Justice for all

I’ve recently been finding a lot of new blogs that center around social justice and non-profit issues, and I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you! Some of these blogs are new; others have been around for years. Regardless of which category they fall into, I’d say that many are a worthwhile addition to your google reader. Without further ado, please check out:

Bites of News

is a new blog providing commentary on current events and recent news, with a focus on politics, social justice, feminism, and other issues related to social change and activism. The blog is easy to read, frequently updated, and quite simply — makes the news fun! What makes it unique is the enthusiasm and passion that comes across in each post, as well as the fact that it is co-authored by two best friends, Pragya and Valeriya, students at GWU and Columbia respectively. Follow for summaries of the news - often with a controversial, humorous, or opinionated twist!

Blogging for Branding

is a new, but already extremely popular blog created by non-profit professional and social change leader Rosetta Thurman. The blog includes daily posts with valuable and vital tips on improving your blog’s design and content that are helpful for blogging novices and old timers alike. I’ve joined her 31 days challenge and I’d encourage you to do the same if you’re interested in bettering your blog! While Blogging for Branding doesn’t focus exclusively on non-profits, the great advice she gives can be very helpful for anyone who wants to land a position with a non-profit or expand a blog about social change issues.

Cherita Smith - social media + social change

is a consistently interesting blog that discusses - you guessed it - social media and social change. All of Cherita’s posts are well written and interesting, and I’m fascinated by the topics she discusses related to social media for social good. The advice she has is very relevant to anyone wanting to use the social web to market non-profits or raise awareness of an issue. Always a good read!

Medicine for Change

is another recently created blog by University of Chicago first year medical student Emily Lu, who has also worked for a non-profit foundation prior to medical school. Emily provides a look into a very unique career path - that of a medical student who wants to pursue a career in community-based health serving poor communities in the U.S. Emily’s posts are a mixture of the medical, non-profit, and social media fields and it’s fascinating to follow her as she strives to define her career path and her role in social change as a med student! She provides a much-needed perspective which I don’t see too often in the blogosphere.

My Nonprofit Experience

is yet another fledgling blog by Madelyn, Director of Development of Kentucky Habitat for Humanity. Her passion for the non-profit field, Habitat for Humanity, her job, and the issue of homelessness is absolutely infectious. Her posts chronicle her development as a young non-profit professional and also discuss the social change issues she cares about and works towards. Her blog is easy to relate to and always interesting.

PhilanTopic

is an older and well established blog that I found recently and really enjoy reading now. The blog is a project of the Philanthropy News Digest, and is run by a number of contributors. PhilanTopic discusses a range of philanthropy issues: aid and development, fundraising, disaster relief, generation Y and social change, social innovation, non-profit tech, marketing/communications, and much more! They cover the gamut of non-profit issues you might be interested in and I find that each post and link on their blog is relevant and interesting. Definitely worth subscribing to.

That African Girl

is written by two friends, Makafui and Adey, recent college graduates - one born and raised in Togo, the other Ethiopian-American. Their unique experiences living in Africa and America shapes their passions, interests, and perspectives. The blog address cultural issues, social change topics like human rights and development, the experiences of African immigrants, and highlights African and American leaders. The tagline describes it best - “Learning to live between worlds.” Most recently, That African Girl has begun a series called “The Chronicles of the African Childhood,” a number of posts written by African immigrants to the U.S. The blog quotes it best:

Since people started immigrating to the United States, they’ve had stories to tell. Stories of the life prior to the journey, stories of the journey and stories of their lives after the journey. What I find most fascinating are the stories of the children. Confronted with a new reality, they often grow up with unique stories of blending both cultures, both identities and both perspectives.

It’s in the spirit of capturing some of these stories that we bring you, The Chronicles of the African Childhood…Some people are first-generation African and consider themselves both African and American. Some are “half-generation, born somewhere else, growing up somewhere else. Some consider themselves simply African. Despite these differences, their stories are as unique as they are similar, full of hope, sadness, laughter, reflection and everything in between.

The South Asian Philanthropy Project

(last, but not least!) is a blog which aims to inspire South Asians to become more involved in philanthropy and volunteering. The Project highlights efforts of charities, non-profits, and other organizations led by South Asians or contributing to change for South Asians and the diaspora. The project (and blog) hopes to increase South Asian’s involvement in donating, volunteering, and serving on non-profit boards. The blog discusses issues like human rights, international development, disaster relief, non-profit issues, and domestic violence — all from the South Asian lens. As a South Asian person myself, I know how important this mission is. Indians, for instance, are less involved in philanthropy than Americans, Canadians and other Western countries, and this needs to change.

That’s it!

