On Gaining New Perspectives

This weekend I took a trip to Washington D.C. for a change of scenery. I have family living over there so I've visited a number of times when I was younger. It's funny though because even though I've been there before, even though I know what to expect, and even though I've seen the monuments, the museums, and the political offices there before...this time was different somehow. I looked at the city with new eyes. Suddenly it was so much more interesting and relevant. Sure, I've seen Capitol Hill, the White House, Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument before but being so young, these places were devoid of any meaning.

But I'm older now and (thankfully) more knowledgeable too. And if I must admit it...the Poli Sci nerd in me rejoiced this weekend! I revelled in seeing all the offices and landmarks that I read and learn about every day come to life. Having an understanding of what these buildings and places stand for put everything about the city in a whole different perspective and I was able to appreciate it in a way I never was able to before.

Looking up to Honest Abe

We visit Honest Abe every time we're in the city but this time around, I know more about the history and just how important his accomplishments are. I read the writings on the wall of his Second Inaugural Address with so much awe..."With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." Such poetry, such eloquence, such gravitas! And to think that there too was where MLK once stood to deliver that famous 'I Have A Dream' speech...a truly defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement. The history, the grand significance of it all! That's something that a younger me was so unable to comprehend.

This time I also walked the halls of the Willard Hotel, where many of the American presidents have stayed and where the likes of Emily Dickenson, Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Charles Dickens have slept...the place where MLK wrote the aforementioned speech...where the plans for the League of Nations first began to take shape...where the term "lobbyist" originated (apparently Pres. Grant often stayed there and people huAt Capitol Hillng out in the hotel lobby waiting to speak to him, hence the term). Yeah, I'm geeky, I know. But these things matter to me and I am simply encapsulated by the history of any and every place, especially when it is as significant as this.

So this weekend was a pleasant surprise. It turned out to be so much more than I had expected! To be at the hub of American history and government, to see the place where issues of health, world economies, social reform, and various others are debated and legislated (whether effectively or not is a different discussion) was thrilling for me.

I always feel so lucky when I get to visit a new country or city and learn about their culture, lifestyle, and history. And this time, although not entirely new to me, was no exception. It's so refreshing to be able to see the same place I've already been to with a new pair of eyes...

Which Way?

It’s that time of the year again for course selections. And though it’s a critical event every year, it’s even more so this time around. Why? Because it’s the last time I’ll be doing it.

Yep…this coming year marks my last year of undergraduate studies. It’s hard to believe that it’s already been three years since I first stepped on to U of T soil...three years since my Frosh week at Trinity College where I first met one of my best friends… three years since I had my first class in Convocation Hall, that terrifying stadium-like “classroom”.

Naturally, much has happened since then.  And as I face the future…as I face this so-called “real world” that everyone talks about, a myriad of questions race through my mind with almost no end in sight. Where am I going after my undergrad? What am I doing? Should I apply to grad school? But to study what? Should I just dive into the workforce? Do I travel first? What should I do?

After high school, I was set on pursuing journalism. I had the privilege of having teachers who lit my way, who ignited my passions in writing, history, and politics. This continued on in university as I took more courses in international relations, development, and sociology that further defined and refined my interest. I got involved in student publications, contributing my writing and even taking on editorial positions. I knew exactly what I was going to do after my undergrad. 

But alas, life is not meant to be orderly. Somewhere in the middle, we break a leg, spill some orange juice, die, or, as is my current situation, discover something new about ourselves.

For me, it happened in September of last year. I got this kickass internship as a Social Media Coordinator at this equally kickass NGO (hello jhr!) and my world has been turned upside down since then. Suddenly I was caught in the middle of the fast-paced and always exciting world of technology. I was learning things I only vaguely knew about and at rapid speed too. Compounding this was this incredibly engaging and stimulating class that I took last year about technology and its effects on community (hello, Prof. Wellman!). I was and continue to be rapt by all these developments!

Suddenly my firm convictions of going into j-school after my undergrad at U of T aren't so firm anymore. Suddenly I find myself questioning where I want to go and what I want to do. I am torn. I feel like I'm being pulled in all sorts of directions. Should I focus on my writing? Or delve deeper into non-profit work? Should I continue to ride on this thrilling social media wave? What do I focus on? I'm dabbling in all these fields, loving it all, but still unsure of what exactly I want to specialize in.

At the same time, however, sometimes these feelings of confusion are overtaken by my excitement. I am ecstatic to know that I live in an age that does not limit me…that all these different industries are intersecting with one another like never before and there's no need to box oneself in anymore. I've learned this best at jhr, an organization that is an amalgamation of everything that I am passionate about: journalism, non-profit work, human rights, and social media. It is reassuring and immensely satisfying to know that there is a place, a space for all of this and that I'm right in the thick of it.

