ABOUT
US, FOR US
Graduates of the Urban FIRE program
in Oakland, California
created Urban
Launch eNewsletter.
The Urban FIRE program is a series of classes
conceived and taught by Boku Kodama.
It is part of the Oakland
Entrepreneurship Institute sponsored
through the Oakland Adult and Career Education program.
It was founded and directed by Urban VOICE, a
social justice organization using education and digital
media to assist low-income urban citizens to gain
advantages through information that results in
self-initiated activism.
The brand of entrepreneurship taught in Urban FIRE is
a matter of civil rights and economic justice. Urban FIRE is an acronym for “Financial Independence,
Responsible Entrepreneurship”.
Every individual has the right to learn the
practical methods of building a successful business as a
means of self-determination and independent living.
The Urban FIRE training requires students to leave
their comfort zone, take an active part in their learning
and then to launch their business – no and, ifs or buts.
The program also teaches social responsibility and
economic justice. It’s a training program that has concrete personal,
financial and social results.
For Urban FIRE enrollment information, go to the
website for Oakland
Adult and Career Education.
Some students, after completing Urban FIRE II and
launching their own businesses, wanted to continue their
association beyond the classroom.
Thus, the Urban
Launch eNewsletter was born.
They and others contribute articles to the
e-newsletter in the topic areas and departments.
Some will have regular columns.
Graduates of the Urban FIRE program seek to create a
community identity through the Urban
Launch eNewsletter.
Urban Launch
eNewsletter will evolve as this group identity
evolves.
We will support each other’s business through
rituals and practices, such as:
1.
We
each buy an item, attend events or programs hosted by a
member, and use a service of each member at least once a
year. Whatever services we support, we are to pay cash money or
work out a barter arrangement.
2.
Each
of us will perform a service for the group. For example, bring food or refreshments for our Monthly
Mingles, set up and/or host one of the meetings, or set up
opportunities to showcase our businesses to the public.
3.
In
the future, we might sell small advertisements in our
e-newsletter. (Urban
Launch is currently not accepting
advertisements. However,
Urban Launch members may place coupons for their business, free of
charge.) The
money from these future ads could be used to sponsor
events or other activities.
One possibility would be to create a directory and
then to market it to promote our businesses.
This
website allows subscriptions, gives additional information
and holds and makes available an archive of
past articles published in the Urban
Launch eNewsletter.
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About
Membership
The
Urban Launch eNewsletter is free to any subscriber; however,
membership offers additional benefits.
Membership is also free, but is available only to
qualified subscribers.
Qualifications
for membership in Urban Launch:
1.
Prospective
members must be current or former Urban FIRE program
students.
They must have passed the Urban FIRE I class.
2.
Prospective
members must commit to involvement in group activities,
such as the following:
·
Write
an article or otherwise contribute to the eNewsletter,
·
Host
or otherwise contribute to a Monthly Mingle, and/or
·
Do
some other creative activity beneficial to the group.
Benefits
include:
1.
Free
eNewsletter,
2.
Placing
coupons in the eNewsletter
for free,
3.
Social
network and support with other members,
4.
Exposure
of your business in the eNewsletter
and on our website.
To
become a member, fill out the Sign-Up
form completely.
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About
the Membership
Roster
Any
member who has launched their business may post it on the
Membership Roster. However, members
are not required
to do so.
To
view Membership Roster, Click
Here
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