The Power of Social Media

“I thought nobody was telling their story and I needed to go there,” said Mark Horvath in an article featured on CNN.com.

Horvath knows firsthand the story behind homelessness. He understands the shame of living on the streets of Hollywood. After losing his job to a drug and alcohol addiction and experiencing the unfortunate reality of homelessness, Horvath decided to share his story and a 100 other testimonials on his social media streams.

Through Twitter, Facebook, Whrrl, MySpace, YouTube, etc., Horvath has drawn attention to a growing epidemic in our nation. His broadcasts gained 10,000 followers on Twitter, many of whom have made donations of cars, socks and shoes.

This story shows the impact social media has on our lives. It allows everyone’s voice to be heard, whether they are speaking about a serious topic like homelessness or sharing light-hearted chronicles about a restaurant’s wait staff.

Social media not only provides an outlet to broadcast ideas, but it helps create opportunities and initiate change. I never understood this until I attended my first Tweetea meeting at Goldfish Tea Shop in Royal Oak.

It was there I met a diverse group of people who shared their advice. They told me there are no rules when it comes to using social media. Of course, be wise and use discretion, but don’t let inhibitions control how you use it and what you publish. Your inhibitions will only limit the value social media can provide you.

My internship introduced me to these tools, and now I’m finally understanding their true power. I’m beginning to see how social media can connect people that otherwise never would’ve met and I’m benefiting from their advice. I look forward to all the unique opportunities social media will present in my life.

Take Mark Horvath’s lead, break the rules and let your voice be heard!