I hope you enjoyed this list and added a bunch of new bloggers to your Google Readers, and to all the bloggers on this list: keep on writing with passion and I know you’ll do great things as part of the movement for social change! My thanks to all of you

If you know me, you probably know that I’m pretty addicted to social media. I’m constantly checking my google reader, Twitter feed, and email and reading my favorite blogs and news websites.

But in all honesty, there’s nothing that beats face to face interaction. Social media is wonderful, but despite the connections and networking opportunities it has afforded me, it still doesn’t come close to spending time with family, friends, and loved ones.

This past week, I finished up a short internship with the ACLU, and took a week and a half to travel. Since last Thursday, I’ve been in Chicago, Wisconsin, and New Jersey, visiting people I love who are (unfortunately) scattered across the country and attending a wedding. I had the opportunity to catch up with so many friends - everyone from my best friends from college to old friends from elementary and middle school who I haven’t seen in years!

And through much of the trip I was largely unplugged from social media. I was fully relaxed, and I didn’t feel the need to tweet constantly, blog every few days, or even read everything in my google reader. Still, I somehow found the time to keep up with the news and even write a couple of blog posts. The difference was that I did it on my own time, at my own pace, and with a feeling of relaxation rather than stress. I blogged for pleasure, not because I felt like I had to. And it made all the difference - perhaps not in the quality of my posts, but in the enjoyment I gained from social media.

Now, I’m back on the blogosphere, and yet I don’t feel like I missed too much. In fact, because of my unplugged vacation, I now feel refreshed, rejuvenated and excited to get back into the social web. Needless to say, I’m an advocate of unplugging every so often - to clear your head, help you re-connect with human beings (not computers or online personas), and allow you to take a deeper look at your priorities. It’s good for the soul.

Take a day to unplug. Relax. Reflect. Come back refreshed and we’ll still be here waiting!

How do you unplug?

It goes without saying that blogging has taught me so much and connected me with so many amazing people. And yet, I am learning something new about blogging every day; I’ve been following along with Rosetta Thurman’s “Blogging for Branding” challenge, and she’s provided so many excellent tips for blogging. One of her tips centers around writing list posts — something I haven’t done much of in the past. I enjoy reading list posts, so I thought I’d give it a try! I actually wrote most of this post months ago, but pulled it up now and decided to post it because a lot of the content is really so relevant to what Rosetta is trying to impart through her challenge. While I can’t really call myself an authority on blogging just yet, here’s what I’ve learned thus far:

Blogging isn’t about just spewing out facts and figures, but about engaging in conversations with others and making connections with like-minded people. I’ve found that the most valuable experiences hasn’t been getting more hits to my blog, but meeting other bloggers and having conversations with them. Blogging shouldn’t be a one-way lecture, but rather an act of engaging in discussion and learning from your peers. Sure, I have become more knowledgeable about human rights and social media after beginning to blog on a regular basis – but even more than this, I find that the friends I’ve made and the conversations I’ve had have been even more eye opening. Here are 10 tips to help you make the most of your blogging experience – by turning it into a forum for meaningful discussion and debate.

1. Reply to each and every comment on your blog.

This is the best way to make conversation and encourage discussion. It’s so easy to respond to comments on your blog, and it is important that you do so – unless, of course, you get 100+ comments on each blog post and are already an online celebrity. When you engage your readers, I think the debates and discussions that result can be fascinating and provide a true learning experience. Often, I find that the comments section is more enlightening than the blog itself! This brings out new perspectives and ideas, and can also help you befriend fellow bloggers. So respond to each comment, and challenge your readers further by asking questions. It makes your readers more engaged and interested, and thus more likely to come back.

2. Leave comments on other blog posts.

The best way to meet others is to have your voice heard. Leave meaningful comments on other blogs. Ask questions, provide your detailed feedback, and state your opinions and relevant personal experiences. Don’t just say “nice post!” – that’s just not enough. In order to add to the conversation you have to write something useful that will encourage responses and foster discussion. This, again, will allow you to build your online community and help you connect with like-minded individuals.

3. Link to other bloggers and blog posts in your entries.

When you write a post, make sure you link to any relevant blog posts or articles you find or have read. In particular, don’t forget to link to blogs which have given you ideas for content in your posts. Directly quoting from blog posts is also a great way to pay tribute to your favorite bloggers. Then, your blog post won’t just stand alone but will form a part of a discussion and will add to the conversation. The bloggers you link to will certainly see your post and linkback when they check their stats, and will often hop over and leave you a comment as well.

4. Write blog entries responding to posts you agree or disagree with.

If you see a blog post that interests you, take the topic and write a post with your own opinion of the issue. If you agree or disagree, discuss why you feel that way and elaborate on your opinions. This is a great way to spark conversation and debate, as well as explore a specific topic more deeply. A long time ago, I wrote a post about personal branding and authenticity that became part of an ongoing debate with other bloggers about the topic!

