Thriving Mindfully as the Real You!
When’s the last time you unplugged and took a break from your digital life?
Have you ever thought about creating a digital wellness plan?
Join me on August 12 at 7PM ET for the #digcit Twitter chat. The topic is digital wellness and unplugging. Follow @anandaleeke and use the #digcit hashtag to participate in the chat.
Today’s Throwback Thursday post celebrates the amazing 2014 Digital Citizens of the Year. Click here to read the #DigCitizen 100 list.
Next week, the 2015 Digital Citizens of the Year will be announced next week. Be sure to follow @DigCitizenMonth on Instagram and Twitter for updates. Use #digcitizenvoice hashtag to participate in the “Use Your Digital Citizenship Voice” conversations. Read Digital Citizenship Month Tumblr blog too!
Happy Digital Citizenship Month!
Welcome to the second annual celebration! This year’s theme is “Use Your Digital Citizenship Voice.”
Before I say anything else, let me stop and give you a link that explains how and why I launched this 31-day digital experience in 2014.
This week, you are invited to join the #DigCitizenVoice conversation by sharing your definition of Digital Citizenship and how you are using your Digital Citizenship Voice.
Use the #DigCitizenVoice hashtag and follow:
To get you started, I have included my definition of Digital Citizenship and 10 tips to help you embrace your Digital Citizenship and Digital Citizenship Voice below.
Digital Citizenship is the act of marrying your passionate interests and digital presence to support campaigns, causes, events, ideas, movements, policies, programs, and values that build awareness and community, create positive change, and promote social good.
10 TIPS ON EMBRACING YOUR DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP AND DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP VOICE
1) Identify your passion and interests.
2) Find causes and campaigns that connect you to your passion and interests. Use hashtags to search for your tribe (people who share similar passions and interests). Conduct the search by going to Google or another search engine. Search on blog platforms (Blogger, Medium, Tumblr, and WordPress) and social media.
3) Launch and support causes and campaigns that improve the quality of life for people in your local, regional, national, and international communities.
4) Participate in local government events and document your participation on your blog and social media.
5) Build community. Once you find your tribe, listen to the conversations they are having. Join them when you have something to say. Ask questions. Follow the folks you are listening and talking to on your social media. Comment on social media status updates and blogs. Share them with people in your online network.
Take it a step further by participating in discussions that happen in Facebook groups, Google Hangouts, LinkedIn groups, Meerkat and Periscope events, Pinterest boards, podcasts, webinars, Twitter chats, Yahoo groups, and other online events.
Leave the digital world and attend a conference, event, or meet up in your local area. Get out and meet people face-to-face.
Reach out to one or two members of your tribe and schedule an in-person meet up. Go to breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Grab a cup of coffee and tea. Connect over smoothies, ice cream, or a walk in the park.
6) Inspire and encourage. Use your blog, social media, and web site to share empowering and inspirational messages.
7) Educate and share information via your blog, email, social media, and web site.
8) Blog and post positive social media status updates about local businesses you patronize in your local community.
9) Celebrate local, state, national, and international holidays and observances to raise awareness about issues you care about.
10) For People Living in the United States: Engage in #socialcivics with the White House (especially Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman – @Goldman44 on Twitter) and Federal Government. The White House Conference on Aging will be held on July 13. Click here to learn how you can get involved:
Also, the White House sponsors #WHSocials, #WHMeetups, and online events each year to engage American citizens. Click here to learn more about the in-person events. Subscribe to the White House email updates to stay informed.
Special Digital Citizenship Month Event
Tune into the Digital Citizenship Month interview series featuring Dr. Janet Johnson on July 2 at 10:00 a.m. EST. The topic of discussion is “Using Your Digital Citizenship Voice in Your Career and Life.” Click here for more details.
Happy #FierceLiving Friday!
This afternoon, while I was reading my new book, The Social Media President: Barack Obama and the Politics of Digital Engagement by James E. Katz, Michael Barris, and Anshul Jain, I thought about how accessible President Obama (POTUS) and the White House are compared to previous administrations.
The Twitter chat POTUS had about climate change with comments about the NBA yesterday is a perfect example. Click on link to read a Storify summary of key moments during the chat that were posted on the WhiteHouse.gov blog:
https://m.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/05/28/follow-along-potus-answers-your-questions-climate-change. When I read it, I immediately said, “only in the USA can you tweet and chat directly with POTUS.”
