Blog Action Day - Poverty 2008

I was first introduced to Blog Action Day by Dr. Weisgerber in our Internet and Social Media class. I thought it was a pretty cool idea. After doing some research on the event, I found out just how big of a deal it really is. People from all over the world are uniting today to fight against poverty. We are all coming together via the Internet and our blogs to advocate against poverty.



I really like how the Blog Action Day website defines advocacy. "What is Advocacy? Advocacy is speaking up. Before change can happen, decision-makers need to know that their customers, community and constituents want change. Advocacy is letting them know." This definition really goes hand in hand with what are learning about social media in terms of PR. It is all about starting the conversation. Hopefully, after today, politicians will get the idea that poverty is still a huge issue in our lives and we want change, such an important issue that continues to plague our world.



Initiatives such as these use social media to bring people together to take a stand and make a difference. Blog Action Day has also made resources available to all that are interested in the cause. Educating those that want to help is a big part of the initiative. "What can one person do?" This is the most important question that is answered on the organization's website. People need encouragement and to know that what they do really does matter.


Below is a great video about the Micah project in Australia which gives tips on what you can do to fight poverty in your area. This is just one example of a viral video that is a large part of the fight against poverty.







Social media for advocacy, hope, and change.

Blog Action Day - 2008