Social Change and the MySpace Generation

An amazing case study in progress shows how social change can happen quickly within the MySpace generation. From Leadernotes (via Seth Godin): How to Raise $500,000 from Middle Class White Kids (and Why the Red Cross Never Will)

Three 20-something kids with a video camera wind up in northern Uganda. They see incredible horror and encounter heartbreaking suffering, most especially among children.Instead of turning their backs, they can't stop thinking about it. They decide to do something about it.What can three white kids do to stop 20 years of horror and war? They decide that alone they can't do much, but if they can mobilize enough other youth, they can influence the powerful.They know their audience - other youth. They use multimedia, they use rock music, they use myspace, they make music videos, they portray things raw and gritty and honest and authentic....They make their message viral and easy to share. Buy a DVD of their documentary and they send you two - one to share with someone.

They brilliantly merge online content with offline activities, such as house parties and private screenings. They provide materials to allow people to host their own house parties.

People who sign up online get regular updates on their Ipod to motivate and give them insider information.

The organization is dedicated to ending the war in Northern Uganda where children are abducted and forced to fight with the rebel army as child soldiers. For fear of being hunted by the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army), these children commute on foot every night to find safe places to sleep in their town centers. To date, more than 30,000 children have been abducted and forced into war.

The Invisible Children campaign that they started is sponsoring a nationwide event this Saturday April 29th in 130 cities. In this Global Night Commute, participants will walk to their cities’ designated locations and sleep outside on behalf of the invisible children of Northern Uganda. It will be interesting to see if they are able to get mainstream media coverage of this event, or if it will remain under the radar except to the youth population.