ning!

Sorry to post so late. I've been debating all week about what to write in here... Anyway, here's what I decided on:

My friend Katie, a sophomore at Columbia University, is organizing a rally for students supporting US withdrawl from Iraq. She is working through the Columbia Democrats, but the plan is to involve students from throughout the east coast. I'm going to be "stage managing" the event, as well as helping solicit a Vassar contingent. You will probably all hear me bugging you about attending as it gets closer.

But how does this relate to alternative media? I'm glad you asked! Katie has used a social networking site called ning.com to create a network for people who want to participate. Ning allows people to make social networks in the style of Facebook or MySpace, but about anything. I think the site is a great activist organizing tool. The multitude of applications (groups, video posting, blogs, discussion boards) really cater to this kind of work. You can check out Katie's site about the rally at ouofiraq.ning.com. A lot will be added in the coming months, so keep an eye on it!

~julia

PS - I really encourage you to join the site, get involved, and attend the rally, which will take place in New York City on April 6th in Washington Square. I'm sure I'll be talking about it more and more as it gets closer, but feel free to talk to me if you have any questions.