Hi All,

I am a crossover person -- crossing over from a career in social science into an info-tech political blogger or freedom writer.

That is I recognise the need to reason and write, but also to inform, educate, and motivate.

This means I will not back down from the challenges of the Information Revolution. I will try to cross boundaries of intellect into action.

In my case, it must be action to help communities create access to and use of the Internet and computers. That means writing specialist features that help the information-poor to express themselves and their ideas and ideals in cyberspace.

I used to feel isolated and weary but I know now that persons like ourselves on this course are part of a global social movement for change and freedom of expression. "Yes, We Can!"

In this context, each of us must make a subject choice but also write for your audience, communities and readers. This is an obvious fact of media communication anywhere and everywhere in the worlds nations and regions. My choice is Africana: that is the peoples of sub-Saharan Africa and the diaspora in Europe, the Caribbean, and North and South America.

Taking this course and and sharing diverse experiences will I hope make me a more effective professional blogger/social technology cyber-writer.

Thom Blair -- digitaldiaspora