Activism, Generosity is the New Advertising

Giving has become as valuable, if not more prized, than regular advertising. As we travel full time in our RV and give to causes we support, we’ll have to be mindful of how we promote and benefit from our efforts. I had a brush with using activism to earn money for a nonprofit. A recent article has made me think about the ethics of activism and social media on the road.

In late 2014, I was named a RecognizeGood Legend for the work I did with food rescue nonprofit Keep Austin Fed. The honor made me question the ethics of asking others to give. Photo courtesy RecognizeGood

 

A Guardian op-ed titled “Sex doesn’t sell any more, activismdoes. And don’t the big brands know it,” offers such examples as Lyft’s million-dollar donation to the ACLU to protest the immigration ban and a UK coffee company that touts is efforts to turn Honduran gang members into farmers.

“Companies are now attempting to outdo each other with major acts of generosity, but there’s a catch; they’ll do good as long as they can make sure their customers know about it.”

Our experiences are far removed from the kind of giving mentioned above. Both of us have given to causes that range from social and environmental justice to community composting and reducing food waste by feeding those in need. Mostly, we post the occasional social media photo to encourage others to join the effort. There is certainly a rush of pride and satisfaction when people “like” or comment, but usually no financial incentive.

That was different when I was named a RecognizeGood Legend for my work with Keep Austin Fed, a food rescue nonprofit. The organization honors individuals who do extraordinary work for charity organizations. Each year, they name about a dozen Legends, each receiving a $1,000 donation in their name to the organization of their choice. The public votes on which Legend receives an additional $10,000 gift, which also goes to the charity of choice.

I posed for promotional photos, spoke on KLBJ 93.7-FM, and pestered everyone I knew to earn votes. My charity didn’t receive the big payout, but even $1,000 means a lot to a small, young nonprofit.

That experience made me question the ethics of asking others to give, even if it was simply an electronic vote. When is it appropriate to ask co-workers? How much of the time I’d otherwise give to Keep Austin Fed be spent trying to earn the money? Where did I cross the line between being a person trying to do good and trying to be a minor celebrity to benefit my cause?

Earning enough money on the road to sustain our travels is just one of the pressures we’ll feel when we live in an RV. While we’ll mostly do that with workamping jobs and writing assignments, I’d also love to earn an income from the gardening, food rescue, and bicycle advocacy work I enjoy so much.

How do you balance giving and earning?

• Pick a cause
• Establish goals and a timeline
• Agree on a rate or trade
• Avoid conflict of interest
• Be professional

That’s my plan, at least.

I've got a few ideas for how to do this, but each situation will be different and my approach will no doubt change over time.