In the immediate wake of the November 13, 2015 Paris terrorist attacks, remarkable things began to happen on social media. French citizens and tourists visiting France used Facebook to let their friends and family know they were ok. Parisians tweeted #PorteOuverte (“Open Door”) to alert people to shelter locations. Days later, in Belgium, people flooded Twitter with cute photos of cats using #BrusselsLockdown, to confound possible terrorists from tracking police movements.
Here in NYC, in the days that followed the attacks, the Interfaith Center’s social media traffic more than doubled:
As ICNY’s social media manager, this is a scenario I have seen before. Earlier in the year, on January 7, when two men killed 11 people at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris, the Interfaith Center’s social media platforms also experienced big spikes in traffic:
When a tragedy occurs in France, one might wonder why people would pour onto the social media channels of a nonprofit organization in New York City. Of course, it is likely that people are looking to us for information. But I also believe that they are looking to us for something that is arguably much more valuable: assurance, and hope.
Certainly, we deliver that message of assurance and hope, but it isn’t something we throw online only in quick response to a tragedy; instead we build that message on a daily basis, throughout the year, in reports on our work. For people who would like assurance and hope for the future of our city and our world, check this out:
– We’re training public school teachers across the U.S. to teach kids about diverse religions in ways that foster respect for difference.
– We’re teaching social workers in New York City to raise their cultural competence, and provide more compassionate service to the people they serve.
– We’re helping faith communities in Harlem support parolees returning from prison so that they get jobs and become productive citizens, instead of falling into criminal behavior that would land them back in jail.
– We bring Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh and other faith leaders from around New York City together with city officials to talk about mutual concerns like homelessness, child welfare, racial profiling, etc., and to figure out how they might work together for change.
– We help young people develop their public speaking and writing skills, to support them in assuming leadership roles in this city in the very near future.
This is a glimpse of the day-to-day work we do at ICNY that enables all kinds of New Yorkers to work towards a better city and world. And this, I believe, is why people are right to look to ICNY in times of crisis – because our message isn’t a lament for a tragic present, it is an assertion of a peaceful future.
So I urge you to regularly look to ICNY on social media for information, assurance and hope. As we observe “Social Media Week” in NYC Feb. 22-26, I would also like to ask you to help spread our message by sharing our content with your friends and family, and by letting us know your thoughts – not just this week, but throughout the year. Building the center’s social media network is one very real way you can help its voice be heard. In this world of negativity and fear-mongering, The Interfaith Center of New York’s voice of assurance and hope is precious and worth sharing.
Oh, and don’t hesitate to make a donation too, if you can!
