Activist organizations can build on moments of opportunity to expand and broaden their impact. Activists we spoke with from across a range of locations and contexts noted the importance of taking advantage of specific events, trends, and issues to draw positive attention to their cause(s), as well as taking advantage of technological opportunities, particularly in the form of social media.

“Newsworthy” events or incidents, whether positive or negative in nature, motivate individuals to get involved, which creates a space for providing action steps. For instance, a Black Lives Matter activist in the Southwestern United States discusses the work of the group in “teaching people who to be mad at” when something goes wrong. In the wake of events such as the mass shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando in June 2016, the group organized a vigil that mobilized a tremendous number of people to attend: 

I just started to organize a vigil...as one of the first vigils in the country, [we] organized a series of vigils the day of the shooting, so by that Sunday evening we had, I think it was 1500-2000 people [involved].

Activists clarify that these events are opportunities for people to initially get involved in an organization’s  work. Several activists emphasize that social media platforms are important for maintaining this engagement because they allow individuals to keep informed, share ideas, and learn about other concrete, on-the-ground actions to be taken. For example, Saviona Rotley notes that Women Waging Peace in Israel use WhatsApp as a platform for keeping members informed and for interacting with one another. In another instance, the “One Small Step” initiative in Northern Ireland initially petered out. This initiative aimed to get individuals across conflict lines to engage in one concrete action aimed at improving relationships, with a broader goal of helping individuals understand that change is everyone’s responsibility. However, in the age of social media, it has been possible to use Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms to disseminate the message and re-invigorate the campaign. 

Challenges you may encounter using this tool

• Although key moments can spark the interest of new organization members, they may lose interest and momentum after their initial involvement in a one-off event or short series of activities. It is important in the wake of key opportunities to find ways to keep activists involved and engaged. 

• While key moments can spark interest in social change engagement, they are also often moments of heightened anxiety and danger for activists. New followers will look to leadership that is well known and trusted to lead the way, so there must be established leadership for community-based organizations to build up a reputation and public trust prior to a key moment.

• Responding to key moments is not a viable long-term strategy as it is reactionary versus proactive. Social change activists should cultivate proactive approaches to change, while also standing at the ready to build momentum during key moments.