Changing the World of Changing the World: Pushing the Models of Online Organizing

The Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard always has a cool and informative lecture taking place.

Today at 12:30pm, Ben Wikler of Avaaz.org, a 3.5-million member global online advocacy organization, will speak on how his organization is trying to expand its model of campaign organization via social media. To quote:

"Now, we're exploring ways to expand the model and increase capacity by devolving the process of campaign generation. How can we--or any similar group--empower larger numbers to shape strategy, while still putting the mass membership at the center?"

Sign up for the webcast here. Check out Wikler's Avaaz.org here.

Looking for something to read on your own time? Check out the Berkman Center's "Mapping the Arabic Blogosphere: Politics, Culture and Dissent."

Echoing Green Announces 2009 Roster of Social Entrepreneur Fellows

For more than twenty years, Echoing Green (the name is from a Blake poem) has provided new leaders who possess vision and a smart idea (in areas such as civil and human rights, education and youth leadership, health, and public service) with the seed money and support to put their ideas into action.

The angel investor just announced its 2009 slate of fellows and the group is very impressive. Here is a taste of some of the projects they hope to implement with Echoing Green's guidance and support:

Adam Stofsky/New Media Advocacy Project: Stofsky wants to empower defenders of human rights and social justice by integrating video and internet social networking into their advocacy strategy, enabling them win their legal cases and organize communities. Click here to read more.

Angie Beatty and Shawn McKie/The J.U.I.C.E Project: Through this project, Beatty and McKie will combat disease mortality in inner cities by reimagining the corner store as a one-stop shop for nutritious yet affordable food, free exercise training/activities, media/health literacy education, and art programs. Click here to read more.

Barbara Bush and Jonny Dorsey/Global Health Core: Bush (Yes, W's daughter) and Dorsey hope to build the next generation of global health leaders and improve the quality of healthcare services for the poor by connecting outstanding young professionals from around the world with health-focused organizations. Click here to read more.

Bethany Henderson/City Hall Fellows, Inc.: Henderson's idea is to incentivize and empower diverse, top college graduates to tackle social ills from within existing government institutions, thus ensuring our cities have leaders capable of confronting cities’ myriad challenges. Click here to read more.

Those are only four of the fourteen fantastic ideas to make the world a better place. I encourage you to read though each fellow's ideas by clicking on this link. If you are too lazy to read, you can watch this video:

The Spread of Global Consumerism Brings Traveling Salesmen to India

"'Brother, why would you need a cellphone?' one performer asks as he passes the only microphone. 'To flirt with the most popular girl in the village,' comes the answer. The crowd giggles."

Read more of the Wall Street Journal's "The Infomercial Comes to Life in India's Remotest Villages" to learn about how rural advertising is spreading the gospel of consumerism.