Third Annual Be the Media Mini-Conference at NPC

Challenges and Opportunities in the Age of

New Media for Grassroots Organizations

The annual Be the Media Mini-Conference helped participants understand the link between strategic communications and organizing strategies as well as learn more about essential communications tools and techniques.

Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Time: 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location: NonProfit Center
Cost: $15 - $35 sliding scale, includes lunch
Sponsored by: Progressive Communicators Network and Third Sector New England
Co-sponsored by: Project Think Different, Boston Women’s Fund, Resist and Press Pass TV

Communications and media work are powerful tools for organizers and nonprofits working on community and social issues, but they can also present challenges, particularly for under-resourced groups.

In recent years, the development of new media tools such as social networking sites, blogs with multi-media content, YouTube and cell phones as mass communication devices have both given groups more options and raised questions about where to focus already limited staff and volunteer time. At this year’s conference, we explored not only how to implement these tools, but identified what are their best and most impactful uses for grassroots organizations.

The conference was designed to serve change makers at levels of communication experience including those who are doing communications work as part of their current positions, such as organizers, executive directors or policy advocates.

Opening Panel: New Media as Communication Tools for Social Change

The panel was moderated by Charlotte Ryan, co-director of MRAP (Movement/Media Action Research Project).

Panelists included:

Nettrice Gaskins, artist, educator, youth advocate and community practitioner
Suren Moodliar, executive director of the Organizers Collaborative
Jason Pramas, editor/publisher of Open Media Boston

Morning Workshops

11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Workshop 1: Overview of New Media Tools

Workshop 2: Strategies for Shaping our Media Future:
Envisioning Change With the Boston Action Tank

Workshop 3: Strategic Communications Basics

Afternoon Workshops

2:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Workshop 4: Building Your Technology Toolbox

Workshop 5: Narrative & Power: Story-based Strategies for Social Change
Presented by Doyle Canning

Workshop 6: Creating a Video PSA Or Video Blog For Grass Roots
Presented by Wesley Richardson

Learn more about the 2007 event in Michelle Sedaca’s column, A View from the Center.