Clay ShirkyClay Shirky was his sparkling, brilliant self at SXSW yesterday. I would go so far as to say just his one hour talk made my first day of the festival worthwhile. I’ve heard him speak before, though had never heard his views on global politics and social media. Citing Tunisian, Egyptian, and Libyan examples, he explained the 3 basic tenants of why we should not be surprised by social media’s effect on the global political landscape:
1.) Social media gives us the ability to synchronize across small and great physical distances 2.) Social media provides an avenue to coordinate our efforts to achieved shared goals 3.) Social media provides a way for all people to document and share the circumstances happening around them
In short, social media is the stage that political revolutions have been waiting for. The very best part of the talk was his closing in which he gave us his take-aways about how all of us can have a profound impact on global politics with the help of social media:
1.) Take the long view, not the weekend warrior approach. Pick a country you care about, and start following the social media buzz around the happenings in that country. Retweet your findings on a regular basis to find others who care about the politics happening in that country.
2.) Volunteer remotely. Many organizations now give us the ability to help a cause right from our couch. UN Volunteers, Radiofreenet, Ushahidi, and Global Voices are 4 examples of organizations that provide us with this opportunity for action.
3.) In our own backyards, protect the religious freedoms of all people, particularly those who practice Islam. There is currently a witch hunt underway against American Muslims, and it cannot be tolerated if we are truly to become an evolved society.
To top it off, Shirky is a remarkably down-to-earth guy. The man sitting next to me at Shirky’s talk pointed out that his blog, Shirky.com/weblog, has a a generic WordPress theme. No fancy design or catchy name – just really fantastic content. Despite his fame, talent, and tremendous intellect, seemingly none of that has gone to his head. He’s rare. A lot of people of his caliber and influence, particularly in the interactive space, have egos so large they barely fit inside the Austin Convention Center. By contrast, Shirky is a class act and I feel honored to have had the chance to hear him speak.
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
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Christa Avampato 