But still...there is that unshakeable feeling of uncertainty and every day I ask myself, which way...is my way?

It Starts with Culture.

Confession.

There have been times while working at jhr when I've wanted to bang my head against the wall because not everyone (okay...a very small minority) knows what I'm talking about when I start talking about social media. The lingo that I use (hashtag or Trending Topics, anyone?) garners some pretty dumbfounded looks that leaves me feeling disheartened. How can we move forward as an organization technologically if our staff (there aren't too many of us either) don't understand what we are trying to do or the value of adapting to these technologies? With the rapid speed with which the technology is moving, there's just no time to waste. We're behind already and the distance in catching up is just growing wider and wider. I want jhr to run at a steady pace the whole way through, not sprint and fall behind.

It's hard stuff and I know that there are tons of other organizations struggling with this. So what to do? The first step to the solution is to change the organizational culture to one that is more knowledgeable and embracing of the technology available. If you want people to spread the word about your organization and the work that you do, where else would you start but with the very people who make it happen?

zomg, social media is like the best thing evarrr!

So in my frustration and in an attempt to make some serious changes, I decided to start a little "sharing" program every week in the office where I would feature one non-profit organization that is using technology (whether it's social media, mobile, etc.) to advance their goals and effect social change. By doing this, I hope to educate our staff on the different ways tech can be used to our advantage and hopefully get the creative juices flowing for everyone. I want my friends at jhr to be as excited as I am about the incredible possibilities we can achieve with the help of technology. Social media isn't just silly games, it's serious stuff!

Here are the four NPOs I decided to highlight for the month of June and a little blurb on why. If you've got any suggestions of other worthy orgs or any ideas on how to foster a more tech open culture, I'd love ya for it!

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The National Wildlife Federation's "Nature Find" took Google Maps and cleverly used it to fit their needs. Their Google Maps "mashup" allows its supporters to find all kinds of info about outdoor areas and events going on in their area. Simple concept but a genius way to encourage participation, awareness, and engagement. 

Not just your ordinary blog, the LiveStrong's Blog is an interactive page that includes all sorts of social media tools like Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube to engage and involve their followers. The YouTube side widget, for example, encourages people to tag their videos as "LiveStrong" for a chance to be featured on the page. They've also built a community on Flickr with people tagging photos as "LiveStrong". All of this can be accessed by anyone and all are aggregated under that one distinct "LiveStrong" tag helping to not just build up the LiveStrong brand but also allowing supporters to share their experiences with one another. 

Among the other great things that they do, Red Cross has been using SlideShare actively to share various presentations like their social media handbook, ways to volunteer, campaigns, etc. It's a great way to continue being the transparent organization that they are while providing resources that are useful and easy to find.

Innovation at its best. Ushahidi is an open source project that was born out of the post-election violence in Kenya back in '08. It was used to map reports of violence and peace efforts submitted by ordinary citizens from the web or their mobile phone. Since then it has been deployed to track violence in the DRC and Gaza and monitor elections in India and, most recently, Kyrgyzstan. It provides real time and visual information that is so essential for crisis response. 

The Better Side

So Toronto played host to the G20 this weekend and I guess we can all say that it hasn't been all lollipops and rainbows. Hell, it got pretty damn ugly out there (still is as I write this actually) and though the violent elements that took place this weekend cannot be ignored, to give them even more attention would simply give credence to the shit-disturbers who had nothing substantial to contribute. We've seen the ominous photos of the police cars set on fire and the windows that were broken and vandalized repeatedly. And um, I'm done with those, thanks. So how about the other side of the story?

In an attempt to show the more positive and even playful side of this weekend's G20 madness, here are a few of my favourite photos. Is this a fair representation of what went down in Toronto this weekend? Maybe not, but neither are the violent images that have overshadowed the relatively peaceful protests. I'm not trying to paint a naive and pretty picture here but how about giving some much deserved air time to the good that did go down this weekend and paying a little homage to the overwhelming majority of real protestors who went out to fight for real issues?

You can click on the photos to see their original source. If you've got more...link to them on the comment section!

Photo by Nancy Paiva of Torontoist.comPhoto from the Globe and Mail

Photo by Tomasz Bugajski of blogto.comPhoto from @nowtoronto

Photo by Fifth_BusinessPhoto by Lynda ~

Photo by Richard Lautens from the Toronto Star