Tag Archives: social-media

Meet Brandies Dunagan. Social Media Wiz. Leader. Storyteller.

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dunagan_brandiesIn 2006, Brandies lost her job. With only three weeks of unemployment left and unable to find work, it was a stressful time for her. She had nowhere to turn and even considered going back to a telemarketing job she loathed. She was on her own and unable to rely on her family for support.

Then one day, Brandies happened to see a TV news story about i.c.stars. Even though she wasn’t a techy person, she was drawn to the leadership development component and knew she was smart enough to learn about technology. Within weeks she completed the i.c.stars interviewing process and began the program.

“My training through i.c.stars has changed my life in ways I never dreamed of,” declared Brandies. “With the leadership skills I acquired, I now can think past the day-to-day chore of working to make ends meet, and instead create opportunities for others and make the community a little better each day.”

Read the full story of how Brandies uses her i.c.starts training to create real impact in the lives of youth looking for the same opportunities.

Barkada Circle is very fortunate to have Brandies on our upcoming social media storytelling panel, Who is the Face (and Voice) of Your Mission? on May 16. She will be moderating the discussion that includes our friends from the Arthritis Foundation and Big Shoulders Fund.

Sign up today and join the conversation.

Who is Your Social Media Hero?

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slideshare_socialmediaHere’s a clear and user-friendly presentation on Slideshare that will get you thinking about how best to delegate social media within your organization.

Then, after you’ve thought about it, consider attending our upcoming panel discussion on May 16 entitled “Who is the Face (and Voice) of Your Mission?” Learn how some local nonprofits are strategically using social media, not only to tell their stories with clarity, but also to make it easy for their advocates to share their stories and move others to act.

Click here for more info about the May event.

Like. Tweet. Share. Story.

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Barkada Circle’s 2013 storytelling ic-starsworkshop series begins with a 2-part social media offering: 

Social Media 1: Who is the Face (and Voice) of Your Mission? 

Thursday, May 16
5:30–8:00pm
i.c.stars
415 N Dearborn, 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

We bring together a diverse group of nonprofit storytellers who use social media strategically to keep their audience actively engaged with a clear story about the critical role each supporter plays and how they can make a difference. Our discussion leaders include our friends from i.c.stars, The Arthritis Foundation, and Big Shoulders Fund. i.c.stars is a social enterprise that trains low-income young adults in technology, providing them with employment opportunities and preparing them for community-based advocacy. The Arthritis Foundation puts a face on the disease, and aims to improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control and cure of arthritis and related diseases. Big Shoulders Fund provides support and a compelling voice to Catholic schools in the neediest areas of inner-city Chicago.

5:30pm – 6:00pm Introductions
6:00pm – 7:30pm Panel Discussion
7:30pm – 8:00pm Networking

We will serve coffee and tasty nibbles. Sign up early and your guests can come at no charge.

Register for Part 1

Social Media 2: Clarify and Amplify Your Storyopenbooks-logo

Thursday, June 13
5:30–8:00pm
Open Books
213 W. Institute Place, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60610 

This hands-on workshop is a practical application of the talking points from the May panel discussion for translating your story into an engaging social media campaign. We will get you started with easy-to-use worksheets outlining key components in a dynamic structure. This session is ideal if you are in the early stages of using social media in your marketing or if you’re looking for a refresher. We are fortunate to have as our presenter Alyssa VandeLeest, Founder of Prosper Public Relations, a marketing consultancy for social impact companies, and The Impact Innovators, a popular blog and community for social entrepreneurs. Alyssa spends her days helping mission-driven businesses raise awareness, build movements and inspire action. In 2011, she was recipient of one of PRWeek Magazine’s exclusive Personality of the Year Awards.

5:30pm – 6:00pm Introductions
6:00pm – 7:30pm Workshop
7:30pm – 8:00pm Networking

We will serve coffee and tasty nibbles. Sign up early and your guests can come at half price.

Register for Part 2

A Timeline Tells Your Story

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The other day, a friend posted on Facebook that he finds their new feature Timeline confusing. Others commented that they too were not loving it. I was about to join the club but decided to take a step back and have a closer look.

Given that Timeline groups your activities and posts by day/month/year, it does more than that. Look at your Facebook page and see if you agree. The first that jumps out is my billboard — the large picture on top showcasing a recent highlight of my life. As I scroll down, I see large image after large image showing me what I’ve said and who replied, where I’ve been and who were with me, what friends have shared with me and why I felt it was important, who joined my tribe and when they came into my life. Image after image after image. The cliché is coming to me but I’m not going to write it 🙂

It’s my life in pictures!…and yes words, but lots of big pictures. I’m a visual person so I am loving it. It’s a pictorial scrapbook with captions included. What’s fun is that I can go back in time, post a comment then reconnect with a friend and reminisce with them. (There’s someone I haven’t spoken to in years!)

Whether or not they meant to, Facebook’s Timeline organizes the dots of my life so I can connect them and tell my story. They make it visually engaging. My job is to reveal the meaning. Does your page help you tell your story? Like. Comment. Share.

As a reminder….

There’s still time to reserve your spot for our storytelling workshop and get the early bird rate. Register by Thursday, April 12.

Our workshop series kicks off on April 18 with Your Story Can Make You Extraordinary: A Writing Workshop hosted by the Rogers Park Business Alliance.

Imagine your organization has a spot for a tv commercial during the Super Bowl. What do you say to a captive audience of millions — in 30 seconds? This workshop challenges the conventional use of words. Stripping down your message into the bare essentials can be the key to revealing the most valuable aspects of your organization.

Space is limited to 12 participants. Register now for early bird rate. 

Click here for more information and to register.

See you April 18!