Tweetup… A Pocketful of Rainbows
I told you a couple of days ago about #shonalitweetup that’s being organized around PRSA2009. Now I’m really excited that we’ve added another layer to what I know is going to be a great evening and will, I hope, help an extremely worthy fund raising effort meet its goal.
We’ve partnered with 12for12K to help one of its charities, Musicians on Call. If you’re active in the social media world, you’re already familiar with 12for12K and Danny Brown, the brains and passion behind it. If you’re not, you can learn more here and here.
So, in a nutshell, if we all give a little, we’ll be able to help some extremely worthy causes. $12K per charity sounds like an awful lot, but not if we all chip in $10, $20, whatever we can (and companies, you should be giving more!). Little drops of water, little grains of sand, etc.
All the charities that have been selected for 12for12K are worthy causes. Even if we haven’t lived in a war zone, been excruciatingly hungry, or have been blessed with keeping our vision, we can identify with those who have/do, have been/are, and haven’t/can’t. If you haven’t been touched by these issues directly, you have been, in some way, shape or form, indirectly.
When it comes to music, though, there is not a single person who has not been touched by it directly. Remember how excited I was to visit Graceland, or listening to/watching Adam Lambert? In other words, the soundtrack of our lives.
So please help Danny and his team support Musicians on Call. Here are some ways in which you can do this:
1. If you’re coming to #shonalitweetup, consider chipping in. Yes, the tweetup is still sponsored, thanks to PRNewswire, Mike Smith Public Affairs and dna13 (that means hosted beverages and pie aka pizza for a limited time, so that we don’t drink Bar Basic out of house and home). And you don’t have to chip in – but it would be so nice if you would.
2. Whether you’re coming to the tweetup or not, share this post and/or the link to its 12for12K page with your networks; Facebook, Twitter, even email… you know the drill. Oh, and how about embedding the donation widget on your blog?
3. If you really think this is a good idea, put the squeeze on people you can ask directly to chip in.
You, my community, have been very good to me – from egging me on when I started this blog a whopping 11 months ago, to helping me find Darby the GSD a home. I hope I’ve been good for you in some way too. Now let’s all be good for 12for12K and Musicians On Call.
One other thing – and this is very important – just because the tweetup is tomorrow night, we’re not going to stop trying to help there. 12for12K runs through the end of the year… so we have a few weeks to help them reach their goal. Let’s do it!
Can we help some very worthwhile causes find their pockets full of rainbows?
As always, thank you from the bottom of my heart. (Psst, I downloaded MoC’s logo from their site, in case you want to do that as well).
Pinch Me. A “PR Readers’ Choice Blog Award”?
The one thing I never expected when I started this blog was for it to be nominated in an awards program. Blogging, in and of itself, is an adventure for me, and while I’m thrilled with the warm reception “Waxing UnLyrical” has received, I’m also humbled by it. After all, I don’t blog as regularly as all the gurus tell you you should; so the very fact that anyone reads this blog is quite a thrill.
One of the great advantages about being active on Twitter is the excellent PR and communications practitioners I’ve met through it. More than that, it exposes me to excellent blogs and posts and is truly a great learning experience.
One of the said practitioners is Arik Hanson, APR; so I’m really flattered that this teeny tiny blog has been nominated in the “most thought-provoking” category (there are four) in the PR Readers’ Choice Blog Awards. Several of the blogs I read on a daily basis, and whose authors I admire greatly, made the grade as well, such as Danny Brown, Shannon Paul, Bill Sledzik and Ryan Stephens. If birds of a feather flock together, I’m in great company.
So to whoever nominated me, thank you. While I personally think hell will freeze over before I win, I’d be tickled if you’d scoot over and vote for me. And if you’d rather vote for someone else – that’s fine too. Just vote!
Through a Lens, Richly
Communicators: how do you use your lens to impact the world?
While channel-surfing a couple of years ago, I came across the documentary “Born into Brothels.” Having been born and brought up in Calcutta (now Kolkata), I was instantly captivated by the story. More than that, I was touched by Zana Briski’s commitment to these children born, through no fault of their own, on the wrong side of the street; and her covenant to open their eyes and bring them the riches of hope – through a camera lens.
The original Kids with Cameras. Source: Kids with Cameras
The Communicator’s Lens
When “Slumdog Millionaire” swept last week’s Golden Globes, I was reminded of the “kids with cameras,” and the power an image has to convey what, often, 516 words cannot. That is the essence of what we, as communicators, should aspire to, isn’t it? To convey a message to our audiences in such an efficient and impactful way that they are moved to action, enabling our clients or organizations to achieve their goals.
As communicators, we each have a unique lens through which we reach out to, and touch, the world.
Just in the last several days, I have come across many passionate communications professionals putting their networks to work for the greater good. Take Beth Kanter, who raised more than $3,500 for the Sharing Foundation which helps kids in Cambodia. Or Danny Brown, who’s initiated the incredible 12 for 12K campaign. You need look no further than your e-mail inbox, Twitterstream or Facebook friends to find countless examples of how an image – coupled with the power of connection – can change lives forever.
As my tribe that has overwhelmed me with birthday wishes today, I’m asking you to use the power of your lens to make a difference for the kids with cameras. You can:
- Join the Facebook group for Kids with Cameras. (We can’t donate to them via Facebook right now, but we’ll find a way to help them.)
- Donate whatever you can – whether it’s $5 or $50, directly to Kids with Cameras. If you’re clicking through from this post, please select “Hope House,” since Avijit is already in the U.S. If you’d like to make the donation in someone else’s name, just check that box (and if you want to make it in mine, I’d be more honored than I can tell you; just make a note of that in your comment below so that I can send you my email address).
- If the amounts in option #2 above don’t work for you, you can make a donation of whatever amount is comfortable for you by either calling or emailing them a check.
- If you’re unable to donate or join the Facebook group (I know it’s a tough time) but would still like to help, just send me a note. We’ll find a way to put our talents to work for them.
- If this cause touches you, please tell your family, friends and colleagues about it. Spreading the word is the greatest power communicators have!
You can change the world through your lens. How you do it is up to you.
