Occupy Chicago – Anatomy of a Social Media-Powered Movement – May 8th Dinner Program

The Occupy Movement has dominated the news for much of the past year since it exploded on the US scene with Occupy Wall Street in New York last September, with the “We are the 99 percent” slogan. In less than two months, Occupy shifted the economic discussion in the U.S. from national debt and austerity to lack of jobs; failing infrastructure and services; corporate hubris and corruption; and the stark shift in ordinary Americans’ belief that opportunity exists as they look to the future.

In the same timeframe, this international protest movement has re-galvanized the nation’s labor and grassroots movements, drawing thousands of people to participate in demonstrations against social and economic inequality in society, and drawing the kind of right-wing vitriol and state repression not seen in the United States since the cultural revolution of the 60’s and 70’s. The defining slogan of “We are the 99%” refers to the concentration of wealth among the nation’s top one percent of income earners compared to the other 99 percent, and wealth disparity has become an important element of mainstream political debate.

Occupy activists are leading the way in using web technologies and social media to coordinate events and participation that more mainstream organizations till now have only dreamed about. They’ve effectively put such online resources as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to use, communicating their message directly to the 99%, and using the combined impact of these services to “turn the camera” on the “harsh repression tactics employed by the authorities and opponents.”

Join PRSA Suburban Chicago on Tuesday, May 8th, for an inside view into the Occupy movement. Learn how Occupy uses these tools, in a “participatory democracy” and how you can learn from this movement to revitalize your own communication methods to engage on an authentic level with the people who are vital to your company.

Presenter: Brian Murray
Communications Designer
Occupy Chicago Press Committee Volunteer
Brian has seen a bit of everything in more than a decade working in all aspects of communications design. His varied experiences have been centered around building clear messages. He has used communications design to inspire productive, multi-faceted dialogue across organizations and markets, and has designed and collaborated on communications campaigns for the public interest sector, large institutional internal communications, entrepreneurial start-ups, the natural products sector, as well as for targeting various youth demographics.

“Since early in my life, I’ve maintained an active presence within the farm advocacy community and the environmental community, and participated in various projects focused on the effects of international trade on the working class and indigenous people of North America.”

–Brian Murray

Join us for dinner Tuesday, May 8th – Register online. Free parking available onsite.

Agenda

• 6:00-6:30 p.m. Registration and Networking
• 6:30-8:30 p.m. Dinner/Program Follows