Global Weekly Update June 25, 2012
The Media Push Continues! Let’s Create a Child Survival Revolution.
On June 14 and 15, the U.S., India, Ethiopia, and UNICEF convened world leaders for a two-day Child Survival Call to Action meeting in Washington, D.C. The goal of the meeting was to create a roadmap for ending preventable child deaths in our lifetime. Leading up to the Call to Action meeting, the convenors engaged the public and others through their “Every Child Deserves a 5th Birthday” campaign.
The push for proper attention is not over.
We still need to to let the media, our communities, and our members of Congress know that ending preventable child deaths is now possible. Check out the latest pieces inspired or published by our grassroots on our blog as your media hits roll in. We can’t wait to compile all that you’ve been publishing and leverage it further.
Here’s what to do next:
1. A refreshed editorial packet, titled “Saving the Other Half: How the World Can End Preventable Child Deaths,” is available, reflecting outcomes and promises made at the Call to Action meeting. You can use the June laser talk to pitch the idea of a child survival editorial highlighting this critically important meeting and its impact.
2. Share and use the June action sheet to get letters to the editor published and to find tips on amplifying your media success by sharing your pieces and other national press through social media. Remember that when letters and relevant articles are published, it is smart to share them with the RESULTS office (if you have written them), on Twitter and Facebook, and with your members of Congress.
3. Organize a child survival conversation. Start by inviting friends and colleagues to check out the archived webcast portions from the Call to Action meeting. Then gather for coffee or at your RESULTS group’s next meeting to discuss. Or fire off a letter to the editor in response to what you heard and encourage your friends to do the same!
RESULTS is one of few organizations bringing attention to this issue through the media, so our media work is critical. Let us know if you need support making this request. Find your media contact information here. You can also listen to a recent child survival media brainstorming call or listen to the June national grassroots conference call on global poverty featuring Caryl M. Stern, president and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, if you want more good information and ideas.
Preparing for the International Conference
A RESULTS International Conference session has been approved as an International AIDS Society Conference affiliated session! Planned for Saturday, July 21, 4:30-5:45 pm, the session entitled “An End to the Global AIDS Epidemic: How Past Progress Can Inspire Future Action” will feature Buck Buckingham, the director of the Office of Global Health and HIV for the Peace Corps.
There’s more for you . . .
1. Get psyched up about the International Conference and how it coincides with the International AIDS Conference by coming together with us on Saturday, July 14 for the national grassroots conference call! Dial (888) 409-6709 a few minutes before the 2 pm ET call and gather your fellow advocates for a fantastic hour featuring Stephen Lewis, co-founder and co-director of AIDS-Free World and former UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa.
2. Most urgent preparation items: Use our IC preparation checklist to make sure you are on track with your trip preparation. Two things that should be on your to-do list this week: Take the customizable letters now available so you can begin inviting your members of Congress to our spectacular conference reception! And begin scheduling your Lobby Day meetings, letting us know the details online. Find guidance on setting up your meetings here.
3. It’s time once again to submit nominations for the Cameron Duncan Media Award. This award, which will be presented at the RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund International Conference in Washington, D.C., is given each year to a journalist who has demonstrated outstanding reporting of issues related to poverty and hunger. While there is no requirement for the journalist to accept the award in person, we will try our best to get the winner here to DC for the International Conference. Along with a nomination of one or two paragraphs in a letter or e-mail, please submit relevant clips from the past 12 months that demonstrate the journalist’s dedication to our issues. If you have any questions, please contact Director of Communications Blair Hinderliter.
4. Need a roommate? Want to ask advice from previous attendees? Anxious to chat with other folks who are coming to DC? Check out our International Conference discusson thread on the My RESULTS forum.
5. Fire up your Twitter account and use our official conference hashtag, #RESULTSConf (search for it on Twitter), to keep track of and contribute to the buzz before, during, and after the conference!
We are less than one month away from the conference and our special room rate at the Doubletree Hotel expires on July 2nd. Register for the conference and then book your room!
Unable to Join us for the International Conference? You’re Still Part of the Action!
The International Conference is a spectacular once-a-year event, but just because you can’t attend this time around doesn’t mean you can’t be part of the action and momentum that the conference offers.
- Someone from your group going to the conference? Write a letter on one of our issues and give it to that attendee so it can be hand-delivered to Capitol Hill!
- Take time now to book an in-district meeting with your senator or representative for the August recess.
- Alert your local media that a fellow activist is making the trek to Washington to speak up and speak out!
- Make a donation to the Karen McQuillan Fund to help a fellow RESULTS’er make it to this or a future conference.
- Organize folks at home to make calls to congressional offices on Lobby Day (Tuesday, July 24) to support our issues. (You can find a list of recent action sheets in our archive, and these will help you with your requests.)
- Tweet with our conference hashtag, #RESULTSConf, and follow the action, too!
The Race is On!
All walkers and runners are invited to participate in a fun new part of our International Conference. We’re putting together a team for a 5K race taking place near our hotel following the Saturday evening kickoff session. The Crystal City Twilighter 5K is a 3.1 mile race at 8:30 pm on Saturday, July 21. Maps to the race will be included in the conference folders, so every one can cheer us along the way. Please let Cindy Levin know if you will be participating.
Step 1: Register for the race at this link Crystal City Twilighter 5K. The cost is $40
Step 2: Join our Twilighter 5K fundraising team and create your own fundraising website on the RESULTS Race to End Poverty website.
Step 3: Invite all your friends to donate, and hit the road to train for your run/walk!
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
– Helen Keller
July 11: RESULTS Introductory Call. 9 pm ET. Contact us with any questions and RSVP for the call.
July 14: National grassroots conference call for global campaigns. 2 pm ET. Dial (888) 409-6709 a few minutes before the call. Join us for a fantastic call featuring Stephen Lewis, co-founder and co-director of AIDS-Free World and former UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. Use our new flyer to promote the call and invite others to join your group for it! (Check out our conference call archive, too!)
July 16: RESULTS Free Agents call. 8 pm ET. Dial (218) 486-1611, passcode 7378587 (RESULTS) to join. Are you a RESULTS activist with our global poverty campaigns, living in a town with no RESULTS group? You are alone no more! Contact Lisa Marchal for more information on this monthly support call.
July 21–24: RESULTS International Conference in Washington, DC
July 27: RESULTS Introductory Call. 1 pm ET. Contact us with any questions and RSVP for the call.
August 6 and 20: New Activist Orientation. Dial in to (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262 at 9 pm ET on August 6 and 20 to get more details on how RESULTS works and how to bring your powerful advocacy work to life. For more information, contact us.
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