The Web, it is a-changin’ to a Web 3.0 where you’ll see “ubiquitous connectivity,…open technologies,…and an intelligent web.” Nova Spivak
I’m wondering how this will change the way we work to make the world a better place.
We’re not there yet. Still, I’m astounded at how much things have changed in the recent past, and how much I’m changing with it.
Changing Face of Activism
Two years ago, I created a PowerPoint presentation for Junior Girl Scouts on Blogs, Podcasts, and Cybersafety. In researching this topic, I discovered opportunities for changing the world through Web 2.0 Activism that I had never imagined in all my training as an advocate.
When I studied Human Rights Advocacy at Columbia University in the mid 90’s, Email was still a relatively new thing, and online social media was limited to whoever was on Netscape or AOL. Ancient history, I know. Ten years in the Internet Timeline is equivalent to an epoch in the time periods of human history.
Web 2.0 Activism
Now, every cause has an online presence. Last Spring, Sarah Perez wrote the advocacy must-read article, How to Use Social Media for Social Change that includes another valuable resource, a Non-Profits Web Tool Kit.
Clearly, non-profits have received the message to get online. It’s rare to find any charitable organization that doesn’t have a website, and it’s own Action Tool Kit, although many have yet to fully utilize all the opportunities that the web and social media affords.
Even kids are learning how to leverage the power of the web to change the world. Whether they’re attending Social Action Boot Camp or organizing The World’s Biggest Pajama Party to collect new books and pajamas for kids who have neither, youth activists are taking action.
Blog Action Day 2007 on Environment
As I said before, I’m a-changin’ with the web. Last year, I was a blogging newbie when our first Blog Action Day came around, but my family quickly rallied around this call to action to produce: Living By Learning About Blog Action Day; Blog Action Day Pollution Story; and Help Save Penguins.
It wasn’t elegant, but it was exciting to use these new (to us) online tools to spread an important message about the environment.
Blog Action Day 2008 on Poverty
This year, as experienced bloggers, we’re starting to plan for this year’s Blog Action Day 2008 on Poverty before the global outreach on October 15. My kids and I are brainstorming topic ideas, and crafting our message. (Or, at least, we’re thinking about brainstorming and crafting!)
I’m asking everyone who blogs, and some – like a few of my Girl Scouts, who have only thought about blogging, to join us in using this amazing medium, Web 2.0 Platinum, to focus on positive change.
Learn about Blog Action Day from Remarkable Parents, or just go directly to the Blog Action Day site. You can sign up to spread the message on your blog, or just use the Web Resource list to discover other ways to fight poverty.
Share the Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty Video, post a Blog Action Day Banner, tell a friend, or your town. Be an activist for a day, or more, and let’s see if “ubiquitous connectivity” can help us fight poverty in our world.
More On Living By Learning Articles On Poverty:
Make Ends Meet – Mission Possible Project
Want more from On Living By Learning?
Follow me On Twitter.
Sign up to receive free articles from On Living By Learning by Email. (Click this link. Fill out the form. Don’t forget to click on your verification Email. Look for this in your mailbox.) You can also click here to receive updates on a RSS Feed Reader.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Good post. I participated in Blog Action Day by writing different posts on both of my blogs. It was my first time, and I felt pretty good about it. Then I went around reading many other blogs writing about the same topic, and most of them touched me. And, overall, I think that’s what global advocacy and Web 2.0 has brought us.
Hi Sandra, I read your quote over on ReadWriteWeb about how you were looking for a “better learning/connecting hub” and a “command center where it’s easy to share all kinds of digital media”, and followed the links here to your blog! I couldn’t agree more with your statement and in fact have made it my full time mission to make this dream a reality. A year ago I co-founded a live online community called Chatroll. It’s essentially a community of “home bases” for all kinds of interest groups, and revolves around chat as the core. I’d be glad to welcome you there if you want to have a look! What you are imagining for the future may be closer than you think… You can usually find me in the Chatroll Blog if you’d like to chat more. I’d love to hear your thoughts! Cheers, Jonathan
Thanks for the suggestion, but no, what I want is MORE, More, More. I’m envisioning a browser that fully integrates all the applications that I like, with a picture in a picture display, and perhaps extending monitors that open like bat wings on either side & above the main monitor. Also, the ability to do more with the keyboard.
Okay, enough dreaming for now.