The use of social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter and media sharing sites such as YouTube and Tumblr have certainly revolutionised the way news and information has been reported and shared within the last couple of years. Events from the London riots of last summer and Arab Spring through to the strategic use of YouTube by the charity Invisible Children to publicise their ‘Stop Kony 2012’ campaign this year have shown just how powerful such sites are becoming. We are now in an era where news is able to spread throughout not only the United Kingdom but the World within just seconds – a fact that has revolutionised the way we communicate not only news but our thoughts and feelings, websites such as Tumblr being a prime example.

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This outburst of social networking sites have also been taken on board by businesses and news corporations in a new and innovative way to engage with customers, listeners, readers and fans. This breaks the boundaries of day to day communications making it easier and quicker engage with others on similar levels of interest.

This sort of instant communication is great; naturally. We have become a generation of ‘speed’, ‘fast’ and ‘I-want-it-right-now’ whether we like it or not and such sites and media tools are simply aids in this. Not only that, but events such as The Arab Spring and The London Riots show exactly how, if used correctly, these sites prove to be even bigger than governments themselves.

While it is easy to admire the effects these sites have on media and communication, they also offer an ugly side. There has been a considerable growth in the use of these social networking sites for online bullying. The statistics are shocking; nearly one in five teens in the UK have been victims of cyber-bullying with girls being three times more likely than boys to be bullied online. It is obvious that this is a growing problem. With ways to stay anonymous online however, it seems that along with the growth in social networking sites for sharing of news and information, it is becoming the biggest way to share hateful and hurtful comments that cannot be traced back to the original sender – something that has caused the media to coin the term ‘online trolls’. A recent BBC3 programme – The Anti-Social Network – investigated this occurrence, a journey that led presenter, Richard Bacon, to come face to face with teens who had experienced online bullying, grieving families who had been victims of so called ‘RIP trolls’, Colm Cross – one of the few people who had been jailed for ‘internet trolling’ and come to a decision about his own personal online attacker. What is more shocking than the statistics however, is perhaps how these online bullies operate. Whilst we all remember those tedious ‘how to stay safe online’ lessons in school online risks have developed from the obvious ‘don’t give out any personal information’ as now so called ‘trolls’ are able to find victims through personal accounts such as facebook or twitter, making their comments more personal and more exaggerated.

It is hard to know if cyber-bullies understand the full implications of their online actions however. Celebrities and public figures are often discredited, talked about and ‘bullied’ by people on a daily basis – perhaps something that ‘comes with the territory or job’. It seems so common that this approach to celebrities has been filtered down to make it seem ok to make the same comments to a fellow classmate on their facebook wall or twitter account. This, of course, is not. What is worrying is how easy it is for these hateful comments to spread, so much so that it seems easier to spread the hate than to spread some love. What makes it so difficult for us to do that? While bullying is something that teens have been faced with for a long time, this new approach is almost sinister. Social networking sites have proved to be powerful sources not only in everyday life but through times of revolution yet cyber-bullying and ‘online trolls’ highlight exactly the ugly side to the rise in social networking and media sharing sites.

Job hunting?  Yep, it has gotten to the point where it’s just ridiculous/impossible to get the job that you want. But all the more reason to know where the opportunities lie and make use of them. Quite recently set up, Jobs 4 Creatives is part of the UK Creative Community and is already a great source for vacancies across the creative industry. You can upload your CV and/or portfolio and create your online profile. It’s not just a heads up on all the latest job openings though… you can share your projects in hopes of finding the right people to jump on board; and if you’re hiring then you need to hurry up and upload your jobs as people are waiting!

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In support of the launch, Jobs 4 Creatives launched a very cool ad that you can watch below. Don’t say you haven’t done it before….

Twitter | Facebook | Website

How do I get started?

Step 1.

Register Your Account click here

Fill in your details and attach your CV (if applicable). Once you have clicked register, you will recieve an email from support@jobs4creatives.com with your login details.

Step 2.

Login and Create Your Profile click here

After you have logged in, you will be taken to the My Account area where you can complete the rest of your Profile.

You can choose whether to have a CV only/Portfolio only or CV and Portfolio profile. With Portfolio means that you can upload up to 5 of your creative images and 2 videos.

If you would like to be found more easily and ‘stand out from the crowd’ by potential employers and recruiters, you can upgrade to a Featured Profile. There is more info about this in your My Account area.

Step 3.

