So I totally stole the title of this post (the ‘link love’ part), and I can’t even remember from where I stole it, which means that I can’t even give proper credit.
Not very Valentine’s Day-ish of me, hunh?
But there’s a lot to love here, and I want to share it, so the name seems appropriate.
Have a great Valentine’s Day, reading about poverty and policy and technology for social change.
That’s what I’ll be doing. Super romantic, trust me.
- How’s this for romance? My husband found me this data visualizer tool and thought of me. Yes, he’s wonderful.
- This piece from the Center for Law and Social Policy is dated (it’s about the government shutdown), but why I love it is as an example of informing practitioners about political and policy developments, in a style that is accessible and yet conveys urgency. It was a critical issue that every social worker needed to understand, and CLASP helped make that possible.
- I know that we know that fighting poverty is crucial to improving children’s health. But I appreciate media that tries to make sure policymakers know it, too. I am very concerned about childhood obesity and child well-being, but we won’t make headway there without addressing root causes, including dire economic deprivation.
- I love this piece. I love the reminder that one person can change a policy conversation. I love how political windows of opportunity work. I love the idea of expanding Social Security to provide meaningful protection against poverty in later life. I love it.
- And this one is not so February 14th happy. I hate what is happening to voter registration in my state. I hate the idea of thousands of voters in limbo. But I appreciate the outrage that is starting to bubble up about it, and I love the idea that we could turn this around.
- Here are a few pieces about social media and nonprofit organizations, a theme about which I don’t write as much as I used to, but which still interests me personally and professionally. For those of you mired in exploring your organization/campaign’s digital strategy, those checking out the options, or those surveying the field from a distance, here are some links for you to love. Which social media platforms are worth your time and energy? Why should CEOs play a hands-on role in their organization’s social media? What is the state of online fundraising today? What can you do to grow yours? Why is Twitter not always a reliable indicator of public opinion?
- There is little I love more than someone pulling back the curtain on social policymaking. This piece by the Economic Policy Institute does just that, revealing why 10-year budget deficit forecasts may do more harm than good. Process matters.
- Data-informed nonprofit management is good. Data-informed philanthropy, which can then set the right incentives and parameters for nonprofit functions, is even better. Good news here, people.
- And there’s hard to imagine anything less lovable than a joke about rape. Really. Which is why a successful protest and boycott, resulting in a significant policy and procedure change at a major institution (here, Facebook) is great. The lesson here is that we absolutely must not let stuff like this slide. Ever.
Happy Valentine’s Day, dear readers!
Love for everyone!
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