Comments on: Politics 2.0 and Women Candidates http://www.fem2pt0.com/2009/01/13/politics-20-and-women-candidates/ society’s issues + women’s voices Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:19:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Teri Leavens http://www.fem2pt0.com/2009/01/13/politics-20-and-women-candidates/comment-page-1/#comment-1942 Teri Leavens Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:41:43 +0000 http://www.fem2pt0.com/?p=412#comment-1942 Sarah, Gloria, MadamaAmbi and Suzanne, I agree with all you've said! Through reading about Obama and his relationship with the press, I sense Obama is not be a big fan of 'traditional press.' He understands the value of the internet and has has already instituted a blog on the White House website. Throughout his campaign, Obama compiled a database of supporters, 13 million email addresses strong, and it will be interesting to see how he will use this database compared to traditional media - it is mainly through the internet that he has gained such a large database. I think the media is increasingly growing fragmented and having a presence on the internet will be absolutely vital for any candidate here on out. Sarah, Gloria, MadamaAmbi and Suzanne, I agree with all you’ve said! Through reading about Obama and his relationship with the press, I sense Obama is not be a big fan of ‘traditional press.’ He understands the value of the internet and has has already instituted a blog on the White House website. Throughout his campaign, Obama compiled a database of supporters, 13 million email addresses strong, and it will be interesting to see how he will use this database compared to traditional media – it is mainly through the internet that he has gained such a large database. I think the media is increasingly growing fragmented and having a presence on the internet will be absolutely vital for any candidate here on out.

]]> By: Suzanne http://www.fem2pt0.com/2009/01/13/politics-20-and-women-candidates/comment-page-1/#comment-1057 Suzanne Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:48:01 +0000 http://www.fem2pt0.com/?p=412#comment-1057 Thanks for bringing up the "c" work, Gloria. One of the many amazing things about the Obama campaign was the willingness to use the Internet in a truly 2.0 manner. Even now, we -- or anyone with computer access -- can participate in helping shape the country's agenda. It is our fervent hope that the upcoming Fem 2.0 conference will help mainstream advocacy groups equally embrace these tools to teach and learn from their members and the many unidentified, non-members out there who are eager to participate in building a more fair and just society for women and families. Thanks for bringing up the “c” work, Gloria. One of the many amazing things about the Obama campaign was the willingness to use the Internet in a truly 2.0 manner. Even now, we — or anyone with computer access — can participate in helping shape the country’s agenda. It is our fervent hope that the upcoming Fem 2.0 conference will help mainstream advocacy groups equally embrace these tools to teach and learn from their members and the many unidentified, non-members out there who are eager to participate in building a more fair and just society for women and families.

]]> By: Gloria Pan http://www.fem2pt0.com/2009/01/13/politics-20-and-women-candidates/comment-page-1/#comment-1053 Gloria Pan Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:39:27 +0000 http://www.fem2pt0.com/?p=412#comment-1053 MadamaAmbi, you are absolutely right about the communications skills, and the word we've been skipping around is "control." Before, organizational communications was very controlled - the message was massaged and shaped before being sent out. But effective online communications revolves around free give and take, and you can toss control out the window. Online communications is not about "this is what I'm telling you," but "let's talk and learn from each other." And yes, women have depending on this kind of communication since the dawn of time. The other important issue you bring up is access, or the "digital divide." The good news is that much of the Internet is moving to phones, which has a much lower economic threshold. If, in Japan (where the digital divide is not an issue), entire novels can be written and read by people on their cell phones as they do their daily 2-hour commutes, the way lies open for those in poverty to fully access the Internet through phones. And thanks for the heads-up about Engage Her - hope they hear about Fem2.0 and join us! It's so exciting and inspiring that there is just so much excellent and important work being done right now by and for women. I'm so sad you won't be joining us. We're working hard to figure out how to live-stream it. MadamaAmbi, you are absolutely right about the communications skills, and the word we’ve been skipping around is “control.” Before, organizational communications was very controlled – the message was massaged and shaped before being sent out. But effective online communications revolves around free give and take, and you can toss control out the window. Online communications is not about “this is what I’m telling you,” but “let’s talk and learn from each other.” And yes, women have depending on this kind of communication since the dawn of time.

The other important issue you bring up is access, or the “digital divide.” The good news is that much of the Internet is moving to phones, which has a much lower economic threshold. If, in Japan (where the digital divide is not an issue), entire novels can be written and read by people on their cell phones as they do their daily 2-hour commutes, the way lies open for those in poverty to fully access the Internet through phones.