5. Ask questions.

Recently I re-tweeted an excellent quote:

RT @laurenabele: Asking a question creates engagement. Not asking deters engagement. RE: using soc media to engage your audience.

This is just so true! When you are writing a blog post, just ask questions. End your blog with an open question, inviting discussion in the comments. Just by asking a question to your readers and followers, you’re immediately creating a space where people feel a bit more comfortable expressing their opinion and actively engaging. Not asking questions reduces the incentive to actually think and comment.

6. Ask your favorite bloggers or professionals in your field to write a guest post for your blog.

Send an email to connect with bloggers or professionals who you feel have something interesting to say. Ask them questions and interview them for your blog, or ask them to write a guest post for your blog. This is a great way to get your questions answered or to simply get to know the individual better and add a different perspective to your own blog. You can even create a theme of related guest posts, like Samantha Karol’s Appreciation Revolution, Grace Boyle’s “What Inspires You” series, or my own Be the Change series.

7. Use twitter to continue the conversation.

Twitter is not just a “facebook status on steroids,” as those who haven’t explored social media too much might assume. In fact, Twitter has helped me make friends with many other bloggers, and has also linked me up with so many people – Northwestern alumni, human rights advocates, non-profit techies, journalists and fellow bloggers. I’m sure you all know about Twitter already — but if not, do get on the bandwagon. It is the best way to link to your blog posts, and generate a conversation around the topics you’ve introduced in your blogs. A wonderful way to take the dialogue beyond your blog comments.

8. Take the conversation “offline.”

Continue the conversation via chat, or even meet with fellow bloggers and tweeters offline through networking events, “tweetups,” conferences, or simply dinner and drinks in your city. Send your favorite blogger friends an email just to talk, or even better – ask them about their latest blog post and give your thoughts on the topic. Ask people for career advice, especially if they are in your field of work. These connections can prove to be truly valuable. You can conduct so many informational interviews through this method, and can really learn much more about the field you hope to enter. I’ve gotten an immense amount of helpful career advice this way, and it’s certainly changed my perspective regarding my future career.

9. Join online networks relevant to your fields and interests.

After I joined the Brazen Careerist network, I was able to jump headfirst into the world of Gen Y and social media. It was fascinating, and being a part of the community helped me learn so much while also allowing me to contribute to the discussion through my own blog posts. The great thing about joining networks and communities is that you can find people with similar interests and add your own voice to the mix, through your comments on other posts as well as your own blogs. I also found some great social networks on Ning relating more to human rights and non-profit issues. These online communities are yet another place for you to post your blogs and get comments, feedback, and dialogue in return.

10. Make a list of the top 10 blogs in your field(s). Post it, and get to know those bloggers.

So I’ll admit that I haven’t done this yet, but I aim to at some point! Making a list of the top bloggers in your “field” – or even simply the bloggers you admire – is a really useful exercise to help you understand your niche. After you create this list, you should subscribe to those blogs, follow their posts, and engage those bloggers in conversation. Comment on their blogs, contact them directly to chat, or follow them on Twitter. This will really allow you to build a strong community of like-minded bloggers, and help to encourage discussion as well. Now, you’ll have a larger group of bloggers interested in what you have to say and wanting to comment on your posts.

So there you have it! 10 ways to create conversation around your blog, and what you have to say. Put some of these tips into action and you’ll be on your way to having an ongoing dialogue with like-minded professionals in your field.

What do you think? Is blogging about writing, or engaging in a broader conversation? How can you get the greatest value from blogging?

Dear readers: Thank you all so much for the outpouring of support and incredibly kind, intelligent, and valuable thoughts you provided in response to my previous post. I think, however, I may have given off the wrong impression to all of you. I’m not going to stop blogging - not now, and most likely, not for a long time. Throughout my life, I’ve considered writing to be at the very core of my existence. Writing and using words to reach people is what I love doing. It makes up an intrinsic part of who I am. Perhaps some day I’ll stop blogging. Who knows? But I can tell you with certainty that I’ll never stop writing. For me to stop writing would be like ripping out a core piece of my identity, the very fabric that I’m composed of.

I won’t stop writing. What I hope is to continue using my love for writing to make a tangible difference. Through the law and legal writing - to defend an innocent client on death row or to fight the case of indigenous people whose rights have been violated by environmental contamination. Through the news media - to give voice to those who are voiceless, who have no one to speak for them. Through research papers and articles - to bring important issues to the forefront, and to contribute empirical evidence related to human rights issues that can someday be used to guide and influence policy. Through grant proposals - to obtain valuable funding for organizations and non-profits I believe are doing good work. Through books - that will inspire more people to take action and understand some of the underlying moral quandaries behind human rights issues.

