Introducing a New Tool: allactivists

I’d like to announce the creation of something new, and hopefully awesome.

It’s the allactivsts email list.

Here’s the scoop:

Over the past few years, there have been a few attempts at making an email list for all activists on campus. In my time, there has been arc, arcliasions, changeagency, brandeischangeagency, bbcc, just to name a few. This new list consolidates them all into one email list for all activists on campus.

A few weeks ago, F-Board gave “activist” clubs much less money than it gave other clubs. If we had such a list back then, we might have used it to vent and quickly realize that we were all being screwed. As it was, we realized it gradually, too gradually to coordinate an effective response.

There are lots of ways this can be useful:

• People and clubs can advertise their events
• Find others to join or offer support to your campaigns
• Ask for cosponsors
• Ask for strategic advice in your campaigns
• We can pass around links to grants, internships, or fellowships that are awesome. (I will be doing this)
• We can use this to invite each other to parties
• We can use this list to link to very important articles in campus papers or other places
• I know Change Agency, at least, has money to give and will be using this list to do so.
• More ways that we haven’t thought of yet.

The above reasons. As well as the fact that anyone can email this list. You will have the opportunity and responsibility to email hundreds of dedicated Brandeis changemakers, whenever you want. You will have the responsibility not to abuse that power, and the responsibility to read and respond, as appropriate, to other people.

We now have a new tool. As we use this list, we will figure out how we can most effectively wield it. The important thing is that we experiment and be patient.

It better not. IF that starts happening, I promise to take steps to stop it. If this email list gets too high-volume, we might break into 2 email lists – a low-volume announcement one, and a high-volume discussion one.

Furthermore, if you log into lists.brandeis.edu, edit your membership mode to “digest”. This means that you will be guaranteed at most 1 email per day, summarizing the day’s activity.

Well, right now we just have an email list. That was the easy part. Its success will be determined by two factors: the people on the list and the conversations we have. Therefore, there are two broad ways you can help make this a success:

1. Add more people to the list: The more activists (god I hate that word) on this list, the better. Email your club list and ask them to join this one. Add your friends, etc. There are very few first-years here, and they are the future. Evangelize.

2. Add quality discussion to the list: Think about the sort of things we should be talking about. Then talk about them. Make this list a dynamic, helpful resource by asking and answering questions, posting opportunities, giving kudos to great work done by other clubs, etc. Please make this a community worth being part of.

I hope this will be a success. With your help, it could be.

So go here right now and sign up for the all-activists-on-campus email list.

Thanks!
This is a slightly edited version of an email I wrote in collaboration with Matt Gabrenya