Social Media and how I use it for FSLDM

Last week I posted my first YouTube video. It marked the first clip in a series of weekly updates for supporters of the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement. I outlined several objectives for the group, one of which was recruiting volunteers. Here are the reasons for the first crew of volunteers:

(a) to build more cohesion among the hundreds of thousands of supporters we have on Facebook
(b) to seek help from volunteers who are eagerly offering their support and skills to help our group (Paul Ramirez's wonderful logo is just the beginning of more things to come, and from other talented individuals from all sorts of fields and industries)
(c) to make a concerted effort to raise money from the base

Those are three specific goals that any grassroots movement establishes in order to get itself off the ground and running.

Thanks again to those of you who support the movement, are volunteering, and remain enthusiastic. Overall, people understand the reasons why we are on a fundraising drive. There are, however, a few who are insulted by this mission. (And just to repeat what I said on YouTube last week, countless times on Facebook, and this blog, I am seeking as many alternatives to raise money - grants, corporate sponsorship, etc).

Again, I will make it clear that the countless hours I've put into the FSLDM as its Promotional Writer and Dir. of Marketing, among other things, has been done for nothing. That's perfectly fine. It demonstrates, in my mind, my level of commitment to this group and the belief that we will turn this organization into something positive and powerful for graduates in the near future. But as most of you are aware, if we are to go after the lobbying groups for the student lending industry, we need funds that will enable me to effectively lobby on behalf of the group. (I also need funds to cover simple things like stamps, a living wage, etc.).

Instead of focusing on a few bad apples and harsh critiques, I wanted to discuss the way in which I use social media for this movement. As many of us recall, when Facebook was created it was only available for students. If you didn't have a school email address, you could not be a part of Facebook. Its popularity was an instant success. At that point most of us used Facebook to connect to our friends and acquaintances. We'd put status updates to alert our friends about the mundane things we were doing (people still use it in this way). As a Ph.D. student I actually began to use it in a different way than that, and my friends, who were also becoming my colleagues, used Facebook to share thoughts about historical theories, secondary literature, etc. That's when I began to realize that the content you chose to include on your Facebook page didn't have to be personal. Again, there's nothing wrong with people using social media for personal reasons. However, Facebook as a tool to garner support for political movements, raise money for organizations, and attract critical buzz for important causes was quickly realized. (Before Barack Obama was elected, the Senator and his staff of campaign managers realized the power of using social media early on).

I'd spent a lot of time thinking about this student lending situation. I've also had my share of long and interesting conversations with friends in academia about their thoughts about higher education and student loans. I was delighted when I found Robert. Our professional relationship is something I value highly. Because I firmly believe in his stance about student loan debt forgiveness, and knew I had a lot to offer him, I decided that volunteering for this movement was critical. 

At the same time I began exploring the ways in which I - as the Promotional Writer and Dir. of Marketing for FSLDM - could use social media to further our cause. That means that I use social media in ways that are not only personal.

It has effectively helped me reach out to thousands of people, raise awareness about our group, etc.
The time and effort put into using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are paying off. I'm having real encounters with people. Just a few nights ago I had a long discussion with two individuals in California. They want to help out the movement in any way possible, so we had a long talk about the skills they can bring to the table and what they'd like to do to help Robert and me. These two supporters know that through helping us, they'll be contributing to a collective cause for millions of Americans.

On that same evening, I met with an enthusiastic, highly-intelligent individual in D.C. He found out about me after reading an article online. The FSLDM was briefly mentioned, so he sought me out on Facebook  and "friended" me. We then had a meeting about ways in which he could be of service to the group.

Social media is proving to be indispensable for organizing people across this country for our mission. We are not alone in how we are using Facebook and Twitter to attract more supporters, raise donations, and build a stronger coalition. FSLDM is at the cutting edge in how it uses social media, and I am glad to be at its helm as the group's social media consultant!