“I have so many tabs open”


This is the sentence I find myself uttering regularly as our team and clients work to adapt to the ever-changing realities of this autumn.

We are excited to have so many meaningful projects, described below, But we are also working to pace ourselves and remember we’re still living in extraordinarily volatile times.

We hope that, like us, you are taking some time out to celebrate, to ponder the future, to rethink your vision, and to close a few tabs that no longer serve you.

-Jessica Clark

Office workspace photo of person with long black hair and glasses pointing to a wall of post-it notes with 4 people around a table listening and on their computers
Designing a new grant program to spur internet innovation

Dot Connector Studio has been working with the Internet Society Foundation to launch the BOLT Grant Program. This new funding initiative aims to “advance Internet development, improve Internet access and connectivity around the world, [and] promote responsible innovation.”  Applications are currently open through October 29, 2021.

How creative ownership structures can help local news publishers stay local

Mark Glaser writes about how news publishers can leverage creative ownership structures to stave off buyouts. From journalist-owned LLCs such as Racket in Minneapolis to public benefit corporations such as the Colorado Sun, these new models help keep news outlets local and sustainable. Glaser looks at these community-minded ownership structures and how they work for the places they serve.

Keynote: Inclusive and Accessible Science Communication

In September, the International Science Council held an interactive session to discuss best practices in accessible science communication. Dot Connector’s Jessica Clark  presented on “Designing inclusive science communication experiences.”

Watch her presentation here, and download the slides here. See other speakers in the session here.

How we helped Agora Journalism Center rethink its vision

In 2020, Dot Connector Studio’s Jessica Clark and Mark Glaser collaborated with Sarah Lutman’s 8 Bridges Workshop to lead the Agora Journalism Center through a strategic rethink. Agora just launched a new website that showcases the center’s fresh vision:

“Vibrant local information ecosystems are critical to civic health—defined as the ability of diverse communities to engage and work together to address shared problems. Community-centered journalism can provide quality, trusted information and improve understanding across community differences.”

Check out the website here. (Illustration by Latoya Lovely)

Clark selected for NEW INC’s annual class

NEW INC, the New Museum’s cultural incubator, selected Dot Connector Studio’s Jessica Clark as a member of its 8th annual class for 2021–2022. Working at the intersection of design, art, tech, and entrepreneurship, the 38 members will participate in this year-long program, which includes mentorship, community events, and business education curriculum.

Helping Kiplinger design a new digital experience

Dot Connector Studio worked with The Kiplinger Letter to imagine ways to translate the longtime print newsletter product into a digital experience. Activities included:

  • A SWOT exercise to understand the marketplace and opportunities.
  • Brainstorming session with the staff using our Impact Pack deck to discuss possible format, income streams, and outcomes.

Read more here. 

Illustration: Ariel Aberg-Riger/Bloomberg CityLab
See what we’re reading each week with #DCS_Reads

We’re excited to start sharing what we’ve been reading to stay abreast of trends in art, tech, philanthropy and more.

Follow along each week with the #DCS_Reads tag on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and feel free to use the same tag to share articles you think we’d enjoy. Here’s a sample:

  • Ariela Bergriger gives visual examples of mutual aid’s rich history with communities from 1790 to today.
  • With interest in journalism plummeting, the question is no longer can we salvage it but how do we reshape it? Kevin Lerner reviews new books in journalism studies from Nikki Usher and Martha Minow. 
  • The future is neither dystopian nor utopian. We need to rethink how we build the future, and Monika Bielskyte’s Protopia Futures piece is an essential read.
  • The Passion Economy is redefining the future of work. Li Jin discusses what it is and why it’s so important. 
  • Does the Local Journalism Sustainability Act help BIPOC news media? Tracie Powell covers the impacts on local Black and Latino news outlets.

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