March Madness is upon us – that favorite time of year when college basketball fanatics run rampant with their NCAA predictions and office water-cooler-talk turns into a common ground to organize betting pools. But before you scurry off to go fill out your bracket, here’s something to consider: March Madness for social good? Consider this […]
By The Intelligence Group Does Generation Y have true social consciousness or are they “slacktivists?” The Intelligence Group sought to find out in a survey of young Americans – and the data show that they do indeed display signs of strong social awareness and activism, and are uniquely well positioned to have a meaningful impact […]
You’re strolling down the street sipping your Starbucks latte when a group of ten teenagers and 20-somethings come flying by in skateboards. But they are not jumping, or flipping, or performing the latest trick on the half-pipe. You look again. They are passing out can food, socks, can openers and water. This is what happened in Lincoln, […]
From every corner of the globe, online advocates are increasingly using social media to create social good. Below we share with you eight fantastic international sites that are tapping into global, digital and mobile resources to address local challenges. HARASSmap Harassmap (Arabic) is a social initiative using a SMS texting system for reporting incidences of […]
As world leaders gather this week for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to talk about some of the world’s most pressing issues, thousands of armchair advocates around the globe are chiming-in online to talk about the nexus of social media and social good. And YOU too can participate. How you might ask? It’s as […]
Every year Bill Gates shares his annual letter, highlighting the work being done to help the world’s poorest people. This year, he wants to hear from you. The world is nearing an important milestone: a new round of Millennium Development Goals is about to be designed, charting the course of the world to 2030. The […]
“It was a year of breakthroughs, adversity, accomplishments. And the web shared all of it,” says Jean-Louis Nguyen, creator of the recent viral video “2012: What Brought Us Together.” The six-minute video tugs on emotions as it showcases memorable moments from this past year. “From the highest sky-dive to the fastest running man, a first […]
By Allison McGuire In an effort to determine what makes one cause ‘go viral’ over another, I spent the weekend researching viral campaigns. I discovered—as I’m sure many of you have—there is no one factor that makes social shares and chatter skyrocket overnight. I did, however, notice a pattern in the ways in which viral causes […]
A flash mob – as defined by our friends at Wikipedia – is “a large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and pointless act for a brief time, and then quickly disperse.” YouTube and other social media platforms have significantly amplified the power of these not-so-improved improvisations by […]
Nine months ago, DC resident and nutrition advocate Kristen McCarron began volunteering at the Walker Jones Elementary School, teaching young students the importance of growing foods, proper nutrition and healthy lifestyles. With the help of the school staff, McCarron developed an interactive nutrition curriculum, empowering students to grow, cook and live healthy. But this local social […]
