I frequently am asked, or overhear someone asking, “What exactly is the Kingston Digital Corridor?”

It usually comes up, at least once, from someone attending a KDC Happier Hour. I’ve also noted the answer differs, depending on who was asked.

Niche.

I’m a latecomer to the Kingston Digital Corridor so what I perceive as the purpose of the KDC may not cohere with the concept at its creation. I had heard of its first events but regretfully missed them. But it appealed to me. Spending more of my day in front of a computer with virtual teams instead of in an office with live humans made the group particularly appealing. Connection with like-minded individuals with real versions of virtual people!

I can’t speak to its origins, nor can I speak for what it means to you, but I can tell you what it means to me. It’s a place where I have an opportunity to make face-to-face contact with an eclectic bunch of creatives and burgeoning digerati in our beautiful Hudson Valley community. It’s a pleasure to meet every single one of you, hear about the connections you’ve made because of KDC introductions, and absorb some of the energy thriving in our area.

Neighborhood.

Some would pose the Internet brought us further apart. From my perspective, I think it’s helped pull back some of our sprawl into smaller, more closely knit communities. Social media can help drive our community closer together. Modes like Twitter make it easy to call over the fence, to distribute and communicate news digitally, and to connect with other locals who have similar interests. But it shouldn’t end there.

Let us be an offline hub – all are welcome. Expand connections, increasingly born digitally, off of the grid, and help make our community a more connected place to be.

What can we do together? How can we help you? What do you think the Kingston Digital Corridor should be, or already is?