Media Marigolds
I am not and for the most part will not be an on the grounds protester, for more reason than I care to list here. It is something that I decided for myself since the beginning of my activism movement. I say this as the weekend protests are starting to roll in, which is making me reconsider. I hope the weekend protest will give more opportunities to others to rally in person. This was something that worried me. That in someway my contribution wouldn’t be enough. I realized community building was the best way to fight this fear. That is where United Volunteer of Tennessee (UVOTN). Right before our last community event UVOTN leaders, worked together for about four hours to get some technical things hammered out for the non-profit. They also got our organization chart figured out so roles and responsibilities were more clear and concise.
Don’t fear, I have not abandoned my or original group as one may insinuate. The SMASHThe Coup movement was my first taste of activism, and it honestly has been working great so far. We have done a lot of good work in raising awareness of the Coup happening in America. It has been nice, giving people something universal to get behind. I was very upfront about my need for something closer for activism. I knew living in a deep red state, I would need the community to continue fighting.
My problem is that I could not figure out how to do it in my own way. I realized quickly that to get out message out, we had to be noticed. When we talk about being noticed this means spreading the message as far and wide. These reasons and more are why social media teams are so needed in so many groups! The main question is how do you get involved? Here would be my few tips:
Talk to your group first! It does not matter how big or small the group may be on social media. When I was first joining UVOTN we had to spend a lot of time figuring out who had control over what social media. When you are thinking about starting a social media make sure you play to your strengths!
Use Meta apps sparingly to meet you on the alternate platforms. Meta apps take a ton of data so use them for outreach to other groups. They also seem to silence activism. We are currently working on which groups will transfer to what apps.
Finally, make sure there is cohesiveness throughout your logo! We have a shared doc with our logos and photos. This idea makes it easier to affirm faith within your group. It also makes your accounts recognizable across platforms.