Your Completed Profile

Once you have finished adding your personal info, skills, images and videos, you can start applying to jobs and projects that best suit what you are looking for. Click here to search for jobs/projects.

Please note that Recruiters and Employers cannot see your contact details and CV unless they have been checked and given access to the Profile Search service by J4C.

What is KONY 2012 you may ask. Well let me start off by saying that no single video has had an impact on me the way that the video I am bringing to your attention today has had. KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice. Jason Russell is by far one of the most inspiring individuals I have ever come across, and I’ve never met him, because he has taken major strides to help with the capture of the sadistic human being known as Joseph Kony. Joseph Kony is  a Ugandan guerilla group leader, head of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and what they basically do is capture children force and train them into becoming child soldiers. They are forced to kill their own parents and inflict suffering on others, should they not comply with what Kony demands then they themselves are killed. More on this when you read on, please read on as this is a very important post.

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KONY 2012 | Invisible Children | Twitter

Jason Russell, since meeting a Joseph Kony escapee, has made it his mission over the last 9 years to raise awareness and help stop these heinous crimes that have been committed after the last 20 years. So far he and the people of Invisible Children Inc have managed to bring this story to the US Government which in turn lead to Barack Obama deploying a small number of US troops in Uganda to aid with the capture of Kony. However this has been a long and argeuos road for Russell and Invisible Children and without the continued support and highlighting of this cause the fear is that the government will no longer see this as a priority.

This is where KONY 2012 steps in. KONY 2012 is a campaign with the sole purpose of raising awareness of this issue and making Joseph Kony a name that is recognised. The idea is to make Kony famous but not famous in way that we celebrate celebrities but famous in the sense that his name is known throughout the world just as much as a celebrity such as Rihanna or Oprah.

It is hard to put into short paragraphs what this video is all about and what it aims to do so I urge all of our Yin&Yang readers to take the time and watch and share this video. Never have I before wanted to get involved with anything like this before but having seen the video I have truly been inspired by Jason Russell and the Invisible Children movement, hopefully you will feel the same way!

*Update* Having had a little sleep and some time to reflect on this whole situation I feel that it is also important for me to point out that there are many people out there just like Joseph Kony. So while it’s great that people are taking the initiative to shine the spotlight on him we must remember that others will and do commit similar unjust crimes. Should Kony be stopped I hope that the world doesn’t feel as if their job is done, and while I fully understand that it is near impossible to stop all these evil entities we should remember that there were many people on the list of people that should be arrested and should try to capture those people as well.

Some cynics will say people are just jumping on the Kony bandwagon and I totally agree, however we all jump on a bandwagon at some during the course of our life so why not jump on one that has good intentions and could make a small but necessary change in the world.

If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to gain some work experience within the music industry then this might be up your street! Young & Serious is a programme for people between the ages of 17 and 25 who want just that; if you’re selected to take part, you’ll have the opportunity to attend workshops, network with industry professionals, interview artists, reviews gigs and more. Interested? More after the break.

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Young & Serious

Before I get condemned for using the term in the title, it’s the title of the poem and even though I’ve starred out of some of the characters – it’s needed for you to understand the true meaning of this poem by renowned spoken word artist Dean Atta. He wrote this poem in 30 minutes, purely written out of passion after yesterday’s court hearing for the Stephen Lawrence. I’m not black and nor will I ever be able to fully understand the effect this word has but anyone with an ounce of intelligence would know how disgusting this term is. Murderers, plantation owners, racists, xenophobes and more used/still use this term, why use it? Why glorify it in your rap songs? Just no. I wish rappers would make clean versions of their albums without this term. More on the reverse.

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Dean Atta – Facebook | Twitter | Website

Dean Atta touches this point perfectly in this poem, read and listen below. Thank you Dean for not being afraid to voice your opinion on such a delicate matter.

‘Rappers when you use the word “nigger” remember that’s one of the last words Stephen Lawrence heard, so don’t tell me it’s a reclaimed word.’

‘Call me “nigger” cos you’re scared of what “brother” means’

For many of you that don’t know anything about Stephen Lawrence; It’s the case the 18 year old murder victim of a racist attack back in 1993, after two of his killers were finally convicted of murder yesterday. You can read more about it on the BBC – click here.

I Am Nobody’s Nigger

Rappers when you use the word “nigger” remember that’s one of the last words Stephen Lawrence heard, so don’t tell me it’s a reclaimed word.

