Native American Family Technology Journey to Help Weave Technology With Traditions (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Native American Family Technology Journey to Help Weave Technology With
Traditions

IBM and Career Communications Group Launch Public Awareness Initiative
October 30th to Assist Native Americans in Closing the Digital Divide
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=74997

ARMONK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE)  -- 10/28/2004 -- Weaving today's computer
technology with Native American traditions is the centerpiece of the
inaugural Native American Family Technology Journey (NAFTJ), a national
public awareness program starting October 30th to encourage native
people to consider the advantages and opportunities made possible by
bringing computer technology into their daily lives.

The first of four NAFTJ events will be a technology workshop hosted by
IBM and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian at the
museum in New York City on October 30th. Native American children will
collaborate on programming a robot and guiding it over an obstacle
course designed to their specifications. At the same time, parents and
other guests will attend a seminar highlighting the educational, career
and other opportunities that can be leveraged by building technological
skills.

A study released by the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, titled "Falling Through
The Net: Defining The Digital Divide," found that Native Americans
"rank far below the national average in their access to telephones,
computers and the Internet... " At 26.8%, access to computers among
rural Native American households lags behind the national average by
more than 15%. Similarly, access to the Internet for Native American
households overall at 18.9% also trails the national average.

Sponsored by IBM and Career Communications Group, NAFTJ coincides with
National American Indian Heritage Month. The Journey includes career
and educational seminars, interactive demonstrations and computer and
Internet workshops that will offer Native Americans residing in urban
centers, rural areas and on tribal lands technology access and
training.

"As the world's largest information technology provider, IBM has the
privilege of employing and doing business with people from virtually
every background," said Bob Moffat, senior vice president, Integrated
Supply Chain, IBM and a NAFTJ national co-chair. "Working with our
employees, business partners and the leadership of American Indian
communities, we've seen the possibilities of how technology can help
preserve languages and traditions and enhance the educational and
career opportunities for native people; and we are committed to doing
everything we can to assist Native American families in participating
more fully in the Digital Age."

NAFTJ will also highlight the role technology is playing in the
preservation of native languages. Native American tribes seeking
federal recognition by the U.S. government must have and still use a
native language. More than 500 native languages exist, most of which
are spoken rather than written. Storytelling is the means by which many
elders pass native languages on to younger generations. IBM has been
working with the Cherokee Nation to develop translation software and
keyboard enablements that could assist tribes in preserving their
languages.

Other Native American Family Technology Journey events include:

November 1st: Students from local middle schools will visit the
University of North Carolina Pembroke to participate in a robotics
experiment and develop technology presentations that they will share
with their parents at a NAFTJ reception later that afternoon. They will
also interact with Native American executives and IBM employee
volunteers to learn about career opportunities in the IT industry.

November 6th: NAFTJ will partner with the nation of the Tohono O'odham
people to host a technology fair at the Tohono O'odham Community
College in Sells, Arizona, providing more than 200 people with computer
training as well as instructions on navigating the Internet and
accessing online information about educational grants and other key
services.

November 18th: The Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, OK, will host a
technology fair for approximately 100 people at Sequoyah High School,
which will include demonstrations of the IBM translation software and
keyboard. Parents will also receive computer instruction, attend
workshops and learn about software that will allow them to access
student grades, activities, upcoming events and other important
information.

To learn more about the Native American Family Technology Journey,
please visit www.nativeamericanfamilynet.net or call (410) 244-7101.

About IBM

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years
of leadership in helping businesses innovate. Drawing on resources from
across IBM and key Business Partners, IBM offers a wide range of
services, solutions and technologies that enable customers, large and
small, to take full advantage of the new era of e-business. For more
information about IBM, visit www.ibm.com.

About CCG

Career Communications Group, Inc. (CCG) is a minority-owned media
services company, headquartered in Baltimore, MD. The company was
founded 20 years ago to promote significant minority achievements in
engineering, science and technology. For more information about CCG,
visit www.ccgmag.com.

CONTACT:
Karina Diehl Duart
IBM
305-969-7318
kdiehld at us.ibm.com

Cecilia Santana
Circulation Expertí, Ltd.
914-948-8144
cecilias at experti.com


SOURCE:  IBM