Social Media: Connecting and Catalysing Communities for Social Change
Victoria Social Media Club – Guest Speaker Joe Solomon EngageJoe.com
When? Tuesday September 22nd 2009
Where? Ambrosia Catering and Event Centre, 638 Fisgard Street Victoria BC Canada Map
Doors open at 6:45. 7pm presentation by Joe Solomon followed by a panel discussion.
Organized by the Social Media Club Victoria – with special thanks to Janis LaCouvee. Donation of $5 at the door.
Everyone interested in online social media and community engagement is encouraged to attend.
RSVP via the Victoria Social Media Club Facebook event page.
Joe Solomon : engagejoe.com. Photo Credit Digiactive.org
This should prove to be a very interesting and timely presentation, especially for Victoria BC, and the region. Joe Solomon helped lead ‘Social Action’ Change the Web Challenge, and is currently with the online social media team at 350.org. He has been involved in numerous roles as a consultant for Knowmore.org, MakeGood.com and was one of the team that initiated the Vancouver BC Net Tuesday. All those links – all that experience. Joe Solomon can provide some real life examples of engagement tools that work to affect social change, and offer insights on what the future might hold. (Google Wave?)
I am delighted to have been invited on the panel for the Tuesday event – along with…
Victoria BC is undergoing a radical change in how community action groups are organizing, using and developing mostly free online tools to engage the public – while still maintaining a ‘step back’ role when it comes to government and mainstream media. My own work with johnsonstreetbridge,ORG, and now with Keith Martin – Member of Parliament for Esquimalt – Juan de Fuca, is proving some interesting results, and some barriers. There is a communication culture change occurring – a local paradigm shift. One area I will be very interested in hearing comments and feedback from Joe Solomon and the panelists is how this translates in terms of governance. If activism and community organization is changing – is government keeping pace, or even noticing?
It would be great to see Keith Martin and other local politicians at Social Media Club this Tuesday. We need to educate them on how to use tools like Twitter not just as a broadcast tool, but as a conversation medium.
Spread the word – it’s not about what your cat had for breakfast, or which ribbon cutting you are going to (though that’s a bit better than cats). It’s about making genuine connections that start online and continue in the Real World!
Catherine,
Agreed. Keith Martin will likely be in Ottawa, but I will be there to pass on results to him and the campaign team. Katie Josephson, the City of Victoria Communications director, is a member of the Victoria social media club but I have been informed she will not be able to attend due to a prior commitment. The word about Tuesday’s meeting is being spread – had a notice that staff from View Royal council might attend.