Portable Network Kits Bring Atlanta, GA Community Together for Emergency Communication Planning

CTNY had a wonderful workshop experience in Atlanta, GA this past July 9-11. Co-hosted by c0deswitch and TreehouseNet, our team introduced residents and local leaders to the benefits of the new PNKV4 server, as well as the use of Long-Range Radio (LoRa) technology for emergency planning. For both organizations, this was a follow-up to workshops in Brooklyn from 2024-25, where they originally trained and built their own Portable Network Kits (PNK) to serve as the backbone of their organizing projects. On the first day, both organizations met in an intimate setting to learn about the PNKv4 and build LoRas that allow for offline communication. On the second day, we were joined by a larger community at Project South—an anchor organization long dedicated to justice campaigns—to get hands-on with the tech. Participants added resource maps to their servers, learned to communicate offline via Cinny and LoRa, and developed “parallel infrastructure” strategies to increase city-wide resilience. We loved seeing established leaders take the reins of this technology to better prepare for the inevitable. We are grateful for the trust they have in the learning process and look forward to hear about the progress of their efforts soon.

To learn more about c0deswitch and TreeHouseNet, visit www.communitytechlab.org.

CTNY Learning Library Kicks Off on Governors Island, NYC

With the demand for Portable Network Kits (PNK) at an all-time high, and with funding at an all-time low for many grassroots organizations, CTNY has taken this summer to pilot our very own Lending Library, where organizations in need are encouraged to borrow a PNK for a limited time. Our Lending Library kicks off this summer in collaboration with artist Martin Rodriguez, Summer Fellow at the Institute for Public Architecture’s (IPA), whose project LAN/PILES - A HOT MESH proposes to use the PNK as part of a compost-driven energy source that powers low-tech devices and creates a local network shaped by both biological and digital activity. On Saturday, August 8, Martin and IPA will be hosting a series of community engagements aligned with their design-driven initiatives that address social, physical, and environmental inequities in New York City. For more information on how you can join them check out this link. Also, to learn more about Martin Rodriguez, click here. 

For organizations with an interest in our Lending Library, feel free to email us at info@communitytechny.org for more information

CTNY Featured on WFUV.org's "Strike a Chord"!

Support CTNY’s Co-Director Monique Tate speaking about our work in a recent feature on WFUV.org’s "Strike a Chord" segment. CTNY is acknowledged as one of a handful of NYC-based organizations that are “bringing awareness to local issues, and connecting volunteers with opportunities to make a difference.” Listen to Monique’s interview here. We thank Alexandra Pfau and the amazing folks at WFUV.org for giving us a forum to promote our community tech model alongside other amazing groups doing work on the forefront of digital work in NYC.