Examples of Activism Using Technology

Create Outrageous Video
PETA created the "State of the Union Undressed" campaign featuring a young woman stripping naked to defend animal rights.

Use the power of photos
HollaBack is committed to the community blog project launched in September 2005 to end street harassment. Street harassment is a serious and multi-faceted social problem.

Create an online petition
The goal of boycott-AF.com is collecting signatures is to show Abercrombie & Fitch, along with other companies and America, the collective power of the Asian American community along with those that support its cause.

Create a video discussing your issue. Make it personal.
Watch a video clip of Marjora Carter at TED - an amazing woman working to create a better environment. This clip is a video of a speaking event but you can create your own to place on YouTube.

YouTube Examples:

1. WANAL created their own media outlet to highlight their issues.

2. UCSC Practical Activism uses a popular track from Rap Artist Tupac Shakur to gain attention.

3. Time to Protect: DarfurFast - Get your friends and create an amzing video!

Raising Consciousness 101

1. Identify an issue
Decide what you want to accomplish. Create a plan with a set of goals you hope to accomplish. Be practical. You may not be able to cure cancer but you can help raise money and make others more aware. Be careful not to set goals that are too hefty and hard to attain - you will only get frustrated.

2. Be different
Everyone has a website, has sent a press release, or has create a "write to congress" campaign. Stand out from the crowd! Do something different using technology in a new way. Need help? Contact Me!

3. Make actions local
People are more willing to take action for issues surrounding things that relate to their own lives and communities. Again, be practical start with small goals and work your way up. If everyone made it a top priority to accomplish a small goal, communities would start to thrive.

4. Network with other like-minded people - Zaadz, Change.org, Meetup and of course BlogHer!

Check out a list of the top social networking sites.

5. Add your blog to sites where others interested in taking action visit.
Example: Social Change Websites

6. Use blog tools such as Technorati, Stumble Upon, and Digg to monitor your issues and read what others are writing about your campaign.

7. Add widgets to your site to help larger organizations.

8. Ask your friends to post your alert on their sites
Like business, word of mouth (in this case blog) - a personal referral is always better. Your friends are eager to help you out and it gives them some new interesting content. Talk to other bloggers and share links.

9. Content is still important
Research and share interesting facts about your issue. Create fact sheets and easy to read reports people can easily reference in their blog. Make PDF documents so others can print and distribute.

10. Online Publications are always looking for content.
Send them a link to your latest news and invite them to any events for media coverage. Check out Ms. Magazine, AlterNet, or Mother Jones. And don't forget your local papers!