Under the new leadership of Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman, the White House Office of Digital Strategy (WHODS) has expanded the voice of POTUS through his own Twitter account so that he engages with Americans more directly. WHODS is also giving Americans a greater opportunity to have their voices heard by POTUS without any third party gatekeepers. By valuing and creating an open portal for direct conversation, the WHODS is making certain that everyone’s voice can be heard. What a great #socialcivics lesson on digital engagement! Now that’s what I call Fierce Living!
Here’s what I’d like to know. If you could have a Twitter chat with POTUS, what would you discuss?
Photo Credit: Pete Souza, http://www.whitehouse.gov
Happy Friday!
Earlier this week, I walked past the White House, one of my favorite places to visit, on my way to meet a new friend. He recently moved to DC to start a new job in the building next door.
As I was waiting in line to enter the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to meet Jason Goldman, the first-ever White House Chief Digital Officer, I thought about how powerful the Internet and Twitter can be as connection and engagement tools. They connected Jason and I and began a series of blog and Twitter conversations around his new position and #socialcivics engagement when he wrote his March 24th Medium blog post on The Internet, the White House, and You (and Me). When I read his post, I was inspired to share it with my social media network. Two days later, I wrote him a letter via my blog that offered my #socialcivics ideas and tweeted him the link. In an effort to increase engagement, I encouraged people to blog and tweet their ideas. He tweeted back and thanked me for sharing.
After he started working on April 6, he continued having the #socialcivics discussion online and with his staff. A week later, he published a follow-up blog post on What I’ve learned so far from #socialcivics. After I read it, I decided to incorporate a #socialcivics feedback discussion in my Embracing Your Digital Citizenship session at the Blogger Week Unconference on May 2. The morning of my session, I tweeted him a link to a blog post that outlined my talking points. He retweeted it and sent me a direct message with an invitation to meet him in person this week.
Meeting him face-to-face was a blast! He is truly passionate about the work he is called to do as head of the Office of Digital Strategy. That’s why I took two #socialcivics selfies. Check out how cool he is with his blue glasses and cherry blosson tie!
During our meeting, we discussed the feedback I received during my Digital Citizenship session and brainstormed ways to increase his office’s engagement with social media influencers and communities. I left with a homework assignment I will be working on this weekend as a follow-up email.
Now that you have read my story, I encourage to join Jason’s #socialcivics discussion on Twitter. Send him a tweet at @Goldman44. Write a blog post. Chat with your network about it on social media. He and his team are listening!
Great news! On May 2, I’m speaking about digital citizenship at the Blogger Week Unconference that will be held at Impact Hub, 419 7th Street, NW, Washington, DC. My “Embracing Your Digital Citizenship” session will begin at 4:30 p.m. During the one-hour session, you will receive tips on ways to define and express your digital citizenship. You will also participate in a group discussion that documents digital citizenship best practices and provides feedback on White House Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman’s #socialcivics.
Take a moment and read what White House Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman is learning about #socialcivics: https://medium.com/@Goldman44/what-i-ve-learned-so-far-from-socialcivics-83d13e073a7b. Join the discussion on Twitter by tweeting @Goldman44 and using the #socialcivics hashtag. Go on and do it! Jason is listening!
PS: My #socialcivics ideas are mentioned in the blog post. Thanks Jason for the mention and your #socialcivics leadership. Keep shining!
Congratulations Jason on your new position as the first White House Chief Digital Officer!
When I read your Medium post, I became excited because your intention to create more meaningful online engagement between government and American citizens is headed in the right direction. The question you posed to the American public was AWESOME: How can we — our government and you and your communities — better connect online to make America better? It got me thinking about several ideas which is why I am writing this letter to you via my blog.
Before I get started, let me first say I am a huge fan of President Barack Obama and his amazing team of digital warriors in the Office of Digital Strategy. Through their efforts, I’ve been able to participate in several White House Social (#WHSocial) events that gave me a better understanding of the Obama administration’s priorities and an opportunity to share what I learned with my online community.
They also connected me to a more diverse group of fellow digital citizens and inspired me to create the Digital Citizenship Project and Digital Citizenship Month (July). Now that you know what drives my passion for POTUS and digital citizenship, let me offer the following #socialcivics ideas:
That’s it for now! Once you get settled into your new office at the White Office, I’d love to meet you for lunch at Busboys and Poets in my neighborhood to discuss how I can best use my digital presence, projects, and community to further support your #socialcivics efforts.
Safe travels to DC! Enjoy the cherry blossoms!
Best,
Ananda Leeke
Photo Credit: Dave McCulloch
Ananda Leeke 