Technology, the Internet, and social media are amazing. They have empowered people with information, a global space, and a portfolio of tools to communicate, to promote, and to debate their ideas and experiences. They have also presented challenges in how people communicate and engage with each other as they exercise their freedom of speech on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other sites in cyberspace. Some of these challenges include speech that causes fear or creates a threat of being the target of unwarranted abuse, harassment, or lies. Thanks to organizations like CiviliNation, an education and research nonprofit that focuses on advancing the full capability of individuals to communicate and to engage in cyberspace in a responsible and accountable way, work is being done to educate people about these challenges.
Shashi Bellamkonda, Andrea Weckerle, and Ananda Leeke at Weckerle’s March 2013 book signing – Photo Credit: Shashi Bellamkonda
I had a chance to reconnect with Weckerle during her March book reading for Civility in the Digital Age at Georgetown University in March. Her book educates readers in great detail about the depth of online hostility and reputational attacks against people and organizations. It also offers solutions on how to transform the current digital space into a place that honors and respects each person’s voice. It’s definitiely one of my favorite books of 2013!
CiviliNation recently launched an Indiegogo fundraising campaign to create the CiviliNation Academy for Online Conflict Management. The CiviliNation Academy plans to build a worldwide community and resource library that will become the go-to source for real-world information and expert advice people and organizations can use to cope with misunderstandings, clashes, and reputational hits in the digital space. Please support this campaign (ends on August 7). Any amount you can give will help! I gave $10.
Talkshoe.com is a podcast tool that makes my life easy. It’s free to use and requires very little technical know-how. I have been using Talkshoe to host Internet radio shows since 2008. Currently, I host the Digital Sisterhood Radio show which will begin its 2013 season later this year.
Do you listen to or host podcasts?
What are your favorite podcasts?
If you are thinking about launching a podcast, click here to read my 14 tips. Also, I encourage you to read my blog post that discusses the nine benefits of podcasting. Click here to check out my Podcasting 101 Pinterest board. I created it last year for a Podcasting 101 panel I moderated during the BlogHer conference in New York City.
Last night’s Digital Sisterhood Radio show featuring a discussion about the digital advocacy efforts of Heart of Haiti Ambassadors “Mommy Niri” Nirasha Jaganath and ‘”Real Life Sarah” Sarah Pinnix was filled with insights on the power of giving back and supporting Haitian artisans through Macy’s Heart of Haiti partnership. See highlights from the Twitter conversation below. If you missed the show, click here to listen to the audio recording.
Twitter Highlights from 1/19 Heart of Haiti show on Digital Sisterhood Radio:
Today I am keeping the heart of Haiti beating by hosting a Digital Sisterhood Radio show about the digital advocacy efforts of my fellow Heart of Haiti Ambassadors. Click here to tune into the live show at 8:00 pm ET. You will have an opportunity to hear from the following Heart of Haiti Ambassadors:
It’s been a few weeks since I last posted. Why? Digital Sisterhood Month! 31 days of celebrating women online and the connections they make, conversations they have, communities they build, causes they support, collaborative partnerships they establish, and commerce they engage in with women they meet online and offline. Visit the Digital Sisterhood Network web site to learn more.
This month my heart belongs to Haiti because I want to honor the resiliency of the Haitian people who experienced a devastating earthquake on January 12, 2010. Last year I taught an online yoga class for Yoga Day USA that was dedicated to the people of Haiti. At the beginning of the class, I asked viewers to donate money to Doctors Without Borders to support their work in Haiti. Click here to watch the video.
This year I am serving as an ambassador for the Heart of Haiti campaign, a Macy’s partnership that was created to provide sustainable income to Haitian artisans impacted by the January earthquake. Read my November 29th post to learn more. Also, listen to the following December episodes of Digital Sisterhood Radio that mention my work with the Heart of Haiti campaign:
December 20th show featuring ‘Digital Native’ Lauren Thomas, founder of Digital Aftershock: I discussed how I met Lauren Thomas, former Digital Coordinator of Everywhere, at the Heart of Haiti booth during Blogalicious 2010 and had a powerful conversation that convinced me to sign up for the campaign. I also shared how I interviewed Lauren about the Heart of Haiti campaign with my cell phone for my Cinchcast audio blog at Blogalicious.
Water Carriers by Dr. Lois Mailou Jones, Haiti 1985 - acrylic, 25 ¼ x 19 ¾ in.
I almost forgot to mention that I organized a Digital Sisterhood Month field trip for DC area women in social media to visit the National Museum of Women in the Arts on December 3 to see the “Lois Mailou Jones: A Life in Vibrant Color” exhibit. During her lifetime, Dr. Jones (born November 3, 1905 – died June 9, 1998), a Howard University art professor (one of my favorite artists), created a body of artwork that was inspired by Haiti and her marriage to Haitian artist Louis Vergniaud Pierre-Noel. One of my greatest treats was showing the women who attended the museum field trip some of my favorite Haitian-inspired paintings created by Dr. Jones. Check out the amazing “Water Carriers” painting on the left side of the blog post.
What do you think?
I LOVE IT and HAITI!
Drop by my blog this week and next week for more posts about my passion for Haiti and work with the Heart of Haiti campaign!
Ananda Leeke 