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Katie Bethell discusses Change.org a site enabling anyone with a cause to start up and run their own digital petition
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End up next we want to talk about magnifying.
Activism.
With the power of the Internet and we know all too well how powerful the Internet can be and how you can use it to your benefit and those were gonna talk about next joining me now -- Bethel.
Managing director of US campaigns for change dot Ford.
-- thank you very much for talking to us and I guess here this could be a very good thing but can it be and used.
Tampa did you -- might be a huge yet you know we have 30000.
Petitions -- out our website every month.
-- the vast majority of those petitions are all about people wanting to change their local communities and the world for the batter.
So change dot org it's a digital petition site.
For those -- -- it enables anyone with a cause to start up and run their own digital petition campaign.
What -- cost.
-- -- starting a campaign on change dot org is absolutely free.
-- when users coming to our website they just answer three quick questions.
What do you want to change who can make that change and why is it important.
It's super fast and just with answering those three questions you can start a campaign.
Share with your friends and actually have an impact on the world and in your community in Haiti you know on the Internet a lot of people they can always put in false information so obviously that's something that you always have to be aware of he's petitioners be verified.
When folks are just an -- say what their.
Usually trying to do is make a positive difference in the community we have safeguards in place on the back end to make sure that -- petitions -- being it is but that's very very rare name and look a bit younger people starting campaigns about.
People start campaigns about any issue you can think out from the very small like a woman he.
-- in my hometown of Seattle who started a petition because her son every parent's nightmare -- is in a school that only -- had a rotating cast out of substitute teachers and in one week and with only fifty signatures she got a permanent teacher assigned her classroom.
And it reaches to the very large everybody remembers what happened in the trade on Murton and then -- -- on Martin's parents.
Started a petition on change dot board to get that confessed killer.
-- bring him to justice.
And it -- campaign opened up a national conversation about race criminal justice.
And civil rights in America had and it's incredibly powerful also saying it was incredibly powerful it so I guess what what advice what elements.
Would you say helped make -- position.
For a petition successful and most of apple looks like the trip on -- one.
The most of -- petitions on our web say.
Start with a compelling personal story is something that happens -- -- that you was wrong.
And that you want to get public support to make it right.
So what we're looking for it is examples where when you look here the story you go oh my gosh I have to do something about that just last week.
A young woman named Savannah -- Was being prosecuted for tweeting the names of her sexual falters.
And another victim of -- sexual assault.
Heard it what was happening to Savannah started a petition on change shot board and in 24 hours those charges against -- were dropped -- that petition was so powerful because it got at that course and the right and wrong this is something that shouldn't happen.
And by speaking out isn't -- -- media and we -- -- can actually make a difference in what.
Does change dot org due to to help -- maybe support these these people who were coming onto -- to start these campaigns.
We'll look every -- at that 30000 but did in the month started at our website.
And we're looking for those strong.
Personal stories that -- point to the larger issues in America today.
And on our site when you go you'll see there's lots of tips and help for how to amplifier petition by sharing it with friends.
We help alert the media it's an amazing campaigns that are happening.
A great example of how this works is three girls in New Jersey started a petition on change -- -- asked for a woman to be a presidential debate moderator.
And I'm sure you saw the news today that.
A woman actually will be one of them a lot moderator is an accurate one of the three presidential debates -- -- so it's really great place to speak out and be heard would you -- that the petitions are generally more local or are they national.
A lot of the petitions are local and -- I just last week somebody won a campaign to get her knitting for a rifle range in Arkansas.
That's something that -- -- local community and access for the lot of course when officials.
And then there are things that are national in scope like the presidential debate moderator.
All right so then you you and your petition you're not necessarily guarantee that you petitions gonna win since the great.
I mean what's the biggest petition.
Her biggest win that you've ever seen.
-- -- -- Well last year with that -- Molly catch pole started a position to stop today at five dollar fee at Bank of America -- -- how I got reported on the story that would.
Credible that made it on to FaceBook.
And it was a huge sticking to the point where they actually reverse the bank's decision it was -- Exactly it was -- is partly because Molly Wood section amazing advocate for her campaign.
And partly because she was tapping into something that was happening nationally people were pissed off.
About why and about being nickel and dime and by the corporations and she did something about it.
That's incredible so you don't necessarily wind so -- -- -- -- what it's it's really referred to as a winning a petition vs.
I hate to say they were losing that the.
You know the thing about social media in general -- is that.
It's a powerful platform for speaking out so even if you don't get exactly what you asked for -- your petition just by starting a petition here raising the question and calling for change to make the world -- and that's incredibly important.
It's really important I guess that you were very creative in the way that you try to sell your partition because -- -- -- and sort of a lame way I don't think a lot of people are wanna jump onboard.
But if you may get dynamic and you have to sell it I mean it's -- like.
We do at a news business sell the story sell your attention to what.
I mean you have you'll need -- -- entire story in a way that makes sense to people all so that they can understand what's really happening and -- what you're asking for a important.
It's change dot org for anyone who wants to get more information they can go on to the website right.
Yes change that or start a petition today on anything facing you in your life today it'll make a difference okay that -- off some Katie got well thank you very much you've been managing director US campaign for change dot oracle colonel hunt them.
Get to the website and see if we can and we can read people's petitions on there as well we don't necessarily have to try to.
-- a petition in order to get involved.
Oh that's right there are thousands and thousands of petitions to -- for people all over the world so if you wanna make a difference by signing petitions.
Come to change dot org okay thank you very much Katie we appreciate you coming on and our viewers we appreciate you for sticking it.
Ticking along with us for the last thirty minutes of some inspiring stories and we hope you join us next Monday.
The same time same place same website here 2 o'clock highlights we'll see and a.