And thanks for the heads-up about Engage Her – hope they hear about Fem2.0 and join us! It’s so exciting and inspiring that there is just so much excellent and important work being done right now by and for women.

I’m so sad you won’t be joining us. We’re working hard to figure out how to live-stream it.

]]> By: MadamaAmbi http://www.fem2pt0.com/2009/01/13/politics-20-and-women-candidates/comment-page-1/#comment-1047 MadamaAmbi Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:15:39 +0000 http://www.fem2pt0.com/?p=412#comment-1047 Gloria--I wonder if part of the "hesitation" is also because you have to have communication skills to use online tools. On Twitter & FB, for instance, you have to know how to give and take, express yourself genuinely (or, sometimes, snarkily) in 140 characters or less, reach out without hard sell, remember details about people, and extend your "caring consciousness" to a huge group of people you've never met in person!!!! Women have been depending on these skills in their everyday lives as mothers, workers, students of the dominant culture...men do hierarchy, women do relationships...sure, it's a generalization with many exceptions, but I think it holds, at least for my generation of BabyBoomers... Living online also helps disabled people get into the game, which is why I'm so happy that more feminists are getting online and into media...this is where I live...I worry, though, about women/girls who don't have the communication tools so many of us have incorporated into our consciousness...how do girls who live in poverty get into the game?...I want to get them online and into the conversation. It's critically important, imo, to include this population. Also, I want to take this opportunity to plug an organization that is working to bring multicultural girls/women into political process. Mable Yee of EngageHer is specifically targeting women/girls who right now don't even vote. Yep, the stats are that a significant percentage of this population doesn't vote. EngageHer is organizing a conference to be held in Northern CA, around April. I'm not a slated speaker, just someone who is concerned about the same population of women and girls. Gloria–I wonder if part of the “hesitation” is also because you have to have communication skills to use online tools. On Twitter & FB, for instance, you have to know how to give and take, express yourself genuinely (or, sometimes, snarkily) in 140 characters or less, reach out without hard sell, remember details about people, and extend your “caring consciousness” to a huge group of people you’ve never met in person!!!! Women have been depending on these skills in their everyday lives as mothers, workers, students of the dominant culture…men do hierarchy, women do relationships…sure, it’s a generalization with many exceptions, but I think it holds, at least for my generation of BabyBoomers…

Living online also helps disabled people get into the game, which is why I’m so happy that more feminists are getting online and into media…this is where I live…I worry, though, about women/girls who don’t have the communication tools so many of us have incorporated into our consciousness…how do girls who live in poverty get into the game?…I want to get them online and into the conversation. It’s critically important, imo, to include this population.

Also, I want to take this opportunity to plug an organization that is working to bring multicultural girls/women into political process. Mable Yee of EngageHer is specifically targeting women/girls who right now don’t even vote. Yep, the stats are that a significant percentage of this population doesn’t vote. EngageHer is organizing a conference to be held in Northern CA, around April. I’m not a slated speaker, just someone who is concerned about the same population of women and girls.

]]> By: Gloria Pan http://www.fem2pt0.com/2009/01/13/politics-20-and-women-candidates/comment-page-1/#comment-1046 Gloria Pan Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:37:22 +0000 http://www.fem2pt0.com/?p=412#comment-1046 Campaigns and organizations may be afraid of getting online, but the fact is, all the people within those campaign and organizations are already online - they email and Google at the very least. Women, especially, are highly dependent on our computers and the Internet to juggle work, family, community and a myriad of other things, and women candidates and women’s political organizations, as individuals, are no exception. So why the hesitation? Part of it is resources, part of it is deeply entrenched organizational culture, part of it is constituencies who don't like change - all hard things to get around, but it's so important that they do. By embracing the Internet, they open the door to new supporters across generational, cultural and media divides that can help kick up a new wind behind them as they bang on the doors of Congress, a wind strong enough to push them through the doors and affect change. Campaigns and organizations may be afraid of getting online, but the fact is, all the people within those campaign and organizations are already online – they email and Google at the very least. Women, especially, are highly dependent on our computers and the Internet to juggle work, family, community and a myriad of other things, and women candidates and women’s political organizations, as individuals, are no exception. So why the hesitation? Part of it is resources, part of it is deeply entrenched organizational culture, part of it is constituencies who don’t like change – all hard things to get around, but it’s so important that they do. By embracing the Internet, they open the door to new supporters across generational, cultural and media divides that can help kick up a new wind behind them as they bang on the doors of Congress, a wind strong enough to push them through the doors and affect change.

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