I am nobody’s nigger
So please, let my ancestors rest in peace
Not turn in their graves in Jamaica plantations
Or the watery graves of the slave trade
Thrown overboard into middle passage
Just for insurance claims
They were chained up on a boat
As many as they could manage and stay afloat
Stripped of dignity and all hope
Awaiting their masters and European names
But the sick and the injured were dead weight to toss
And Lloyds of London would cover that cost.

I am nobody’s nigger
So you can tell Weezy and Drake
That they made a mistake
I am nobody’s nigger now
So you can tell Kanye and Jigga
I am not a nigger… in Paris
I’m not a nigger in London
I’m not a nigger in New York
I’m not a nigger in Kingston
I’m not a nigger in Accra
Or a nigger with attitude in Compton
Cos “I don’t wanna be called yo nigga”

How were you raised on Public Enemy
And still became your own worst enemy?
You killed Hip Hop and resurrected headless zombies
That can’t think for themselves or see where they’re going
Or quench the blood lust because there’s no blood flowing
In their hearts, just in the streets
They don’t give a damn as long as they eating
Their hearts ain’t beating, they’re cold as ice (bling)
Because they would put money over everything
Money over self respect or self esteem
Or empowering the youth to follow their dreams
Stacking paper cos it’s great than love it’s seems
Call me “nigger” cos you’re scared of what “brother” means

To know that we share something unspeakable
To know that as high as we rise we are not seen as equal
To know that racism is institutional thinking
And that “nigger” is the last word you heard before a lynching.

]]> http://yinnyang.co.uk/2012/01/i-am-nobodys-ngger-by-dean-atta/feed/ 0 http://yinnyang.co.uk/2011/12/londons-burning-channel-4/ http://yinnyang.co.uk/2011/12/londons-burning-channel-4/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:05:17 +0000 Yang http://yinnyang.co.uk/?p=38257

This Thursday (22nd) Channel 4 will start a brand new drama called London’s Burning. London’s Burning, set in Clapham Junction- one of the areas in which the riots affected; is an interpretation of a single night of rioting and looting that took place in August 2011. Starring Starring David Morrissey and Samantha Bondas senior police officers, we’ll be given insight into how residents, shopkeeers and business dealt with the violence. There is no doubt that the riots that took place earlier this year displayed violence that we as a generation had never witnessed; many of us have seen violence at it’s core but never on that scale so close to home. More info after the break.

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I’m eager to watch Channel 4′s depiction of the riots because there are many sides to a story and there is no denying that what happened was very much a build up of frustration of any kinds. I imagined that there would be a programme eventually on this particular topic and I also imagined that it would be one sided thus focusing on the theme of ‘thugs’ looting and destroying the capital for fun. Given Channel 4′s youth orientated branding, I suspect that this may be more of an overview of what happened. They’ve also stated on the website that the drama has been conceived through ‘witness testimonies and interviews’. Either I think it will be a good watch so look out for it, 9pm Thursday 22nd December.

More info

The folks over at Everynone continue to impress me with their creativity and this time, they touch the sensitive subject of bullying. Naturally you’d expect a bullying awareness video to shows the everyday life of bullied individuals in short sequences. From extreme close-ups to short clips of the bullying take place; the film highlights the topic well through it’s composition and definitely brings the harsh realities of bullying to life. As always with Everynone, the art direction and production is exquisite even when featuring such a topic.

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Topman Oxford Street are hosting a free event featuring sets from the likes of Zane Lowe, Rob da Bank, The Maccabees, Huw Stephens, Eddy Temple-Morris  and a whole host of DJs throughout the day. The event is to celebrate the launch of CALMZone London Helpline. CALM is a campaign against living miserably and support young men who are depressed; the new CALMZone London helpline and texting service launches on 26th November to help prevent suicide which is the biggest killer of young men in London… learn something new everyday! Anyway, if you happen to be in the Oxford street area then head over to Topman anytime from noon. More info on CALM and the event after the break.

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CALZone Website | Twitter | Facebook

CALMZone

CALM, the campaign against living miserably exists to support young men who are depressed or feeling down. The new CALMZone London helpline and texting service launches on 26th November to help prevent suicide – the biggest killer of young men in London.

The new CALMZone service operates a telephone helpline between 5pm and midnight on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, every week of the year. Calls are free (from landlines and some mobile phone providers) and the helpline is anonymous and confidential. www.thecalmzone.net

CALM encourage young men to break the silence & Topman provides the perfect platform to make a big noise and raise awareness for the new CALMZone London helpline.  Through the power of music CALM takeover Topman & the two join forces for this exciting, unique event.

