This week BlogHer introduced a new initiative: BlogHers Act. I introduced the initiative on behalf of me, Jory and Lisa here. Here's the basic idea:
Have you ever imagined the impact if every member of BlogHer – more than 11,000 bloggers strong and growing every day -- focused our considerable brainpower, ingenuity and influence on one red-hot issue? How about if that one red-hot issue was the focus of an organized, year-long campaign to make a measurable difference that this community cares about?
Yes, some of you have. And you've emailed all three of us (sometimes more than once!) to ask BlogHer to take a leadership position in bringing the BlogHer community of powerful women together to create real change
Today, Lisa, Jory and I are very proud to say "yes." We're introducing BlogHers Act. And just like the BlogHer Conference is the conference the community built, we want BlogHers Act to take on a cause the community develops.
So today the work begins: It's up to all of us to determine, between now and the conference, what project we'll unveil and kick-off an action plan for at BlogHer '07 this July in Chicago.
BlogHers Act is an opportunity for the BlogHer community to have a collective impact on a global scale. We're going to pick a single issue, organize a year-long campaign, and blog the heck out of it.
BlogHers Act will actually be comprised of two projects to kick off, one focused on creating a Voter Manifesto for a very important target audience: the U.S. '08 presidential candidates, and one focused on a global issue that we will select as a community and take organized action around all year long.
The BlogHer '07 conference will be a flashpoint for both projects, as we each project will have a session at the conference for people to work on the projects face-to-face. In fact, we'll actually be unveiling the single global issue that was selected by the community at BlogHer '07. Will you be there?
We've asked a blogging duo who has proven capability to galvanize people to action to help us, Cooper & Emily from the BeenThere Clearinghouse Hurricane Katrina blog.
You can find details on how you can participate in Cooper & Emily's initial post, and you can find out what various BlogHer members proposed in just the first four days in their week-one wrap-up post.
I, for one, am surprised that healthcare isn't MORE prevalent in the suggestions so far. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely been mentioned and included on lists of hot issues. But I'm waiting for someone to really blow our minds and twist our hearts in two with their healthcare story. Maybe one of you, dear readers?
You have until June 15th to blog your suggestion. Details here. And then look for our survey to finalize the issue selection, launching on June 25th. Oh, and you can also leave your suggestions in a comment on any BlogHers Actpst, and it will be picked up...including this one.
So, blog out everyone: what is the single hot-button global issue you'd like to see thousands of women blogger turn their laser-like focus upon and work for real, measurable change of the next 12 months?
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