To paraphrase Britt Bravo, Changebloggers are people who are using online resources to raise awareness, build community and facilitate everyone's taking action to make the world a better place. Qui Diaz originally posted the 3 questions that set off the Changeblogging meme and we've reposted them below with our responses - they look easy to answer, don't they?
Well, maybe it's that we're a brother and sister writing this blog. But it took us a long time to formulate a response. I wanted very badly to be able to write "I care about human rights, I write a blog about human rights, here are three ways you can make a difference and support - you guessed it - human rights."
Instead, though - I got mired. I thought: We write a technology and society blog for non-profits! The seemingly disparate causes I've worked my butt off for over the last decade - sexual health education, the environment, senior's rights and, well, human rights - don't at first seem like they're at all linked to our work on this blog. Until Sean sent me a brief, brilliant email that pointed out the connection. Here is what he had to say:
What is one change - big or small, local or global - you want to see in your lifetime?
I want to see a world where people are truly engaged citizens, not consumers. Where society and politics are built so that it is possible for anyone with a day job to still be educated about the issues and have an effective mechanism for changing the game. Where the global and local are connected on a fundamental level - I can share the experiences from my home town in Ontario with someone in the Ukraine, and work together on common problems.
I think for the first time in history, we're at a point where our tools just might allow us to achieve this - if we can change our society to reach this potential.
Who is already working this issue that you think others should support?
Moveon / Avaaz; TakingITGlobal; Beth Kanter; NetSquared. (For starters.)
How are you going to use your Web/tech/marcom skills to further this cause? (Or, what are you already doing that works?)
Running a blog; networking like crazy, not just for my benefit but simply to broaden networks and increase connections - as Leslie Crutchfield in "Forces for Good" puts it, trying to make the whole pie bigger, not just my slice of it.