Before we begin, I must disclose the truth: I am a co-organizer of CenPhoCamp. Yes, I’m biased. But you should be, too. This is presented by your neighbors, for you and your neighbors. Make no mistake, Arizona’s economic situation is very glum. Learning how to support your neighborhood, spend your money locally and create a cohesive community is absolutely critical to dig ourselves out of this mess.

A lot of people have asked me, “What is CenPhoCamp?” Simply put, CenPhoCamp is a volunteer-run workshop that teaches small businesses and neighborhood leaders how to use all of their resources to their utmost advantage. Everyone could use a little help; we’re just trying to spread it around in a cohesive manner.

The event is comprised of 12 35-minute sessions. The camp designation signifies an “unconference” that encourages audience participation, leaving one session for another and break-out conversations based on material learned. Presenters should be thought of as conversation moderators, as they usually get as much out of the interaction as attendees do.

The camp has a rather impressive lineup this time around — there truly is something for everyone. Take a peek below, and see the event website for detailed bios of each presenter:

1 p.m.
Keynote by organizers Tyler Hurst and Si Robins

1:20 p.m.
“Social Media isn’t Just for the Young” — Kathy Jacobs (Room 256 — Outreach)
“CRM for Me!” — RedPear (Room 252 — Community)
“New Media Discussion” — Bill Wyman and Brahm Resnik (Room 202 — Journalism)

2:10 p.m.
“Create, Communicate and Connect” — Jose Gonzalez and Bill Binder (Room 252 — Community)
“Curation in the Modern News Cycle” — Bill Wyman (Room 202 — Journalism)
“Customer Loyalty 2.0, the New Small Business Branding” — Kevin Spidel (Room 256 — Outreach)

3 p.m.
“Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Yelp?” — Chad Swaney (Room 256 — Outreach)
“Universities 101 — What You Need to Know” — Gary Campbell (Room 252 — Community)
“How Hyperlocal Works” — Catrina Knoebl (Room 202 — Journalism)

3:50 p.m.
“You’re Not Mill Ave. Embrace It — How to Get 20somethings in the Door” — Jonathan Kressaty (Room 256 — Outreach)
“The Business of Local News: How We Decide What’s a Headline and How Digital Media is Changing Everything” — Kirk Yuhnke  (Room 202 — Journalism)
“Green Tips for Small Businesses” — Drew Manusharow (Room 252 — Community)

If You Go: CenPhoCamp

Saturday, October 9, 1 to 4:30 p.m.
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU Downtown campus — 555 N. Central Ave., second floor (light rail at Central Station, payed parking available at the lot on Central & Fillmore)
Registration (free) is required. Please bring a small snack or drink to share with the group.
After party follows for all attendees at the District American Kitchen and Wine Bar — 320 N. 3rd St. (inside the Sheraton Hotel)
Follow @CenPhoCamp on Twitter