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Using Technology for Social Change: Online Forum
by Susan Tenby, Techsoup.org This morning on NPR I heard a an essayist tell the world her perspective on coffee and politics. Yes, believe it or not, even the type of coffee we buy has political implications. While listening to this essayist enumerate the ways in which her choice of coffee brand made her a political activist, I stared at my filter drip painfully slowly into my coffee cup and rolled my eyes. Then, it occurred to me: I too am a coffee activist. I never thought about the conditions of the workers who picked and processed the coffee, until I saw a documentary about it. It changed my coffee drinking life from that day onwards, and I now will only purchase Fair Trade coffee. This has become such a unconscious practice that I did not realize the film's significant effects on my buying habits. The impact of visual storytelling can be profound. A special online event at Techsoup.org will be examining various means of using technology to tell stories, impact politics and move society to incite change. Media and technology are powerful tools for advocacy. Films, Web sites, and virtual communities provide avenues through which activists voice their concerns and rally support for their causes. Discuss how you can use the Web to promote your campaign. Learn how to work with organizers to present your film. Elicit community action, both online and off-line. This event will be hosted and moderated by technology and media experts Marnie Webb of Compumentor, Amy Hill of Third World Majority, and Nicole Betancourt and Jenny Baum of MediaRights.org. Join Techsoup the week of May 28-31, 2002 in the TechSoup Community. May 2002 | ||
