 Using the Internet!
When planning a Journey for Justice event, use the Internet
to your advantage.
In the initial stages of planning an event, you can often
find needed information on the World Wide Web. For example, most
cities have their own web page, where they'll post local regulations
and permit requirements for utilizing public property for an
event.
If you can't find the page you're looking for, use the available
Internet search engines. One favorite is www.google.com.
For the above example, you would search for "Yourtown public
event regulations" or "Yourtown public event permits".
With practice you'll get the hang of finding what you need in
no time.
Once your event is firmly planned it will be included on the
Journey Event Schedule. Details for what to submit to our office
are found at: Getting an Audience.
If you're not on our November Coalition regular announcement
list, you should be! Just go to www.november.org/lists
to sign up!
Most daily and weekly newspapers have a website that includes
local events of interest; so make sure your event is listed in
both the print and online versions of the newspaper. Most churches
have their own website also, with a regular calendar of community
events.
Explore the potential of local clubs and civics groups that
may have an interest in attending (or co-sponsoring or hosting)
an event.
Most medium to large cities and towns have local branches
of the NAACP or ACLU, for example, and most will have a Web presence
of some sort. Once again, searching the Internet can help you
contact these types of groups.
When you have News Releases
and Posters and Flyers completed, you
can e-mail notices to civic groups, churches, and other nonprofit
groups.
You should also create a contact list in your e-mail address
book for all your local contacts. Most e-mail programs allow
you to create a contact list with as many entries as you need.
This way, you can keep many interested local parties abreast
of your event plans with a single e-mail.
Learn how to properly use an e-mail "Action Alert."
The Virtual Activist Guide goes into much detail on this subject.
The Internet and e-mail have become fully integrated into
our lives. Taking full advantage of what this technology can
offer is an important prerequisite for becoming an efficient
activist and organizer. Good Luck!
For more detailed information on how to use the Internet in
pursuit of social change, you can download
a complete PDF copy of The Virtual Activist, (© 1996-2002
and courtesy of NetAction (www.netaction.org),
a project of The Tides Center).
- Traditional versus Internet Communications
- Getting Started With Email Activism
- Is Your Action Alert Ready to Circulate in
Cyberspace?
- What Makes This An Effective Action Alert?
- What's Wrong With This Action Alert?
- Is it outreach, or is it spam?
- Tips for Effective Online Media
- How to Create A "Bcc" Email List
- Cyber Security Checklist
- Online Resources for Email Activism
- Online Media Advocacy Resources
- Online Resources for Cyber Security
The Drug Resource Coordination
Network (DRCNet) posts a weekly "Reformer's Calendar"
as part of their Week Online Newsletter available at www.drcnet.org/wol. Submit
your event to calendar@drcnet.org
for possible inclusion. Consensus among drug reform actlivists
is that this website has the most current, exhaustive and accurate
information on upcoming drug reform events.
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