Announcing the TownHallPass Initiative:
The FREE Netflix of Community Justice
The Metro Human Relations Commission, Center for Nonprofit Management, Code for Nashville, Open TN, and The Equity Alliance are proud to announce the TownHallPass initiative. These organizations have been working for months to build a framework for cementing the ground gained during the pandemic in making discussions of equity, justice, and inclusion more accessible and building on that foundation.
We would like input from nonprofits, community groups, potential partners/supporters, and constituents active in equity/justice initiatives about what they think of the proposed TownHallPass platform and program.
Please provide your input via this form.
The initial aim is to build a pilot platform and program for Davidson County with the ultimate goal being to incorporate communities across the state. Funding for the pilot was provided through Humanities TN’s SHARP Grant program.
Overview
The mission of TownHallPass is to support, capture, and make accessible discussions that take place throughout Nashville and Davidson County related to equity, justice, and inclusion. The TownHallPass platform will be a website serving as a hub for community members to find information about, and participate in, discussions hosted by local community groups and nonprofit organizations. The TownHallPass program will be a set of resources that nonprofits and community groups can utilize to create impactful virtual and hybrid discussions.
Background
The pandemic has revealed a truth that many in the nonprofit and community development sectors have long known: there is a vast spectrum of important discussions about equity, justice, and inclusion frequently taking place in Nashville. Many of these talks migrated online in response to the pandemic, which increased participation amongst those who may not be able to access in-person events. This increased participation also led to the public having a better understanding of the size and scope of these discussions.
While this created better accessibility for some, finding information about when and where these conversations are happening can be a moving target. There currently isn’t a central place to find this information or how to access the recordings (if they exist). Moreover, as we move back into in-person events, we may lose the convenience and accessibility we gained from having these talks online – whether streamed live or recorded.
In an effort to address these issues, the TownHallPass concept has been developed to ensure these discussions (virtual, in-person, or both) are easy to find and access while supplying organizations and community groups with the expertise and infrastructure they may need to develop impactful digital content, whether the discussions are hybrid or streaming only.
Features
Platform:
- Free access to content for all as well as free channels for approved nonprofits & community groups
- Central calendar that lists upcoming/past discussions or events with links and the ability to download calendar information
- Community organizations can create channels on the platform and post their content
- Filtering and grouping of content by topics and tags
- Searchable archive of all videos and podcast content posted by community channels
- Embedded live streaming platform compatibility
- Attaching documents and links to content for educational and community engagement
- Detailed information pages for community channels
- Social media integration
- Constituents can subscribe to channel activities
Program:
- Moderator Training and Bureau: Provides community organizations with trained moderators to host impactful, constructive discussions
- Technical Support Training and Bureau: Provides community organizations with trained individuals who can manage the technology and technical needs of a hybrid discussion
- Streaming Kits: Portable kits with the necessary technology for streaming hybrid discussions that can be checked out by community organizations
- Assistance Finding Space for Filmed/Streamed Discussions