A milestone year in digital activism is finally coming to a close. A few weeks ago we asked you what your thoughts were on the best acts of protest this year. Below are the winners of our contest who will be receiving a Flip UltraHD Video Camera.
“The love in my heart I felt for my brothers in Tunisia was amazing. Watching from far away, I felt I was right there with my brothers in the streets [on YouTube]. The images were powerful because it showed the frustration of the people and their determination to see political change immediately. I am sad everyday that Mohamed Bouazizi is no longer with us and died the way he did, but I will always be grateful for him for starting the revolution for change. Mohamed must remind us that it only takes one person to get the ball rolling.”
- Nassir El-Bahri, Beirut, Lebanon
“I was incredibly touched by the protests this year on behalf of the socially and economically disenfranchised. When I learned about the story of Troy Davis, I was so profoundly touched by his story, that I told my friends and family on Twitter and Facebook and my blog to sign the e-petition to keep him alive. It was the first time in my life I felt motivated to be an online activist because I knew deep down in my heart that he wasn’t guilty of the crime. And I think watching the Arab Spring from my TV and following it on Twitter showed me how simple it was to stand up against injustice.”
- Monique Lynn Johnson, Mobile, Alabama, USA
“I was laid off and have been unemployed for two years, and I felt really angry at my government and big corporations right now. So there was something about the Occupy Wall Street movement that moved me. I visited the tent city in my area a few times on my way to my temp job and talked to people there who were also like me. I wasn’t able to camp out there, but I stayed in touch with everything going on there on Live Stream, YouTube and Facebook, and felt like I was there in spirit. I also talked with others online about my predicament, and felt I was doing my part in the smallest way I could.”
-Drew Fatton, Vancouver, Canada
“I am excited to see what happens on the Korean peninsula now that Kim Jong-Il has passed. A major protest this year that went under the radar was the mass anti-FTA protest in South Korea. I am originally from Seoul, but currently go to university in Washington DC, when protests began. I was amazed to see such little attention the American media gave to KORUS because in my opinion, it is the worst thing in US trade policy since NAFTA. Many of my Korean friends are worried about how the policy will affect both Koreans and Americans negatively in the long run. However, when the video footage of the thousands of people protesting the FTA in Seoul got on YouTube, I retweeted them to my American friends to let them know how US policy decisions affect others around the world. My American friends were shocked because they didn’t even know about the FTA. This year in social media and revolution has really opened many eyes. I want to see the next online battle go to North Korea.”
- Esther Lee, Washington D.C & Seoul, South Korea