Perhaps, one day, I will realize that there are bigger and better things than this blog. That there are bigger and better ways I can use my voice to defend the poor and marginalized. All the things I have mentioned above rely crucially on writing. Writing is an important part of practically any job now, and particularly plays a huge role in the human rights and legal world.

But until I become trained, educated, and experienced enough to contribute in those areas - I’ll be using this blog as a medium to spread the word in whatever little way I can.

So don’t fear, lovely readers. My blog, my writing, and my voice is here to stay for the time being. I love writing, and I love contributing my voice in some way to the greater good. While it’s true that I am disillusioned in many key ways, I don’t think I’ve given up hope as of yet. If nothing else, I believe that social media has helped me build valuable connections with other passionate young people who care about the same issues and similar causes. This valuable community I’ve found would never have been possible otherwise. Even if I don’t change people’s minds, I know that I have become a stronger advocate myself by tapping into this community. I myself have become more dedicated, better informed, and more ready to take action. If nothing else, I’m contributing in this way to the world…right?

I hope so. And I hope you’ll all stay with me in this journey!

This is the time of year for reflections, and I’m certainly no exception to the rule. So here goes (though I don’t usually talk much about myself on this blog):

In 2009, I finished studying abroad at the London School of Economics and fell even more deeply in love with London and LSE. I also continued working with the Student Microfinance Development Initiative (SMDI), a student-run nonprofit which I helped start up. SMDI connects student volunteers with microfinance institutions, and spending so many late nights and long strategy meetings working on the organization was one of the best experiences of the year - I learned so much about microfinance, became part of a team, and met some incredibly passionate and intelligent students. While at LSE, I also visited The Hague, Netherlands with the ICC Student Network. There, we met with representatives from the Coalition for the ICC and Special Court for Sierra Leone. We sat in on the trials of Thomas Lubanga and Momcilo Perisic (at the ICTY). We even met with Chief Prosecutor Moreno-Ocampo. This incredible trip immersed me into international justice, which has become one of my main passions today. While abroad, I also traveled to Spain, Ireland, Scotland, Greece, and within the UK to Oxford, Bath, Canterbury, Leeds Castle, Brighton, Windsor, Stonehenge, and Stratford-upon-Avon. And at LSE, I got to see the Queen from afar, as well as hear lectures from Navanetham Pillay, Bernanke, and Paul Collier! It was the most amazing time of my life!

Over the summer, I got an internship grant from Northwestern and moved to Geneva, Switzerland - the world’s peace capital - for a summer internship with International Bridges to Justice (IBJ), an amazing non-profit that works to reform malfunctioning justice systems and end torture in the developing world. I worked on so many exciting things, mostly related to online communications. I got to visit the UN headquarters in Geneva, learn a teeny bit of french, visit the Alps and some beautiful Swiss towns like Montreux and Aigle, lounge by Lac Leman, and experience the beautiful Fete de Geneve! I somehow got featured on Fortune for my internship (believe me, it was sheer luck - but still cool!). It was an amazing experience, and I have become very passionate about access to justice issues. More recently, I raised $1,274 for IBJ for their fundraising campaign, and was very happy with the outcome (thanks to all that donated!).

After that, I returned to the U.S., experienced reverse culture shock (or maybe I just missed London!) and started working on my political science senior thesis, which is on transitional justice mechanisms in Sierra Leone and Rwanda. It’s challenging but fascinating. Last quarter I also took an amazing class on Sudan with the former US Special Envoy to Sudan! I also became the Co-President of Amnesty International’s NU chapter, so that has been exciting and also time-consuming. As the year wraps up, I’m applying to jobs and fellowships in the hope that I’ll have some exciting options for after graduation.

In 2009 I bought my own domain name and created this website! This year, I also fell in love with social media. I really became addicted to Twitter and to blogging, and learned the value of an online community. Never before have I been able to connect with so many other intelligent young people who share the same passions and interests. Social media has really impacted my life and taught me a lot - and I have made some great friends and met some wonderful people through the process! I started the Be the Change series, in which so many Gen Yers came together to share their thoughts on social change issues. It was an inspirational affirmation of the fact that my generation does care about the world.

Of course, there have been some failures too, but all in all this year was an amazing one. All my experiences have helped me figure out what I ultimately want to accomplish in life and have made me much more independent. I have truly grown as a person. But for some reason, it feels like this year has gone by too fast. I’m not ready for the next year - which will bring with it uncertainty and numerous challenges. I have only one wish for 2010: to find a job I love! If this happens, all will fall into place

Wishing you all a happy 2010 with more successes and growth!