We talk a lot about being the change you want to see in the world, but how do you do that? How do you get started? What if you’re like us, crazy-busy parents who are already juggling a lot of stuff? What if the word “activist” doesn’t seem to really apply to you?

On this week’s episode of Spawned, join us for a lively chat for some really helpful, useful tips from Elisa Camahort Page, cofounder and CEO of the Blogher Network, activist, business coach, and the co-author of Road Map for Revolutionaries: Resistance, Activism, and Advocacy for All. (Available from our affiliate Amazon or your local bookstore.)

Related: Kids and activism: 10 smart ways they can put their passion to good use.

Some of the topics we cover

-How to have more civil online discussions, and why it’s okay to set rules for your own Facebook or social media pages

-Why activism is really just advocacy for the issues you care about, and how it goes way beyond politics and government

-Why it’s great to get involved at the local level, how to find organizations already doing the work you want to do, and how to get started.

-How to figure out the one, two, or there issues you’re passionate about and want to impact — and why not to pick more than that.

-Ways to contribute to a cause you care about, beyond money

-How to use your own social platforms to talk about things you care about, and why there’s no such thing as “slacktivism.”

-How to be a savvy media consumer

Road Map for Revolutionaries is really a primer for changing issues you care about without having to be an activist or...revolutionary | coolmompicks

Must-watch video by Vox on how CNN operates like ESPN, creating panels that now treat politics like sports

-Alternatives to watching the news non-stop: Other ways to get diverse perspectives, using feed readers and selective news alerts, curating your Twitter feed. (Liz recommends Jen Mendelson of @ClevertTitleTK and the #resistancegenealogy hashtag)

-Why the country is less polarized than we might think

-How to measure and track small wins and other ways to keep yourself motivated

-The idea of work-life-activism balance

-Hilarious Twitter feeds to help you reset, including Emergency Kittens I Am Moshow The Cat Rapper, and You Had One Job.

 

You can listen to our podcast right here or through your favorite podcast app. Be sure to to subscribe to our iTunes feed so you never miss an episode! And…don’t forget to download our episodes, not just because you never know when you’ll be without a signal and craving a Spawned episode. It actually helps other listeners find us.

You can find Elisa’s book, Road Map for Revolutionaries: Resistance, Activism, and Advocacy for All through our affiliate Amazon, or visit roadmapforrevolutionaries.com to learn more.

 

Our Cool Picks of the Week

 

Elisa: Her new Air Fryer (we’ve recommended the Phillips Air Fryer in the past) helps her enjoy the deliciousness of fried food while hitting zero points on Weight Watchers. Check out these recipes on Cool Mom Eats for healthy air fryer veggies and air fryer burgers for inspiration.

Liz: Dyson Hot + Cool Purifier, Heater and Fan is keeping her drafty apartment toasty during the Polar Vortex, heats the room evenly, removes pollutants and allergens from the air, and is worth every penny. You can also control it with an app or use it with Alexa — though Liz doesn’t.

Kristen: Because she wants to share a gadget too, The Eufy robotic vacuum has changed her life. And that’s saying something! But wait! She has a second cool pick: Kristen also recommends the Heavyweight Podcast hosted by Jonathan Goldstein, a fascinating, heartwarming, well-produced human interest podcast to listen to…after Spawned, of course.