To Blog or not to Blog? For Social Change agents, that is no longer the question...

Marianne Winters is a leader in the movement to end and address sexualized violence and is passionate about a vision of a movement that is inclusive, current, responsive and proactive. She is the Project Diva for Graphix for Change and consultant and trainer for Praxis for Change.

We work with leaders of non-profit organizations and public service groups. Our job is to help them bring about social change by utilizing the tools available on the internet. So, eventually, the conversation will come up about a blog. Usually, for those who have not yet begun to blog, they wrinkle their face, or make some other not so subtle non-verbal sign of resistance. To address this resistance and to help you think about getting started, Graphix for Change provides you with the
Top 10 Reasons why Social Change agents should blog.

1. It’s not just for amateurs with too much time on their hands. Blogging got a bad rap when too many people started blogging their brains out without citations, research, or letting facts get in the way of a good punch line. Now blogs are being used as a serious way to get your point across and to promote an organization’s mission.

2. Leaders need followers. Think of your blog as your leadership platform, as your way to reach your organization’s audience with your message.

3. It helps your reflect on your work and stay focused. Writing a blog entry requires that you clarify your position on something, that you think about what you want the public to know, and how you hope they will act with regard to your issue.

4. Organizations are the experts. Blogging helps you build your expert status. Eventually your name and organization will become recognized as a key mover on your issue.

5. If you don’t join the conversation, you won’t be in it. Because of the explosion of social media, there are folks out there talking about your issues. Make sure that your perspective is out there through a blog, otherwise, the conversation could go down another path.

6. Public visibility attracts money. Blogging will help you become known to potential donors, funders, and supporters.

7. Dialogue on an issue is healthy. When people are reading and responding to your blog posts, it generates fresh and dynamic debate. This helps move your work forward.

8. Blog a shout out - have a friend forever. If you appreciate what someone has done - a reporter, legislator, board member, give them praise through your blog. This will resonate not only with the person you thank, but will let the rest of the world know that you appreciate the efforts of your community.

9. The world needs to hear what you have to say - plain and simple. What if the world were a person and asked the question - How would you have me change? Your blog can provide the instructions.

10. Blogging is easy, fun, and free.

Changing the world? Start by Changing a Definition

So, you want to change the world, eh? Social change is to many people like love - you know it when you feel it, but it's sometimes difficult to describe. Indeed, social change is complex, involving many interrelated people, organizations, concepts and policies. It can be difficult to define.

I find it essential to work within a framework, and one of the best that I’ve found is offered through The Center for Effective Philanthropy and and then applied through the Women's Funding Network. This framework conceptualizes social change as occurring on five interconnected levels, the first one being Changing the Definition of something.

I can’t think of a better way to begin than changing the definition of something, first in one person’s mind, and then in understanding of others. Indeed, for every social justice issues, it seems to begin here. Working on sexualized violence, for example, starts with redefining rape, learning the origins of the historical concepts of rape as a property crime against the men (either father or husbands) in a woman’s life. The redefinition emerges when we turn it around and realize that rape is an attack on the body, mind, and soul of the victim and is not the victim’s fault or responsibility. Working on issues of poverty begins when we redefine poverty through a lens of understanding society’s oppression. I’m convinced that this is where it starts.

So, how do we change the definitions of the issues that we address through our organizations and alliances? We can begin amongst ourselves but very quickly that becomes an exercise of cyclical ranting - the proverbial singing to the choir. What we really need is a means of changing definitions more broadly - by reaching the minds and hearts of the general public, policy makers, allies, families, educators.

I’m convinced that we can start here through an intentional campaign of telling the world. At Graphix for Change we utilize web-based tools to build and promote the expert status of organizations. Most organizations who work to help people affected by a problem are indeed the experts on the issue, but often don’t get the public recognition or credit for being the experts. Through a system of article marketing we take what organizations know about an issue and help you widely distribute it, by placing it on your website as well as numerous other sites. The result is a more informed public, with a redefined understanding of your issue, while at the same time, your status as an expert and leader in the area expands. Shift happens, let’s start shifting some definitions today.

Good Design is not a luxury for nonprofits, it’s a necessity

Marianne Winters is a leader in the movement to end and address sexualized violence and is passionate about a vision of a movement that is inclusive, current, responsive and proactive. She is the Project Diva for Graphix for Change and consultant and trainer for Praxis for Change.

At Graphix for Change, we do design and marketing for nonprofits. We also get it because we’ve been there. In my past lives as an employee of various not-for-profits, I’ve had the titles of Executive Director, Associate Director for this and that, Development Manager, Counselor, Community Educator...you get the idea. In each of my positions, I would tumble head-first into the classic dilemma that most non-profits face. Do we put our resources into the work or into telling people about our work? Do we spend money on people or printing? Website development or advertising? Can’t we get it donated? I’ve been on the other end of the phone when someone called to say they want to donate us a vacuum cleaner - that needs to be repaired - that uses bags that are discontinued. You can guess whether or not we accepted it...I realized finally that there has to be a line that we could easily cross where our efforts at cost savings actually cost us more, because we run the risk of not getting our message out, of not reaching those who really need our help, of not making the difference we set out to make.

We want to change the world and we take seriously our role as stewards of the resources, donated by individuals affected by the issue that we want to change, or granted to us through foundations and government sources that support us. So, I’m convinced that it’s just as important to pay attention to how our message is presented as to what the message is. Think about it, key things that we need to know are branded for a reason. It’s because there are ways that we as people take in information and then translate that information into action. A stop sign is a red hexagon with white letters, this is a logo for a brand that we no longer even think about, but it’s one of the first things we pay attention to when we’re driving. Apply this to how you’d like to change people’s behavior or the way our systems operate, and we’ve harnessed some serious social change potential.

The internet has become a place where not only can we post our information, but we can use it to interact with our clients, our donors, our supporters. When organizations begin to utilize their websites as more than a billboard or an electronic brochure, then we begin to engage with our friends and supporters in new ways, while we develop systems that support efficiency and interaction. Welcome to Web 2.0, nonprofit world. Let’s change some things together.

Taking The Plunge

Carol Palmatier works with mission-based organizations to help them utilize Web 2.0 tools to market their mission, in partnership with Graphix For Change. Carol is also the owner of Brandeur Marketing.

I took myself to the movies on Sunday, and saw "Whip It"...just me, myself and a bag of way-too-buttery popcorn. The cast was fantastic...think "Ocean's Eleven" on estrogen. Some of the smartest, funniest and hippest female actors out there, in a great ensemble story that left me feeling like I could easily take on the world.

What struck me as I left the theater was the delicious boldness of Drew Barrymore in her directorial debut. Never one to ask for permission, Ms. Barrymore has taken a story about grrrrl power and made it real. She had something to say, and she said it loudly, clearly and without a trace of self-consciousness. She took The Plunge and came up sparkling.

While I bought my ticket expecting to be entertained, I never expected to be inspired. But I was. It got me thinking about all the "plunges" we take in our lives. And what happens when we miss our opportunity to dive in. How many times have I wanted to say something, wanted to speak up, wanted to voice an opinion, and was held back by...anything.

Being in marketing, it's easy to take those plunges that everyone expects us to take. You have to put yourself out there for the big events, the fundraising campaign, the monthly newsletter, the networking. You've got a mission, and you know how to make some noise around it.

But what about those unexpected plunges, when you just have to dive in and make a statement? Scary stuff. Do it anyway. Say your piece. Speak your mind. Be your own hero.

Life is a collection of all those plunges you take, and the ones you let pass by. I'm diving in. See you in the deep end!