VIDEO: #BetaTalk – Meet Code for America, NYC #cfanyc @BetaNYC @codeforamerica @nycbigapps

BetaNYCBetaNYC is the latest incarnation of the ever-evolving NYC Open Government working group formerly known as Open NY Forum, whose original policy concepts have successfully been adopted and launched by Governor Andrew Cuomo. The group is now sponsored by, and incorporated as a local ‘brigade’ of, the Code for America organization (CfA) – a national effort partly funded by the same Kauffman Foundation that supports HackNY. CfA funds a full-time director (Noel Hidalgo) for BetaNYC, which organizes monthly #BetaTalk presentations, weekly #CivicHackNights, and occasional #GovGeek socials. CfA itself presents further opportunities – it has an accelerator program for civic startups, also awards fellowships, and funds worthy local projects. At this meetup there was comprehensive introduction to CfA and its activities, including fellow Ezra Spiers presenting on a NYC Project to improve the city’s Criminal Justice system. CfA volunteer Veronica Ludwig talked about the NYC BigApps challenge, in which #BetaNYC actively participates. Video is below.