Shannon Moriarty is the editor and lead blogger for the End Homelessness blog at Change.org. The HRC’s Wendy Grace Evans talks with Shannon about how blogging helps fight damaging stereotypes of people who are homeless. Blogging also raises awareness and connects people. Shannon shares tips for homeless service providers interested in creating a blog.
Q: What have you learned by blogging about homelessness?
I have learned that a lot of people still hold very outdated stereotypes about people who are homeless. There is so much work to be done to educate people about the realities and complexities of homelessness in the United States. I’ve also learned that there are so many people who want to help, and many programs are doing amazing work.
Q: What are some of the challenges you face?
I try to strike a balance between calling attention to tragedies of homelessness while also giving people hope for change. I try to provide enough information to show that it is a fight worth fighting. I also reach out to guest bloggers who bring diverse voices to the site. I want to appeal to a broad audience. I’ve been working with Mark Horvath of InvisiblePeopleTV.org. I feature his videos that show the human face of homelessness.
Q: How does blogging help to end homelessness?
Blogging is an important way to dispel myths and stereotypes about homelessness. Unfortunately, homelessness usually makes the news in negative ways, though there are many positive stories out there. For example, recently everyone was talking about the new American Girl doll who happens to be homeless. It gave me a great opportunity to talk about the situation of homeless children. Blogging is a way to sound off about topics in the news. It helps bring accuracy and voices from the ground into the national conversation. Blogging is a powerful way to bring together voices and ideas from across the spectrum. Topics can include policy and advocacy, or stories about the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness.
Q: How do you try to dispel myths about homelessness?
I try to write in a way that appeals to a broad audience and I have learned a lot from website traffic reports. The most popular posts are myth-busting stories. For example, recently First Lady Michelle Obama was serving food at a soup kitchen. A man who was waiting in line for food snapped a photograph of her with his cell phone. People were up in arms, asking “what is a homeless man doing with a cell phone?” I responded by writing that people were making a lot of assumptions about this man. It was a great opportunity to start a conversation about organizations that are providing cell phone services to people who are homeless. It let us dig deeper into an issue that will normally only get thirty seconds on the nightly news.
Q: Do you have any tips for homeless service agencies that want to start a blog?
Blogging is great if you have the time. It’s a big commitment. It can take a lot more time than you would imagine. Blogs that are not updated regularly won’t get the traction they need. If you are a homeless service provider and short on time, I suggest using Twitter instead. It is micro-blogging. It’s a lot less work, but can be a great networking tool. If you have a blog, the best way to share your blog is to connect with other homelessness bloggers. Reach out!
Q: What homelessness blogs do you read?
I’m also full time student, studying Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University, so I don’t have a lot of time. I read the L.A. Homelessness Blog, which has just been re-named InforUm. Joel John Roberts has been writing it for five years. I also read SLO Homeless and Invisible People TV. I use Homeless.alltop.com to see the top stories on homelessness.
To contact Shannon, e-mail her at Shannon@change.org
Read the End Homelessness blog on Change.org