Live From the Interactive Capitol of the Galaxy

[TXvote]

Dear All,

As I have mentioned, www.votervirgin.com was a finalist in the SXSW Interactive festival web competition. I regret to say that we did not win an award this year. I am proud to say we were literally beat by the best from around the world and the winners are a very impressive lot. Thanks to all who voted for VoterVirgin in the People's Choice Awards. Your support means a lot.

So, another adventure unfolded and I want you to know that VoterVirgin made history on Sunday.
But let me start form the beginning.
Two days before the conference, I received this e-mail:

Dear SXSW Participant,

Eli Pariser and I, from MoveOn.org, will give the SxSW Interactive festival's keynote on Sunday, March 14 from 2-3pm. We'll be talking about how the Internet is changing the very fabric of our communities, society, and politics. One small example of that is the potential for speakers, performers, filmmakers or artists to interact with their audiences before events even take place. We'd like to put that potential to the test in two ways.

First, click on the link below to tell us what you're interested in hearing from us, and what questions you'd like us to address. We want to hear from you no matter whether you're a MoveOn fan or foe or lean to the left or right. Click the link below to ask a question, suggest a topic, or even to heckle us in advance:

http://moveon.org/sxsw/

Second, we're going to have a little fun by stopping our talk at, oh, 2:40 pm to appoint one person in the audience to be "SxSW Keynote Speaker for a Minute" (kind of like King for Day). From 2:40 to 2:41 we'll turn the stage over to one lucky sage, crackpot or comedian -- maybe YOU -- who will give their own 60 second keynote speech on how the Internet is (or is not) changing the world. Click below and tell us why you should be "The SxSW 2004 Keynote Speaker for a Minute."
http://moveon.org/sxsw/

See you Sunday!

Sincerely,
Zack Exley,
MoveOn.org

I responded spontaneously (moveon makes participation just sooo easy) and suddenly went, "oh, shit, what have I done?". It's not that I am not chatty and comfortable in fornt of an audience, it's just that THIS audience was 500+ of the most astute technical and creative people from around the world packed into a room to hear from the move.org guys.

I meant to prepare something witty and concisely 60 seconds. You know, just in case. But as soon as I got swept into the conference it was non stop, no sleep networking (4 days down, 6 to go). Sunday morning as I raced down to the convention center, I realized I was maybe just not nervous enough. With nothing formally prepared I made peace by reviewing all the other qualified 60 second choices and a brief pep talk that if chosen I could wing 1 imperfect minute and still be ok enough. I mean, who can screw up being passionate about registering people to vote in such a short period of time? I felt very centered and settled in on the floor in the jam packed room to listen at 2:00.

Zack and Eli were introduced by Molly Ivans, a woman I would follow around like a lap dog (as if she would allow it) just to soak up the herstory she has lived. I will never tire of hearing her speak. Zack and Eli stressed the fact that the effective mechanisms used to mobilize via the internet were discovered accidently simply by asking people to sign a petition on line. It is indeed the everyday acts of reaching out simply to eachother that seem to breed the most wonderful results.

And then at 2:40 they asked if VoterVirgin was in the room and I became the first ever SXSW Interactive Keynote Speaker for a Minute. Did I mention that Joe Trippi and Howard Rheingold and Brenda Laurel and countless other amazing wonderful brains happened to be sitting in the room. I was a glow. And after all it turns out that I am naturally concise and my passion is evident and the words came naturally. There will be video in a few weeks, but in a nutshell this is what I remember saying. It was a huge rush and I cannot be held responsible for quoting myself ver batim .

"I have been asked to stand here today because I promised that I would empower everyone in the room by gifting you with a tool to register voters.VoterVirgin (dramatic pause) everybody's doin' it in '04 (the crowd laughs) is a PG-13 tongue in cheek mechanism designed to help you start a dialogue about voting with a smile. (Suddenly my web site is on the big tv monitor and it follows me around when I talk about the pages. Ah, techies are soooo cool)"

About this time I said to myself "OH WOW!! You are up here and laying it on the line" and I was not sure if my voice would hold out. And but for one high pitched squeaky syllabal, it did.

They laughed, they logged on, they clapped and hooted and if we get lucky VoterVirgin will go home with them all over the world and Spread the Love even more. I am deeply honored that this message was chosen by Zach and Eli. Wow.

Interestingly enough Canada and UK get out the vote groups have inquired about using VoterVirgin and it looks like we might have global appeal.

More to come. I am finding it hard to find the time to sit and write. The musicians come into town Wednesday. They are all fired up about getting out the vote as well....This conference seems to be affirming that all over the place individuals and groups of individuals and large coalitions are all contributing to setting this country back in the hands of the people. The creativity and the momentum are contagious. Sending you a warm thought from Texas.


Peace,
Teresa
Austin, TX