Trial by Disaster: Special presentation

Thursday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m.      Social Sciences and Mathematics Building, A120

USING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR COMMUNITY ACTION
Louis Brown is regarded as one of New Zealand’s rising stars for his work on large-scale, grassroots action to solve major community problems.

Involved in creating the world's first digital action platform to support keeping beaches free of trash (Love Your Coast), he also organized a 10,000-member Student Volunteer Army to help residents in the wake of New Zealand's biggest natural disaster - the Feb. 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

Using a mobile management system, the now-famous Student Volunteer Army organized everything from shovelling earthquake-deposited mud and silt from homes, to improving the efficiency of the delivery of clean water and hot meals to hard-pressed Christchurch residents.

His talk will address his recent and past projects, and his change-the-world brand of mobilizing thousands of people to perform simple and fun tasks to realize common aspirations for a better world.

Sponsored by the University of Victoria Emergency Planning Office, Student Services and UVic Communications