One of our policy priorities, a bill to maintain document recording fee funding for programs that are ending homelessness, had a wild ride in the legislature this year. Advocacy, both online and in-person, kept pressure on lawmakers to ensure that important services like domestic violence shelters could stay open. Here’s a look at some of the tweets, blog posts, photos, news stories and Facebook updates that made a difference.
Firesteel Blog
Spark Change Podcast Episode 6: Storify
Storify is a tool for bringing together tweets, status updates, photos and videos to tell a story. Users can search lots of social networks from one place, drag individual elements into a single storyline, and add text to give context. This winter, McKenna Haley from Seattle University’s Project on Family Homelessness used Storify to tell the story of Washington’s Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day. We loved the way her piece came together, so we invited McKenna to talk with us about her experience with the free version of Storify.
Sounding the Alarm Gong for Homeless Services
Sideways rain soaked our clothes, and wind threatened to send our unsturdy blue plastic tent smashing into the steps of the Capitol building. Why were dozens of housing advocates huddled around a gong in that nasty weather?
Culture Watch: Jump Into the Mini Cooper for a Journey Across the American Economic Landscape With “Inequality for All”
If economic fairness isn’t on the forefront of your mind, it will be after you watch former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich narrate Inequality for All. The documentary took guest blogger Haley Jo Lewis's breath away with its creative, dynamic data visualizations of income inequality, and its heart-wrenching portrayal of a working mom with $25 in her checking account. Read on for takeaways from the film -- and a few rays of hope.
The Night Jane Realized Her Children Were in Danger, We Found Them a Place to Stay. Now the Program That Helped Them Faces Cuts in Olympia.
With just a couple of weeks left in the state legislative session, it’s a critical time to speak up for laws that will help end homelessness. We’re highlighting how state policies affect communities across the state, and sharing simple actions you can take to ensure everybody has the opportunity to live in a safe, healthy, affordable home. Today Sarah Foley from YWCA of Spokane, a new member of the Firesteel network, shares a story from her community.