I am pleased to learn that I have been selected to present “Blogging for a Cause” at the 2009 Preservation Maryland Conference. This year it takes place on May 28-29 in Baltimore.
The idea of offering workshops on blogging for a cause came about because the Town of Elkton attempted to allow a big box retail store to develop 10-acres of valuable historic land. Once the development threat was known, I got involved in an advocacy project to save the property. But I couldn’t get print media to cover the story so after trying for months, while watching the situation deteriorate, I turned to a practical alternative, a blog called Someone Noticed. Almost overnight I’d become a blogger with a cause. The weblog served its purpose by creating far more attention on the proposal than I would have ever have been able to create in a newspaper. I’m now happy to report that the property is no longer at risk since the town has stopped persuing the development interest.
Having gained experience with using the blogosphere for a purpose, I decided to put together a workshop on my experience so others would understand how to leverage this new media for preservation advocacy. The program will present a cause study on this situation, introduce how to handle the technology, and discussed concepts related to leveraging this new media.