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Keep Thinking Big Topeka

jcheray | Apr 01, 2010 | 0 comments

With the deadline passed for communities across the country to get their nominations in for the Google Fiber Initiative one thing that has been determined by Think Big Topeka is that we are not done just because the deadline has come and gone. Not only is the group Think Big Topeka not done but neither is Topeka and Shawnee county. One overwhelming idea at the March 31st meeting was that we should keep acting as “when” not “if” Google comes for a site visit. There needs to be frequent reinforcement of our efforts to bring Google to the heartland of America.

We also need to be proactive in sprucing up our home town and making it look welcome and inviting. One thing that I found on my travels over spring break is that many states bigger cities have state specific themed infrastructure. This is something I think would be a benefit not only in the short term in welcoming Google into our home but the long term as well to instill a sense of positive moral within the community. Even Lawrence has theme specific infrastructure in select areas of town. Yes I know your thinking “this blog is supposed to be about Web 2.0 so why is she talking about infrastructure and all that?”

Simple, Topeka is my home. This city has felt like home since I moved here at the age of 16. I have witnessed many changes in the last 22 years that I have been here and when I have moved away I have always experienced this acute sense of homesickness and couldn’t wait to get back here. So when an opportunity to move in with an ex boyfriend who lived here at the time presented itself I came back and decided this is the place I want to be. One thing that has remained constant with some folks I have talked to since getting involved in this movement is that there is something that pulls people back. I think we need to be proud of our heartland roots. We shouldn’t be afraid to say yes we have wheat,cows,sunflowers,wind and everything else that is all part and parcel of living not only in Kansas in general but what comes with living in the state capital.

Think Big Topeka is inspiring people to think about what is great and good about our city instead of focusing on what is wrong with it. Alissa Sheley brought up a good point that up until this happened folks didn’t know how many things there were to do in this town. Personally from my perspective I didn’t either. I didn’t know there is going to be a Gardening 101 for Kids on May 10th until John Ary posted an event about it on Facebook just this week. I also didn’t know that you could get a printable map of the participating art galleries and stores that participate in First Friday’s Art Walk online until I asked someone about it. Now I have the map printed off. Who knew we had awesome folks who were amazing networking professionals? I was amazed at the depth of knowledge and intelligence in our community. This all didn’t really hit me until the night at the Google Roadrunner game how the power of online and offline networking brought an entire community together for one very important and major cause.

I want to take a moment to also point out that my generation will be the generation replacing the baby boomers in the workplace. Generation X is what we were and still are called. We have an awesome opportunity to see technology and the way we use it change not once but twice in our time. I say this because when we were born there were many emerging technologies that were rapidly changing but the two most vivid in my mind was computing and the way we listened to and bought music. Now in the 21st century Generation X in the heartland of America stands to be pioneers in the testbed of fiber optic technology.

So Let’s Do This Topeka Ks let’s show this country what we are made of. Let us show them that we are proud of who we are and what we are accomplishing.

“It ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings” Will Smith ID4