Community leaders and organizers in this age are increasingly attuned to these shifts in technology. Many recognize the benefit of putting up a Facebook page, creating a twitter account and maybe logging a few reblogs on tumblr as a means to engage their audience. But too often the technology is seen as a strategy in and of itself. The Internet and social media, like fax machines, phone trees and the printing press before them, are simply tools, able to be used tactically to great effect.

1. “Beam Me Up, Scotty”
Social Justice in the Digital Age
Krys Freeman - @bLaKtivist.com
Saturday ~ May 7, 2011
Skyline College GSA Conference

2. If anybody speak to Scotty, tell‘im ‘Beam ME UP!’ -
“Window Seat” (e. badu)

3. Know the reference?

4. Star Trek (Late 1960s)
Exploration of the Milky Way
Galaxy
- aboard the Starship Enterprise
...is an allegory for the show’s
exploration of themes like:
• sexism
• racism
• nationalism
• global war

5. Media:
a means to tell stories (or create
dialogue) around issues that we
care about

6. Traditional Media:
• TV/film
• music (audio/video)
• radio
• print
Characteristics:
- curated by a small group of privileged people
- contributes to how we see the world around us

7. (Social) Media:
a means to tell stories (or create
dialogue) around issues that we
care about

8. Today’s Media:
• traditional media +
• social net works
facebook
tumblr
t witter
Characteristics:
- allows anyone to share stories w/ their communities
- encourages people to create media of their own

9. Good Afternoon!
• Who I Am
• Where I’m From
• Why I’m Here

10. Why are we here?
• Conference Mission:
• stronger LGBTQQIA community within the San
Mateo Community College District & within
neighboring district colleges
• Learn from each other’s experiences as groups
and as individuals.
• Be equipped with tools on how to build and
strengthen the respective club of each college.
• Journalism at Skyline: to train students to
be media-literate members of the community

11. Why are we here? (contd.)
to workshop a concept or
campaign you’ve been working on or
thinking about launching – whether
you represent an organization or
work independently
(e.g. Skyline College GSA Conference)

12. Tell Us A Lil’ Bit About...
• Your Work/Goals
• Social Media You’re Using To Address
• What works?
• What doesn’t?

13. Tool #1 - Listen
How can we use listening as a tool for
building community?
- keep an eye on people who are talking
about similar topics (allies)?
- listen for people who might want to
join your community
- get a sense of the rules of
engagement

14. Tool #2 - Identify an Audience
Who are you talking to?
• What Age? • Race?
• Sex? • Sexual Orientation?
• Gender Identity?

15. Tool #2 - Identify an Audience
Where do they hang out (online)?
• Facebook* • The Definition?
• Tumblr* • Downelink?
• Twitter* • Myspace?
• flickr? • Xanga?
*Relying on hugely popular social net works, simply
because they are popular, may not serve your
organizational goals - look for your niche!

16. Tool #2 - Identify an Audience
• how do i grow it?
•good/relevant content
•how do i feed it?
•actively provide content - on a schedule
• how do i prune it?
•don't follow or add people irrelevant to your
mission and audience

17. Tool #3 - Do Research
- obser ve what is interesting to your core
audience
- obser ve orgs you may want to work with
- consider intersectional alliances
- why to you want to be in community with
them?
- what are their strengths?
- what do you gain from alliance?

18. Tool #4 - Build a coherent online presence
•That doesnt mean DONT join every social net work :-)
•Only join sites where your core audience will be
•Stay abreast of other sites, but do not commit too
many resources to places where your people are not
present

19. Tool #5 - Reciprocate
Acknowledge folks who acknowledge you...
- If you're listening closely you'll spot cues for
when to contribute - either direct or indirect.
- Freebie: you should absolutely (RT/reblog/
share) anything from your allies that would be
compelling to your core audience
- Respond when a mention, or a relevant topic
shows up on your radar

20. Tool #6 - Practice Brevity
How long are you willing to listen
to someone else?
- Spend more time recognizing others
than you spend promoting your event or
cause to your core audience
What NOT to do:
•facebook event spam
•t witter spam = promotional posts only
•mailing list spam

21. Tool #7 - Use RSS
• Map Your Social Sites
• Identify your Hub
• Determine a flow for your content
• Syndicate thru your channels

22. my abbreviated map

23. Skyline GSA
•Facebook:
•http://www.facebook.com/skylinegsa
•Tumblr:
•http://skylinegsa.tumblr.com/
•Twitter:
•http://t witter.com/GSASkyline
•Youtube:
•http://www.youtube.com/skylinegsa
•Event Website:
•http://gsacon.wordpress.com

24. Skyline GSA
Currently:
• Content posted
•++ facebook
•+ t witter
• Promo video and blogs to update people
about the conference
• Event on Facebook for RSVPs

25. Skyline GSA
Recommendations:
•tumblr: GSA (Hub)
•wordpress: Conference (Hub)
•increased correlation bt wn tumblr &
wordpress
• e.g., skin tumblr to match wordpress

26. Skyline GSA
Recommendations:
• wordpress to tumblr
• tumblr to facebook
• use RSS - MailChimp
• Regional: start a San Mateo CC GSA group
tumblr blog - rather than Ning (?)

27. What else?

28. Questions?
Krys Freeman
@bLaKtivist.com
530.426. bLaK
Founder - theDefinition.org
Board President - BUTCHVoices.com

29. Thanks!
Skyline GSA
Skyline College
@PiathaBia :-)
And ALL of you for coming!