allen Cooper's Indy Media program to promote their organization and their upcoming fundraiser event
* Researched and acquired information regarding ways for QUQ to place an insert in the ABQ Water Utility Bill. QUQ secured the 12/2010 slot which can reach over 175,000 customers. Great way to market QUQ and direct people to our website to donate!
* Contacted person at the ABQ Journal about QUQ submitting the application for having a "Brown Paper Bag" spot inside the newspaper. This program is where they highlight a local NPO. Another great marketing tactic and fundraiser strategy. (FREE)
* Mike and I had a progressive phone conference/meeting with Karen Koch about her possibly submitting her films to Encantada TV and for her to possibly become a QUQ board member (use her connections in the Film Industry and fundraising ideas)
* Created a logo advertisment for Bryan Konefsky's upcoming Experimental Cinema FF (ad to be placed in their program) and a logo slide for Friends of Film, Video, and Arts LOL Film Festival--ad will be on-screen.
* Edited and updated the Master Outreach Document with filmmakers I have helped to outreach to and have them submit their films to Encantada TV (Justin Hunt, Tristan Love, Gavin Gistelle). Their films are featured length.
* Edited brochure and printed off 500 copies and folded them for the upcoming outreach events. Put together 3 different folders and brought the IMac, promo DVD and banner--(1.) FoFVA LOL FF--folder had brochures, submission forms, etc, (2) Digital Arts Conference, (3) Fiery Foods Show
* Mar 5-7 wknd--Hosted table/booths at these events and networked amongst the other exhibitors and attendees. At the Fiery Foods Show it was more effective to walk around introducing myself and to talk about QUQ while I was at the same time videotaping the event. I acquired over 15 interviews and taped a lot of behinds the scene footage. Great outreach opportunity amongst the art and food communities in NM and beyond. The Digital Arts conference was more effective for networking with other exhibitors than the students/attendees.
* Worked with Steve on filling out my 6month evaluation survey and to reapply for hosting my VISTA position
* Inserted all the business cards I received over the weekend at the outreach events into Facil
* Researched funding information through the foundation center website--compiled that for Steve
* Captured and edited together Media Literacy Project's Press Conference footage of their Universal Broadband Campaign
* Steve and I met with Tito Chavez--organized a committee to work on a state-wide HS Film Festival. Great opportunity for Encantada TV to become the main distributor for the films and to use this project as evidence to show Comcast Encantada TV should be picked up on comcast channels state-wide & for NM Filmmakers to submit their films for broadcast
* Followed up with Caroline Orcutt from Digital Arts Dept @ UNM about QUQ hosting Community TV Production courses through their program. Expand the student base and better legitimatize our partnership with UNM and our trainings
*Met with members from Enlace Comunartio about partnering with CitizenSchools to help youth/students learn media production so they can start producing their own media!

On that happy note, I hope everyone is doing well & enjoying their positions! I also hope you are learning as much as you are giving to your organization!

Chat soon!

Cheers,
Erica Jones