Overview

Project Name: Extending Underrepresented Realities - The CCIJ in Web3
Team Members:

• Jeff Kelly Lowenstein: Founder and Executive Director
• Nelly Kalu: Project Manager
• Yuxi Wang: Data Scientist
• Sotiris Sideris: Data Editor
• Nic Bothma: Visual Editor
• Jillian Dudziak: Design & Strategy Director
• Fola Folayan: Digital Marketing Manager
• Serena Stelitano: Metaverse Designer & Builder

Description

"Extending Underrepresented Realities" seeks to expand the reach of untold stories from underrepresented communities using Web3 and decentralized technologies. Since 2021, the Center for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ) has pioneered immersive, data-driven investigative journalism. Now, we aim to take this further by developing XR, AR, and VR tools that allow audiences to engage with investigative journalism in powerful new ways.

By utilizing decentralized platforms like the Arbitrum One network, this project offers immersive storytelling, dynamic NFTs, and innovative participation models that bring community-curated journalism to a global audience.

Our goal is to:

1. Build decentralized, tokenized investigative journalism platforms.
2. Foster active community involvement through Quadratic Funding and dynamic NFTs.
3. Ensure accessibility and social impact, particularly in regions like Africa, where media access and political freedom are often constrained.

Problem We Are Solving

Traditional journalism often leaves behind communities whose stories need more attention. Even when stories are told, they may lack the depth, richness, or nuance necessary for audiences to truly understand the gravity of the issues. Moreover, the centralized nature of most media organizations inhibits decentralized participation.

With Web3 and XR technologies, we can:

• Enable community ownership over the narratives through NFTs.
• Ensure authentic storytelling by rewarding community members for contributing.
• Create dynamic, data-driven visuals that adapt to ongoing investigations.

Key Features and Innovations

• XR-Enabled Storytelling: As part of this project’s future development, we will build immersive XR experiences around critical stories like Democracy Deferred, which will cover major electoral events, starting with Nigeria’s 2023 elections. These experiences will be accessible through VR headsets, desktop, and mobile phones.
• Community-Curated NFTs: Using ERC-7160 standard on Arbitrum, we will mint dynamic NFTs that evolve over time based on community voting and engagement.
• AR Data Visualizations: We plan to integrate AR-powered data visualizations as a future development to transform investigative data into interactive visuals. For example, in our upcoming Beyond the Facade project, AR will allow users to visualize the effects of Nigerian election cancellations using face-triggered interactions.

• Accessibility Focus: Our content spans multiple platforms, ensuring participation by users with low-end devices.

Why Quadratic Funding?

Quadratic Funding ensures that small contributors have an outsized impact, fostering community-driven support for projects that deliver social good. With CCIJ's focus on underrepresented voices and decentralization, Quadratic Funding aligns perfectly with our mission to democratize access to investigative journalism and technology.

We aim to leverage the 300,000 USDC matching pool to:

1. Fund the development and minting of dynamic NFTs that evolve with ongoing investigations.
2. Build the AR/XR tools that will enhance audience interaction with our stories.
3. Facilitate community workshops, empowering people to vote on and curate the images and data visualizations that tell their stories.

Roadmap and Use of Funds

Phase 1: Development (November 2024 - February 2025)

• Mint VEZA Tokens as dynamic NFTs on Arbitrum.
• Begin building the AR/XR experiences for future storytelling projects, including Democracy Deferred.
• Conduct community voting and curation workshops.

Phase 2: Expansion (March 2025 - May 2025)

• Launch public-facing tools for AR-based data visualization (starting with Nigeria and expanding to other regions).
• Expand the XR newsroom to engage more investigative journalists and data scientists.

Phase 3: Outreach and Impact (June 2025 onwards)

• Engage a global audience, particularly from Africa, with mobile-accessible experiences.
• Promote decentralized journalism through partnerships, conferences, and social media.

Links and Media

• Democracy Deferred VR
• The CCIJ in Web3

Conclusion

By supporting Extending Underrepresented Realities, you're contributing to the future of decentralized journalism, making it possible for untold stories from around the world to reach new audiences. With your help, we will create a community-owned media ecosystem that is as diverse and dynamic as the world we live in.

Together, let's empower communities through decentralization and Web3.

Contact Us

Website: The Center for Collaborative Investigative Journalism