There are a lot of reasons people blog about Shaun King. He’s an entrepreneur. He’s a distinct voice in social media. He’s a walking miracle. He’s an advocate for courage.
This is not the first time I have blogged about Shaun. I first blogged about him because, late at night, a friend said, “if you are not, please pay attention to the tweets from Shaun right now.” What I saw moved me. It changed me. But it was in the middle of the night. I was afraid so many people would miss the moving message. I put that post on my tumblr blog, which I use more for personal and non-tech topics.
I am again sharing the story of what this “broken man” is doing in the world today. At least he posted this in the middle of the day. But broken up in the crowded twitter stream, I felt something got lost. I read it and wept.
I am choosing to put this on my business blog for four reasons.
- He is using social media to communicate, connect and raise awareness for a cause — 7 of them, in fact.
- I think it is important to highlight when someone is being effective in their social efforts. We can learn from what others are doing.
- I’ve not looked at data to support this, but I would bet that more of my professional blog followers are using geolocation services like Foursquare. Next time you check into a food place, remember Shaun’s reason #1 (read on to see what I’m talking about).
- I want the people and businesses that follow me to be aware of causes and problems in our world. I want them to understand that even if you can’t help by giving, you can help by reposting this story on your FB, twitter, LinkedIn, G+, e-mail lists, and anywhere you think people will read it. In Shaun’s words, “YOU have WAY more potential to radically change the world than you know. “
Historically I avoid topics that are “touchy.” I want you to read this not from any political standing, not from any religious perspective, but as a human being. Read his words and absorb the gravity of suffering that he is describing. Read his words and connect with some fellow human beings who are living in hell.
The following series of tweets are from @ShaunKing
Seriously powerful and moving.
<—-Blowing off the dust from my soapbox. Get ready. If you have truth allergies unfollow me for the next 15 minutes.
Is this mic on?
Right now. @ this moment. THOUSANDS of people (particularly babies) are dying of dehydration & starvation in Somalia. Worst famine in 30 yrs
Let me break down what is happening and give us all insight in to what we can do. Possibly the worst humanitarian crisis in our lifetime…
5 factors have caused what now equates to millions of people being severely malnourished and scores of needless deaths. Here they are…
First off, let me say that you need to care about this. We are citizens of this world & babies & pregnant moms are dying in droves.
5 Reasons why a Famine was just declared in Somalia (first in decades)…
5. The love of money is the root of all evil. Wherever starvation of this magnitude exists so does great corruption. Corrupt gov. there.
4. Three years ago Somalia barred ALL aid/relief organizations from the country. All of them.
3. Somalia (and the surrounding region) is experiencing a ONCE IN A LIFETIME drought. Bone dry. Everywhere. As far as you can go.
2. One million Somalians have, by foot started to flee the country, but found out that almost nobody wants them or can handle them.
Finally, the final reason this famine exists is personal…
1. A famine exists in Somalia b/c you & I don’t care enough. We eat like hogs & throw away half full bottles of water & ignore the world.
At the end of this conversation I will give you 4 news sources to read & 4 solutions, but let me press my case for a minute.
I believe that God holds us accountable for what we do with what we know. You & I pretend way too much like we’re giving the world our best.
Are you listening? It’s about to get real.
I read this article. It hurt me. Moms and their families were starving to death and had no water so they started walking from Somalia to…
Kenya. It was brutal and harder than they expected. Took many moms 4 weeks to walk it. Thousands died on the walk alone. What i am about…
to say broke me down. Unable to carry their kids, mothers regularly sat their dying babies down and left them on the road. The journalist…
said that on 3 occasions he saw women near death show up @ the Kenyan border w/ dead babies strapped to their backs.
Let me give you four articles to read. You have to see this for yourself. It’s awful, but we can make a difference.
Please retweet my tweets and let’s begin making this crisis known. Please begin educating others with what I am telling you. It matters
Babies like him are arriving in the Dadaab Refugee camp in droves. They mainly die once they arrive. http://twitpic.com/5tkgyk
LA Times Article today from Robin Dixon on Somalia:http://t.co/tpq2c7N
The best articles on the famine/drought in Somalia are coming from Al Jazeera. They have people there. http://t.co/ZruuLRq
Please look @ all 15 of these pictures from Somalia in the NY Times. This is OUR WORLD! http://t.co/982NQTq
We are discussing starting an @TwitChange campaign for Somalia. Something bigger than we’ve ever done.
Here are the 4 organizations that I know are on the ground in Somalia and particularly in the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya (Ground Zero).
Doctors w/o Borders. They are on the frontlines w/ the famine in Somalia. http://t.co/dmZSB1x
UNICEF is there right now doing great work. http://t.co/F3zWoVv
OXFAM is giving the crisis in Somalia their best shot:http://t.co/gwBuCs9
That’s all for now. Please be determined to be the solution for Somalia & people that are hurting all over the world. Be courageous. -Shaun
Follow him on www.TellTheMountainToMove.org/