Fact: Columbus has the second largest Somali population of any city in the US.
Question: Where are all the Somali blogs?
I’ve brought this question up during several meetings with other locals bloggers, and usually the standard response is a confirming echo of the same question repeated.
“Yeah. Where are all the Somali blogs?”
I’ve been able to attend several blogger meetings over the past few months and the lack of minority participation is something very noticeable. There’s only a handful of women usually present and the groups are always overwhelmingly white. Granted, Columbus is around 70% white anyway, and I’m sure some of the bloggers I’ve not yet met could be of any ethnicity while sitting behinds their keyboards, but the community and ethnic issues are more of what’s missing online.
And while I don’t think anyone should isolate themselves to remain in one specific community exclusively, I do believe it is important for minority groups to voice their concerns as a whole, as groups do tend to speak louder than individuals. There are already several Somali community organizations in Columbus, but I can’t find a strong online presence coming from any of them. Perhaps I’m just not looking in the right places.
So on the same note:
Where are the Hispanic blogs in Columbus?
Where are the Black blogs in Columbus?
Where are the Japanese blogs in Columbus?
Where are all the Indian blogs in Columbus?
Do we have large enough communities in Columbus to support this type of online awareness? Or are our community groups just not interested in sharing information online? What sort of steps can be taken to get more community activism online?
Edit: I just read this article on the Dispatch’s website the other day about the Somali American Chamber of Commerce here in Columbus… and I can’t find their website. Do they have one? Anyone know?
I think you have to look outside Columbus blogs and look for Columbus bloggers. So, for example, I blog within the parenting blog community and I’ve met African American moms blogging in Columbus but they blog within the parenting community and some of them I’ve only realized live in Columbus when they mention a local event that their kids just attended.
It’s one reason I haven’t ended up going to the Social Media stuff — I don’t really blog Columbus. But I think you could reach out to those minority bloggers NOT blogging Columbus and invite them to be a part of the community.
I’ve been nagging the folks at the Somali Documentary Project to start a blog for many reasons. One, because their website is out of date and blogging will provide them a way to easily post their activities, and secondly, because it could become an electronic hub for many things Somali in Columbus and would benefit the Somali community and the non-Somali community.
But they haven’t really responded to me and I’m not sure if it’s lack of interest or understanding.
Sorry, I shouldn’t have said “they haven’t responded to me” because that makes it sound like I’m hassling them or something. We have an ongoing, working relationship and I’ve mentioned starting a blog several times and they haven’t picked up on it.
Dawn, the Social Media Cafes are for anyone who blogs in Columbus, not just people who blog about living in Columbus. There are bloggers who show up with a variety of topical blogs. The purpose of the gatherings are to foster community support and networking to be able to accomplish new goals as a group instead of as individuals. You should come check on out sometime. The next on is on January 31st.
Alicia, I’m familiar with the documentary project and would love to see them posting more information online. I’d like to think that I’m not alone in that thought.
I’ll be out of town that day plus I’m intimidated by the youtube-ing of meetings! (I’m camera shy — what can I say.) But Walker, I can shoot some invites to bloggers I know who offer more diversity.
I’ll keep on them about it. I might just sit down and walk them through setting one up!
I have a couple of contacts in both the Somali and Hispanic communities, and I’ve reached out to them on this topic. I’ll see what I hear and post another response. I know one guy in the Latino community who blogs, so it will be interesting to hear what he says on this topic. The Somali community may be more difficult to get a response from…I know they’ve been very interested in radio, but not sure about the online accessibility issues for a large portion of their community.
Dawn – The you-tubing is optional. You can ask the cameraman to stay away from you and he’d oblige.
Alicia – That’s great. Let me know if you want any help. I’m always glad to help out with anyone looking to blog about any type of causes.
Susan – Awesome. I look forward to hearing what your contacts have to say!
the african-american community in columbus is around and blogging (like myself). personally, i hadn’t started blogging with any intentions of getting more connected with the columbus community at large- just keeping my friends up to date on stuff- but it might turn out to be a good way to get connected.
I’m not African, I’m actually Asian.
I just started a blog for the Somali Link and HAND on wordpress. Feel free to check it out. I do this on my free time in order to help promote the services of HAND within the community as well as help create a better awareness of the Somali Link. Feel Free to check it out:
http://somalilink.wordpress.com/
We also have a website:
http://www.somalilink.com
Feel free to visit us at any time!
The Somali Link is your link to the Community! Reaching out to over 100,000 readers!