Immigration rights and social media strategy

This post was contributed by Micah Intern and LifeTogether blog coordinator Caroline Hunter.

Above is an interview with Dimple Rana, co-founder and co-director of nonprofit Deported Diaspora. Deported Diaspora works to support those under the threat of deportation both in the US and abroad.

I conducted the interview at an event through my internship called the 
BeTheMedia mini-conference. It was sponsored by Third Sector New England and Progressive Communicators Network, and offered a group of workshops focused on racial justice and using social media. As the English as a Second Language (ESL) Program Coordinator at the Irish Immigration Center (IIC), I needed first to get the message out to the public that The Irish Immigration Center needs and has an ESL program because we serve 

more than just Irish Immigrants.

We currently serve learners from Colombia, Russia, China, Guatemala, Haiti and other countries. I also wanted to learn as much as possible about how to use social media to promote immigration rights equality. As I have learned since starting at the IIC this fall, even tax-paying, family-oriented U.S. immigrants often face large obstacles to receiving basic labor and healthcare rights. I listened at the conference for ways I could use social media to connect with others who want to promote immigrant rights equality; I learned about how to build relationships online, and to help those relationships evolve alongside one's nonprofit organization.

Some highlights from the social media tips:

1. Social media is a way to connect with others of a like mind. Talk (type) as if you were having a conversation with those people. If your colleagues would be bored or annoyed in person by what you say, they will be on the Web also.

2. Be consistent. A danger of using social media is the temptation to dabble in many different communication tools while evaluating the usefulness of none of them. If you're going to use a tool like Twitter or ConstantContact, keep a close eye on how it works. If it doesn't work, figure out why, so you can find something better!

3. What's the difference between social life and social media? It's different for each person, so definitely ask yourself this question. Informational boundaries will give your communication a sense of purpose.

If you're interested in learning more about the Irish Immigration Center ESL Program, email me at chunter@iicenter.org for volunteer opportunities and resources!