If you follow Survivors' Truths on Twitter or Facebook, you might have noticed a lot of posts about Social Media Week, which is a global gathering of people working in technology and the interwebs. As I write this, I am sitting in the Los Angeles offices of Google, listening to them talk about how they are working with social media technology professionals.

I have attended panels on sharing media with mobile technology, Social Media for Nonprofits, startup strategies, and have several more to go. The people here are really, really smart. A lot of what is being said is over my head. 

So why am I here? What does this week have to do with Survivors' Truths' work helping victims of violence and discrimination?

Social Media Week is finally here!

This is Survivors' Truths' Event Coordinator Brenda Gonzalez. Since starting my position, I have been planning this “tweet-a-thon” style event and I am excited that it is finally going live. I have learned a lot about social media platforms in the past couple weeks, including the beauty of technology and what it allows us to accomplish – in this case, a tweet-a-thon.

I am also really excited to take part in the launching of our new project, Strength in Story.  I see Strength in Story as a bridge connecting all Survivors’ Truths projects since participants can be from different backgrounds. 

...so happy you stopped by! In the past few months, we have moved both physically and virtually. When the building our prior office was in was sold, we were hard pressed to find something comparable with rent we could afford. Our friends at Hollywood Lutheran Church (where Survivors’ Truths’ first project Trying to be all right in Liberia debuted for US exhibit-goers in 2008) bent over backwards to clear office space for us and we are now happily ensconced in a quiet, grassy courtyard with a fountain. It’s really lovely. The space started as one large room, which Architect Branka Knesvic helped us transform into a small office and adjoining large room with six comfortable work stations. It is perfect for our volunteers and, more importantly, ideal for TransYouth Speak, which is expanding our work with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to include a Leadership Development project, right here in our office!