This year's Grassroots Use of Technology Conference will feature a presentation by Emerson College Professor Paul Niwa on his work on the BostonChinaTown.org project.

What if the media viewed urban communities in a more holistic way? Instead of presenting a polarized community with one side for and another against this or that issue, what if it was able to capture the nuances and connections between residents, organizers and activists? Would stories be different?

In a now 2-year old experiment, Niwa graphically demonstrates community relationships and connections in a very intuitive way. As the project develops and matures, it is likely to expand to other communities.