SM4SC - Social Media 4 Social Change

On October 10th a landmark event is going to take place. Under Gradon Tripp’s guidance, a group of us are going to see if for one night, social media-ites can come together to create change. To quote from the website, “Social Media for Social Change was born of the idea that the social media community, these “agents of change” can get together for one night, to support one cause.”

In essence it is a fundraiser. In actuality it is an experiment in humanity. We are all familiar with the traditional fundraising method — throw a party, invite an elite list of the rich and powerful, charge a lot of money per plate, and then hope checkbooks will make an appearance later in the evening. You schmooze, drink and feel better about yourself because you gave to a noble cause.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking it. Our world would be a far worse off place if it weren’t for the numerous nonprofits that work diligently to make this planet a better place. And without elite invites and fat checks, most would have never survived.

But times are changing.

Instead of depending on a few large donations, nonprofits are beginning to reach beyond boundaries of time and space to connect with people who, traditionally, would have been overlooked. Many small donations are becoming just as powerful.

This is what I love about the Internet — we have this power to connect because of technology.

We. Have. The. Power. To. Connect.

So, that is what we will be doing October 10th — connecting. We will be coming together to support a cause that is greater than ourselves. That night, we won’t just be supporting Jane Doe, a Boston-based nonprofit that supports survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence to whom all the proceeds will benefit, but we will be supporting a shift — perhaps even a shift in paradigm (one can always hope).

If you are free that evening, please join us. If you work for a company that cares, please consider becoming a sponsor.

If you want to know something deep and dark about me: this is it — it is for things like this that I live. It is because of an irrepressible sense of hope and belief that we can change, that the world and humanity is save-able and salvaegable that I get up every morning. It is because of these very things that I smile, each and every day.