Digital Democracy

Empowering Marginalized Communities Through Digital Technologies

Photo by: Southport High School student Tha Khun Tial

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Emily Jacobi, ejacobi@digital-democray.org Phone: 347-328-3110 From the Burma Border to Indianapolis A Project Einstein Photo Exhibit Wednesday August 10, 2011 From 10:30 am to 1:30 pm Indianapolis City Market 222 E Market St. #1 Indianapolis, IN 46204 July 25, 2011, Indianapolis, IN On Wednesday, August 10th, as shoppers walk the farmers market at the Indianapolis City Market, they will be able to step out of routine and revisit their city through a new and illuminating lens, while learning more about Indianapolis residents who have come from halfway across the globe. From the Burma Border to Indianapolis is a powerful photography exhibit, showcasing the photographs of North Central High Schools and Southport High Schools refugee students. These students are from the Southeast Asian country of Burma/Myanmar and have ed to refugee camps before being recently resettled in Indianapolis. The images they present illustrate what life is like for refugee youth in their new home and highlight aspects of their tradition.

What past viewers have said about the exhibit:

Love[d] the opportunity to learn more about the Burmese Community in our city. - Erica Denney What a wonderful way to meet the Burmese students and learn of their lives. It was a very emotional and heart-warming event. - Carol Holzman We enjoyed the students, their stories, and their marvelous photographs. Each one has a remarkable storyso glad they are sharing with the community. - Marjorie and Jon Williams From the Burma Border to Indianapolis is the product of a two-year initiative called Project Einstein a program under the umbrella of Digital Democracy, founded by Indianapolis native Emily Jacobi. Project Einstein Indianapolis is a photography and digital pen pal project taking place at North Central High School and Southport High School. The project teams Karen, Karenni, and Chin refugee students with other school classmates. Students document the world around them and share their inspiring stories.

Digital Democracy 109 W 27th St, Suite 6B | New York, NY 10001 USA +1-347-688-DDEM [3336] | info@digital-democracy.org | Twitter @DigiDem | www.digital-democracy.org

Digital Democracy
Empowering Marginalized Communities Through Digital Technologies

More than 5,000 Burmese refugees have been resettled in Indianapolis over the past decade. Before nding a home in Indianapolis, they experienced life under a dictatorship, during civil war, in refugee camps or urban safe houses. Now, as they struggle to adapt to their new life, photography is a powerful tool to help them overcome language barriers, build their self-condence, share their amazing stories, and befriend their new classmates. Likewise, many people in the Indianapolis community arent aware that several thousand refugees from Burma have resettled in Indianapolis, much less do they know about the hopes and dreams of these newcomers. Project Einstein is working to change that. All community members are welcome. Supporters and Partners: From the Burma Border to Indianapolis was made possible through the generous support of the Clowes Fund of Indianapolis, the Washington Township Schools Foundation, the Refugee Resettlement Planning Group, and Mayor Ballards Ofce of International & Cultural Affairs. Digital Democracy (Dd) is a New York-based non-prot empowering marginalized communities to build their own futures around the globe. Founded in 2008 on the idea that technology should be used to help all voices engage in democratic action, Dd has brought its agile and adaptive approach and its expertise in technology and human rights to projects in 21 countries. Dd collaborates with local partnersin repressive regimes like Burma/Myanmar, countries emerging from disaster like Haiti andtransitional states like Iraqtobuild programs developing digital literacy, digital organizing and digital governance that drive systemic change. For more information visitwww.digitaldemocracy.orgor follow Dd on Twitter via@digidem.