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In the coming months, we will be aggregating some of the best posts from North America’s social tech leaders.

Meet Jake Brewer: Web of Change 2011 Fellow

By Neal Bastek on 08/26/2011 - 14:10

Jake is a campaign architect who builds networks of people and resources to solve big problems. He is voraciously curious about ...everything.

Specifically, Jake is the Chief Strategy Officer at Fission Strategy, working with projects and campaigns ranging from a first-of-its-kind White House initiative on Veteran employment, to national open-data and broadband initiatives, to helping reframe the immigration debate as a co-founder of Define American.

Meet Mike Norman: Web of Change 2011 Fellow

By Neal Bastek on 08/22/2011 - 14:26

Michael Norman is a kick-boxing, MBA-having, community-organizing visionary working to help the progressive movement tap a vast well of consumer power to convince businesses of all sizes to help make the world a better place.

Meet Karen Uffelman: Web of Change 2011 Fellow

By Neal Bastek on 08/18/2011 - 22:07

Along with an extensive knowledge of country western song lyrics from the late '70s and early '80s, Karen brings significant expertise in membership engagement, coalition building, fundraising, and asking questions. She’s the Director of Client Strategy at Groundwire, where she and her team work with environmental organizations to engage their audiences through smart use of new technology and old-fashioned organizing.

Meet Alia McKee: Web of Change 2011 Fellow

By Neal Bastek on 08/16/2011 - 08:29

Alia McKee is a senior online communications and fundraising strategist with battle scars from years of “in the trenches” experience developing brand-perfect integrated marketing and high-engagement fundraising campaigns for non profits. Alia is a principal at Sea Change Strategies, a strategic marketing and research consulting firm.

Meet Monica Novoa: Web of Change 2011 Fellow

By Neal Bastek on 08/10/2011 - 21:40

Mónica Novoa is coordinator of the Drop the I-Word public education campaign, a project of the Applied Research Center and ColorLines.com. The campaign is a platform for people nationwide to drop the dehumanizing, racist slur “illegals," and to ask that the media do the same.

Meet Another Web of Change 2011 Fellow: Gideon Rosenblatt

By Shayna Englin on 08/03/2011 - 15:20

Gideon Rosenblatt writes about the impact of technology on people, organizations and society at Alchemy of Change. He is a technologist with a background in business and social change. For nine years, Gideon ran Groundwire, a mission-driven technology consulting group, dedicated to building a more sustainable world.

Meet Jonah Sachs, Web of Change 2011 Fellow

By Shayna Englin on 08/01/2011 - 17:15

Meet Jonah Sachs, pioneer, leader, big-thinker, world-changer, and Web of Change 2011 Fellow.

Video Diary of a WIN: We Are Florida Defeats Hateful Anti-Immigrant Legislation

By Shayna Englin on 07/06/2011 - 11:35

Several activists working on the front lines of the battle against hatefull anti-immigrant policy in the US attended Web of Change last year.

Their stories, perspective, and vital campaign in the face of life-and-death consequences helped make WOC 10:10 a powerful event. See many of their faces in this must-watch video collection of memories from the successful campaign in Florida to block anti-immigrant legislation.

Mark Rovner's Prescription for Change When Change is Hard: Appeal to Identity

By Shayna Englin on 06/30/2011 - 17:26

Who are you?

Depending on the moment, you might answer in 100 different ways. For me, that could include: husband, dad, scuba fanatic, Buddhist, fundraiser, crazy person, dog lover, etc…

More significantly, evoke one of my many “selves” and you might get a completely different set of responses and actions. When I am really cranky and hard to work with, my business partner Alia will often incant “Buddha Mark” to remind me to bring up my more open, generous and calm self. It’s amazing how often it works. Just ask her.

WOC10:10 Alum Juan Rodriguez: Bursting the Filter Bubble

By Shayna Englin on 06/30/2011 - 16:24

I was having a conversation with a friend about the purpose of Web of Change and kind of brainstorming about how such a space could be most beneficial in furthering a social justice movement.

Congratulations Favianna, Ella winner!

By Shayna Englin on 06/09/2011 - 17:00

Web of Changer Favianna Rodriguez has won an Ella Award - well-deserved recognition for her tireless and innovative social justice work.

The Annual Ella Awards, presented by the Ella Baker Center, "honor social change leaders whose inspiring and ground-breaking achievements build community strength and promote peace, justice and opportunity. People-powered action, driven by hope and the belief that things can and should be better, is how change happens."

89 Comments

The transformative power of the web: marry top-down authority with bottom-up power

By Shayna Englin on 06/06/2011 - 11:23

Jason Mogus, Web of Change founder and CEO/Senior Strategist at Communicopia Internet suggests a unique role for the web in changing the world:

44 Comments

What do Americans really think about climate change, and what should we do about it?

By Shayna Englin on 05/24/2011 - 19:49

America Cimate Attitudes report cover Web of Changer Cara Pike and her colleague at the Social Capital Project, Meredith Herr, have published a must-read analysis of more than 90 polls and journal articles on climate communications and behavior change published since 2008.

34 Comments

Case Study: Engaging veterans with IAVA's cutting-edge "The Rucksack" force.com site (VIDEO)

By Sam Dorman on 03/28/2011 - 16:40

Sam Dorman, a Web of Change anchor, is one of the social change sector's go-to leaders helping organizations skillfully navigate the waters of technology and engagement. Sam provides technology leadership to increase an organization's capacity and expertise, helping organizations develop innovative strategies and the cutting-edge implementations to implement them.

"I never guessed that setting foot in Dodger Stadium last July would have such an impact on my life."

236 Comments

Celebrating Risk-Taking in Progressive Organizing

By Matt Stempeck on 11/30/2010 - 22:40

Matt Stempeck is the Communications Manager at the New Organizing Institute. He has experience helping a wide range of organizations use technology to create social change. Most recently, Matt served as New Media Director at Americans for Campaign Reform, a grassroots organization advocating for citizen-funded elections.

Real breakthroughs usually start with big gambles.

When an experiment doesn’t turn out as planned, though, it can lead to embarrassment. Fear of embarrassment can lead to long-term risk-averse behavior — but fundamental change doesn’t happen unless organizers bet big now and then.

18 Comments

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