Ghost of Midnight

Talking “Good Web” with Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure at UMass Amherst

“How did Vermont’s favorite civic social network turn into a climate disaster response network overnight? Michael Wood-Lewis Tells Us About His Local Good Web”

Producer Mike Sugarman joined Michael Wood-Lewis in the Front Porch Forum office in Burlington to provide an “inside look at how Vermont’s favorite civic social network runs.”

The episode mentions the Seven Days article “Talk of the Towns: Neighbors Seek Plumbers, Lost Pets and Community on Front Porch Forum” as well as forthcoming research from two-time Reimagining guest Talia Stroud for New_ Public.

Michael talks about why Front Porch Forum works in Vermont (as opposed to, say, a suburb of Phoenix), what it means to be a Vermont Public Benefit Corporation, and helping communities to build resilience. “Front Porch Forum is in the business of … increasing social capital among neighbors, increasing the vibrancy of the local Main Street businesses, increasing the vitality of the local nonprofit sector, increasing, improving involvement with local democracy.”

Listen to the full (and rather inspiring) conversation with Mike and Michael here.