Written by Megan Burns. Media by Baylen Whitfield.
In a world with billions of people, it is easy to feel like your opinion isn’t heard and doesn’t count. Change.org wants to change that. They pride themselves on being “The world’s platform for change,” with a six-step process to petition success.
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Create your petition
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Share your petition
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Build momentum
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Reach out to the media
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Engage your decision maker
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Declare victory!
On Change.org, people everywhere are starting campaigns, mobilizing supporters, and working with decision makers to drive solutions. It is a petition based website, where anyone can start a petition for free. The petition is shared with friends and friends of friends, and they choose to support it. Thanks to mass media and our technology these days, your petition could be spread worldwide to audiences you didn’t even know existed. Then comes the change part. Decision makers are presented with your petition, and a victory is won thanks to the support of friends, family, and other supporters. If you don’t have a movement to share, don’t fear. Search or browse for other petitions already started. You can support any petition on change.org and even write a response as to why you are a supporter. By signing, you are getting a say, and helping to make a difference. If you don’t feel like your support is enough, you can share the petition on social media. You will then be notified anytime one of your friends supports the petition. You will not only have the satisfaction of your support but also of the others you have led to support the petition. 146,485,997 people use change.org. Not only individuals, but the Huffington Post, the New York Times, and Time have all made mention or advertised petitions on change.org. An example of a victory made, with the aid of change.org was the Associated Press will stop using the term “child prostitute” to describe trafficked victims. Another victory came after a fatal accident in Florida and it led to Florida law to mandate protective barriers on all bodies of water located near highways. Change.org is making a difference one petition, one supporter at a time.