Here’s the schedule for the day

12.00 – 1.00                Rob Da Bank              vs                     The Maccabees

1.00 – 2.00                  Zane Lowe                   vs                     Eddy Temple-Morris

2.00 – 3.00                  Mistajam                    vs                     Pixel Fist

3.00 – 4.00                  Kissy Sell Out            vs                     Union

4.00 – 5.00                  Hervé                           vs                     Baxta

5.00 – 6.00                  Sonny Wharton        vs                     Wideboys & Majestic

6.00 – 7.00                  The Loose Cannons   vs                     The Freestylers

7.00 – 8.00                  Huw Stephens           vs                     dan le sac

Before we get started, my other half is writing this post. I’ll let her take over….

Here’s a bit of a random question for you: do you think your birth certificate is just any old piece of paper? Think again – and then seriously re-think that…again again. There are 75 million young girls all around the world born without a registered birth certificate. Sadly, these girls are often forced into pre-mature marriage and/or are denied the right to a proper education. PLAN UK is fully breaking the mould of charity fundraising with their latest ‘Because I’m a Girl’ campaign. Last week saw the launch of a pretty amazing and truly thought-provoking next generation interactive video app on Facebook, which puts you – yes, YOU in the shoesies of these less fortunate girls.

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CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

The “Plan Your Story” application absorbs Facebook users’ key information to create a personalised video storybook that drives people to find out more. The tale centres on what life would be like if you hadn’t been registered for a birth certificate. This unique story sequence was designed, shot and edited by the Soho-based, award-winning social CRM agency Neoco who’ve teamed up with PLAN UK for a great cause.

The pages of the book are filled with personal touches – including the user’s likely first crushes that bring home the importance of having a birth certificate. The way I actually don’t remember who my first celebrity crush was when I started actually noticing the opposite gender. I think it might have been the handsome Freddie Prince Junior? *sigh* …back to the app!

    “What’s unique about this application is that, through Facebook, people can get a real connection to important social development issues… We’re hoping that this app will really make it easy for people to engage with the campaign and also make a difference for girls in some of the world’s poorest countries” says Justin Wylie, Head of Business Development at the international children’s organisation Plan UK.

App users will be asked to donate £2 to Plan UK’s Girl’s Fund which supports the charity. You don’t obviously have to feel guilt-tripped into doing so… just give out of the kindness of your heart if you wish to do your bit in encouraging an honourable change in the world and turn the fate of these young girls right around! £2 is all it takes to give someone hope. (You can buy your 2 items from Poundland/KFC Snack box next time).

“People will see for themselves that a small donation can help fund projects that will make sure children get a birth certificate, thrive and pursue their education.” [Mr Wylie]

Now, if you’re a (straight up) dude, do not get offended as the app doesn’t directly apply to your life, it is a tad bit sexist but please remember what the actual campaign is called? You can still try it out and show your manly support. Females dig a guy that is genuinely compassionate for others in desperate need don’t we? And to all my ladies ‘who run the world’… go and check it out now and tell your mama’s, sister’s, grandma’s, aunties, cousin’s, girlfriends, followers etc! Spread the word. Your own story will move you.

Brace yourself, this video isn’t for the light hearted. I watched it at an event a few weeks back, never have I felt so selfish and so grateful for my freedom. We live in the so called ‘golden age of freedom‘ and yet slavery is at an all time high. Martin Luther King and Gandhi may have won freedom for their people but 27 million people around the world are currently deprived of their freedom. Of that 27, 11 million are sex slaves. How have we let this happen? Whereas first world problems include missing out the H&M x Versace collaboration after queuing 24 hours for it. We forget what’s happening in the world around us with all these distractions, including materialism. Sigh. More on the reverse.

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A21 – Website | Facebook | Twitter

The figures are shocking. Christine Caine witnessed this happening with her own eyes which lead to her starting the A21 campaign. She chose not to sit back and continue to let this happen, it’s all about going that extra mile to help that person in need. Would you do the same? What is preventing you?

Watch the campaign video below, if you get through it without feeling any remorse….you must be stone cold. Support the A21 movement by donating here. I did.

Human trafficking is an organized criminal industry that affects every nation. While the statistics can seem overwhelming, it is important to remember that every number represents the life of a victim. The A21 Campaign has recognized a significant need in the region of Europe, and is committed to combating this injustice through rescuing one life at a time.