By Ivan Pereira
“The cultural and business community has embraced new technology, but it's not always easy,” she said.Emerson unveiled a special Website last Thursday that not only gives artists who are part of the community organization a chance to show their work but also promote it to other businesses that would be interested in promoting it. CCJ's new homepage, which is located at the URL www.go2ccj.org, features numerous tools for artists, such as a calendar listing and a special toolbar for Web browsers used for searching events.The features, according to Emerson, would help up-and-coming artists because it allows them to work with other neighborhood artists without losing their identity.”A lot of time in southeast Queens people plan different events on the same day and it can be hard to have a show or presentation,” she said.During the gala unveiling event at its headquarters on 161st Street in Jamaica, CCJ allowed both artists and businesses to check out the Web site and become a member so they can have full access to the network. Virginia Brown, who is the founder of Concerned Parents of Children with Special Needs Inc., a non-profit group, said she was impressed with the homepage's features.”This would help because it would let [the artists], especially the kids, do something constructive,” she said.The site will be getting more upgrades in the future, according to Emerson. The organization plans to put up more video features of taped events and is also working with Samuel Lee, who runs Encounters and Black Traditions, a Web based digital video service, to introduce live streaming of events.”There is definitely a digital divide among the community,” Lee said. “Cultural Collaborative of Jamaica gives us the ability to help each other.”Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
