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!
Classroom to Capitol 