In May of 2021, I was working on a side-hustle, pro-bono build of what would become Brownstone Institute.

I had previously migrated and rebuilt the American Institute for Economic Research website as well as building and launching the Great Barrington Declaration website, so my approach to designing and developing had shifted toward a much cleaner and lighter footprint.

Stemming from the blatant censorship industrial complex that was on the rise (fact checkers, take-downs of entire domains and businesses, cancellation of dissident voices, et al.) the decision to move away from anything cloud related was vital. It became very clear that we needed an agile platform that was not mired in bureaucracy or easily intimidated by external forces.

Such an organization also needed experienced hands who know about the challenges of public life in a digital age alongside the many considerations that go into surviving as a voice of dissent in times of grave censorship.

Results and Success

Over time, a site degrades unless there is a consistent maintenance schedule (update plugins, clean databases, upgrade equipment, audit resources and codebase, etc.) As you can see, the difference is staggering when comparing the Brownstone Institute site which is updated daily with a site I built and maintained in the past that has since fallen into a state of atrophy.

Controlled Growth and Future Proofing

I’ve continued to look for opportunities to strengthen Brownstone Institute’s footing among the relentless changes that come with the uncertainty of being online. From eschewing third-party providers and establishing a secure and independent profile to finding new ways for creating engagement when those third party resources betray the trust of a once free internet, the challenges remain daunting.

As of mid-2024, new server hardware has been brought online to supplant aging servers and technology, thereby establishing a secure, backed-up future that allows the public access to vital information that is otherwise throttled by captured industries.

Additionally, I’ve recently moved the group email conversations away from Google and on to an open source platform fully under the control of Brownstone Institute. This was triggered by blatant removal/censorship of a post in a private group due to an “external” report.

Dissidents need a voice now more than ever. The big pharma, big academia, big business, and big government apologists and enforcers will continue to look for ways to silence inquiry and debate.

The founders, Jeffrey Tucker and myself, fellows, researchers, academics, authors, and supporters of Brownstone Institute will continue to push for answers and for accountability.

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In early October of 2020, I was tasked with conceptualizing, designing, building & launching the Great Barrington Declaration site for epidemiologists & public health scientists: Dr. Martin Kulldorff, professor of medicine at Harvard , Dr. Sunetra Gupta, professor at Oxford, & Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, professor at Stanford Medical School.

Within 24 hours of the signing of the declaration, I had the initial site up and running.

My expectation was that a simple form and some live updates of signatories would be more than enough to handle what we thought would be a trickle of signatures. I quickly discovered I would have to make major modifications to the site over the next few days. Those few days turned into weeks as co-signers were added and translations into 44 languages rolled in. To make matters worse, the ever ubiquitous trolls of the internet decided to spam the list. This led to building a more robust system with double opt-in and validation of emails.

Since the launch, the flow of traffic has settled down now that most of society has been released from lockdowns and mandates. The number of signatures currently stands at over 939,000. Anyone can sign it and we encourage all supporters of the concept to do so: general and concerned public, medical professionals, and public health scientists.

It is vital to recognize that major institutions, special interests, and well-funded individuals backed the lockdowns, mandates, and other societal and economic harms. The false narrative that “lockdowns worked” must continue to be exposed for the vast collateral damage it has done.

Visit the Great Barrington Declaration site, read the statement, peruse the frequently asked questions, sign the declaration.

An more in-depth account of my contribution can be read at Brownstone Institute: My Role in the Fight Against Mandates and Lockdowns

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Redesign and Launch

• Improve the customer experience on all devices
• Cut bounce rate
• Raise average pages per session
• Raise session duration
• Boost conversion rates
• Increase revenue generation
• Increase Page Speed scores

Bringing Mobile Home

Results in the first quarter:

• Cut bounce rate by 20%
• Raised Average Pages per Session 20%
• Average Session Duration up 80%
• Sessions via Social Referral up 160%
• Increased the Average Page Speed Score from 30 to 80
• 100% increase in Facebook likes/follows using industry focused target marketing.

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Shyfrog is excited to be a sponsor and supporter of Uplift Music Festival since it’s inception in 2012.

The Uplift teams up with local beneficiaries—from education and community to health and small business—to raise money via music and community connection! Uplift has raised money for school music programs, cancer treatment funds, community education initiatives, and so much more.

About the Uplift Music Festival

Uplift is a community driven festival showcasing The Monadnock Region’s finest musicians, artists, food, and support! Our mission is to “Uplift” our community through a family oriented music and arts event. So we encourage local farmers, artists and businesses to join us and share their talents and products with the community. By doing so, they help raise awareness on the importance of supporting our local economy. Each year we choose one small business or nonprofit organization as the beneficiary to receive all profits earned from the event.

Beneficiaries over the years include: The River Center, South Meadow School, Monadnock Community Hospital, Grapevine, The Cornucopia Project, and Harlow’s Pub! There are so many people and places in this community that make it what it is. We have an amazing array of artist, farmers, tradesmen, and small business owners that need our support. Uplift is a place to gather, enjoy all this community has to offer, and say thank you to everyone involved!

Uplift takes place every summer, in late-July or early-August at Oak Park, 791 Forest Rd., Greenfield NH

For more information. please visit Uplift Music Festival online.

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All through my youth and into adulthood I’ve met many people who were once dedicated to their passions, but lost that balance somewhere along their path. These are hardworking individuals who, for some reason or another, buried their talents, or shifted them to hobbies or past-times. Some of them let go of their passions and think of them only as childish dreams. More often than not, their reminiscing seems tinged with regret.

There are many reasons for this: family, career, responsibilities, duties, sickness, apathy…the list goes on. It gives me pause to reflect on my own choices as I hear some of the reasons why they just don’t have time for what made them excited and motivated in their youth.

There are some who say their fire just went out. Or perhaps they have an ember glowing and it just requires some nurturing to bring it roaring back to life. It can be difficult to sustain the demands and requirements of keeping all those projects alive and healthy.

Recognizing talents

I’ve been a musician far longer than I’ve been involved in any career. Some in the music business tend to call me a “lifer”. And they’re correct. I always knew I’d play music. At some point early on I realized that I could still raise a family and enjoy a comfortable existence by taking on a career, while still making time for the thing that gives me joy: Music! Luckily, I also enjoy my career. I’m grateful that it’s in a creative field and gives me an outlet for my ideas, even taking on the role of muse.

Sometimes it does seem like I’ve bitten off more than I can chew: I’m in 2 bands, mc an open-mic at the local pub, host and livestream a weekly jam with local musicians, and perform regularly. Add to that a perpetual appetite for information and learning, the need to get out and discover new places, and a very bad case of procrastination. I also have 5 children. It’s a fine balance, but it can be overwhelming.

I’d love to leave you with an inspirational list of bullet points and advice for re-igniting your latent or neglected talents, but I’m really not a list-making kind of person. If you are, great! Start making a list. I’ll play it by ear 😉 Spontaneity is what works for me and keeps me exploring new opportunities.

So what are your passions and talents and how are you going to re-dedicate yourself to them and honor them?

Read More about Lucio

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