@baratunde.com, host of the How To Citizen podcast, explains what makes our new app Roundabout different:
“It's really about finding your neighbors and doing stuff together instead of performing for followers you'll never meet. And it's pretty important that the business model is non-extractive.”
Willamette
cool to see other technologists getting excited about what we’re building at @newpublic.org !
Reminder: we’re still collecting responses to our annual survey for folks who read our newsletter or follow us on social media.
What feels worth paying attention to? What do you want to know more about? Where should we be directing our focus?
Hint: Don’t comment here, answer the survey :)
"ROUNDABOUT RICHMOND" page showing left sidebar with Home, Feed, Guides, and Calendar navigation, plus "New Post" button. Main content area displays a row of six circular icons with labels underneath: "Info & Updates" (purple with chat bubble icon), "Help & Recs" (yellow/gold with person at desk icon), "People & Lore" (pink with profile in frame icon), "Saving Money" (peach/orange with money/wallet icon), "New To Town" (dark green with waving hand icon), and "Local Biz" (light purple with storefront icon). Below the row of six circular icons with labels is a "Welcome to Roundabout Richmond!" heading with "Edit Note" option. Welcome text explains: "Roundabout Richmond is designed to help you connect with your neighbors, share local information, and build real relationships in your community. You're joining during the beta phase, so there will be rolling improvements over the next few weeks. Thank you so much for joining us! We hope to shape this space together to be what our community needs." Signed by "- Liza & Sam, Richmond Roundabout stewards" with "Liza P" shown with "Steward" badge below.
With Roundabout, our new local community app, we’re reimagining a lot of familiar surfaces and features of “social media.”
Here’s how Roundabout is different:
Let’s dive in! 🧵
"It's time make technology that connects us where our feet are" says Katie-beth, one of six community stewards that the Roundabout team and I are working with as we build new tech for communities, with communities!
“WE MAKE, THEY TAKE”
From @moreperfectunion.bsky.social — 50 billboards across 8 states are driving home the message that working Americans (teachers, nurses, etc) keep 🇺🇸 running, but billionaires keep taking more & more.
Share if you agree.
More: perfectunion.us/wemaketheyta...
Good to know!
OMG - I was just thinking about that book while I stockpile candles and tablets to write on and was trying to remember the name of it. Thanks!
new insane tech job listing just dropped
"As they try to understand why they’re losing the support of the multiracial working class—and formulate a plan to win such voters back—Democrats might start by focusing on what they can do to connect with and help the self-employed."
washingtonmonthly.com/2025/01/05/c...
I would like that too
"How is it possible that a swim club 800 miles away manages to be more compelling than a group meeting half a mile from my door? Or a venture-funded peer group appears to have more clout than [AA] that’s existed for 89 years?" Thought provoking, and super fun writing! H/T @newpublic.substack.com
