Introducing a new BlogHer Community Initiative: BlogHers Act

This is what women do best! I love this. I think we can do some really cool stuff that will have lasting impact on the world as we know it. The upcoming elections will undoubtly change the way politics and those that operate within her realms will exist. I would caution that we keep our focus to one or two things that we can do, and do exceedingly well. The issues out there are gigantic and we can easily lose site of trying to make an impact. I would also suggest that we take on issues that may be controversial, but need a woman's voice to elevate its cause. In any event we got to make it funky and beleive that what we do is making a difference today, tomorrow and beyond.

Love,
Babz
Link Text ( http://www.lovebabz.blogspot.com )

This is such a great idea, and just another way that BlogHer is empowering women. Thank you BlogHer.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at Women 4 Hope ( http://women4hope.wordpress.com/ ) and CatherineBlogs.com ( http://www.catherineblogs.com/ )

A writer I really respect just wrote via email, "I think that what makes or breaks an initiative like this is making it ACTIONABLE."

Amen, I say: Action is what completely captivated me about Cooper and Emily's pitch. These two women approached Elisa, Jory and me with:

1. The invitation to sound off on what we individually care about, in order to seek a collective cause

2. Not just talk. Walk.

Now Elisa has taken this idea to the next level, committing an entire swath of this year's conference--and next year's--to delivering on this opportunity, both a global issue and a voter manifesto for Americans. (For those of you who are neither in nor read-up on the ad network, we did a test case of sorts on group blogging for Doctors Without Borders last December and raised $10,000.)

Me? After years of yawping on and on about the power of American women as the voting majority, and wondering when we were going to pool our ballots on something big and go change the world, this makes me want to howl at the moon. Yes, in that good way.

The key is to deliver, and that means delivering action. The only way to do that is to get a serious discussion going on here at BlogHer in the same tradition of posts many of you have made on your own blogs and/or seen here (such as Catherine's Open letter to presidential candidates ( http://www.blogher.com/node/19411 ), Laura's Save the Internet ( http://www.blogher.com/node/18764 ) agenda, and Nordette's post on mothers living in poverty ( http://www.blogher.com/node/19693 )).

The more ideas we have, the more ideas we can vote for and against in the official survey, pick a red-hot issue and go make a difference.

Great to see Suzanne ( http://www.blogher.com/node/20442 ) and Virginia ( http://www.blogher.com/node/20451 ) and Mata ( http://www.blogher.com/node/20452 ) already articulating their priorities on the site. And we would love *all* of you to get as involved as you would like to be in the politics track on Day Two. Whether you're an American or not, this is a pivotal election.

So -- a huge welcome to Emily and Cooper. We are absolutely thrilled to have you and work together on this plan.

Best,
Lisa

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder ( http://www.blogher.com/member/lisa-stone )
Surfette ( http://surfette.typepad.com )

What a truly great initiative, Elisa! I'm proud to be a part of BlogHer.

We've been reading through the comments so far today and -- WOW. This project is going to be something very special. The possibilities are limitless, and, coupled with the PHENOMENAL talent and brains that is the BlogHer community, well, watch out. We are so honored and excited to be working on this. We really look forward to working with everyone to "make a world of difference!"

Let's get to work!

Best, Cooper and Emily

This is such a cool idea - I can't wait to participate. This is truly amazing!

BTW: in your image code you might want to change "totle" to "title"... :)

Especially to Jess, who brings me back to earth by pointing out my errant code!! :)

I can already see that the survey will have so many great ideas people will have trouble choosing. But I'm thinking this initiative renews every year, tackling a new issue. So hopefully we just keep on keepin' on.

Really getting both inspired (and sometimes upset) by reading everyone's suggestions. So much that could change.

Elisa Camahort
BlogHer and Worker Bees
elisa@blogher.org/elisa@workerbees.biz

This is a wonderful idea. I'll definitely take the survey.

Five Dollar Camera ( http://www.fivedollarcamera.com/blog/ )
Hypnotizing Chickens ( http://kathyp.wordpress.com/ )

Thanks for bringing this up Gillian.

It's an important distinction to note that the year-long BlogHers Act activism project is going to be focused on whatever global issue the community collectively chooses...and we have every reason to believe that it will be an issue that transcends geographical and governmental boundaries.

The second project is specifically geared towards a Politics session at BlogHer '07 that will focus on creating a voter manifesto, with the targets being the presidential candidates in Election '08 in the U.S. On the one hand, you're totally correct that this second project in the initiative and the session at the conference are U.S.-centric. On the other hand, given the impact of U.S. policy has on the rest of the world, this could also have global impact. (I'm imagining the impact if the U.S. voters made clear what we cared about, and it had little to do with what our government is running around doing right now.) In any case, it's a second separate project.

So, I hope that makes it clearer that the year-long activism campaign that Cooper and Emily will be helping us manage will be focused on the community's hot button global issue, not the voter manifesto for the U.S. Election '08.

Elisa Camahort
BlogHer and Worker Bees
elisa@blogher.org/elisa@workerbees.biz

Regarding No2 ... I think this topic reflects a US-centric world view. The topic could be framed as something like, "What do you think women in powerful positions (e.g. Angela Merkel, Condeleeza Rice and Helen Clark) should focus their attention on?"

(Angela leads Germany, Helen leads New Zealand and Condeleeza is in the Bush Administration.)

If the BlogHer community is to have a "collective impact on a global scale" it needs a global perspective, not a US-centric one.

http://momtoanangel.blogspot.com/2007/06/bloghers-... ( http://momtoanangel.blogspot.com/2007/06/bloghers-... )

Thank you for letting me be a part of this! I really enjoyed adding my two cents in here.

Global Warming through Population Control ( http://fasttimes.clubmom.com/fast_times/2007/06/mi... ). :-)

~Denise
Fast Times @ Homeschool High ( http://fasttimes.clubmom.com ) & Flamingo House Happenings ( http://www.flamingohouse.net</a )

This is great.

I would love to see more development with energy - renewable energy, sustainable energy like solar, wind and hydro (without the dams).

Does anyone remember the oil crisis in the 70's and the huge improvements with efficiency achieved then but ruined with a change of political climate. Imagine what could have been achieved if the same path had been stayed on 30 years on?

This can still be achieved with the will to make it happen.

Well done on this discussion.

Cheers
Belinda

Fashion Jewelry and Earring Holder Sale online! ( http://www.creativelybelle.com/sale/ )

Creatively Belle Blog ( http://www.creativelybelle.blog.com/ )