Start by Asking What Matters
Amnesty International’s Digital Disruptors project shows young activists building campaigns from problems they know personally. In Kenya, five activists created Linda Data after first surveying hundreds of young people about digital-rights concerns. Unauthorized access to personal data emerged as a major issue, leading to campus visits, community discussions, and online advocacy around privacy and digital safety.
I find the order important: they did not begin with a campaign and then search for an audience. They listened first.
That challenges how I think about leading a student project. Good advocacy should not begin with “What do I want to say?” It should begin with “What are people experiencing, and what do they say needs to change?”
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