ModernPoly.com, founded this past August, has covered a lot of ground in a very short time. A small group of activists set out together to create a hub for poly culture-- organizing, learning, networking and emerging poly pop culture-- via a social networking site and e-zine that was aimed at a national market. No one knew exactly what directions the project would take, but everyone-- inside and outside-- was excited at the possibilities.
Four months later, and less than 2 months after launch, the social site's membership has exceeded 600, with a broader readership for the e-zine-- and the e-zine has already published over 10 articles, each one vetted by the team as an editorial board. The group wiki project has begun collecting entries for local poly groups, and the T-shirt worthy site logo and slogan have finally arrived. We've broken so many boundaries. The only thing keeping the ModernPoly team from growing our voice (and our members voices) on the national scene is the funding to make it to the Poly Living conference this February.
This is where you come in.
We want to attend the Poly Living conference, hosted by Loving More, in February, and the Poly Leadership Network's annual summit afterward. The conference connects us with other polys and activists, and the summit allows us to meet with other activist leaders from across North America on poly issues, putting us in step with all the other activists and the rest of the movement (even if our drummer has a slightly funky beat). It's also our chance to step out and show what we're about-- explain all the work we've been doing already, and collaborate with organizations who have similar goals. But the conference and travel aren't free-- it will cost us around $565 each just to get there, attend, and sleep.
If we can raise $3,000, we can all make it to the conference.
If we can raise $4,000, we can also pay for our site expenses for a year.
If we can raise $5,000, we can pay our writers a small stipend and give back to the open source community for the software we're using on the site.
If we can raise more than that, our minds will be blown and we'll put the extra money back into poly community organizing.
And we haven't forgotten about you! We have lots of incentives-- logo bracelets, advertising, one-on-one coaching, and special incentives for people who want to throw fundraising parties.
If you're not able to financially support our work, we'd love your help in other ways. Stop by ModernPoly.com and check out our group wiki to see what groups are active in your area, or make a page for yours if it's not up yet; make a profile and check out local poly groups and forums on the community side. The site by and for us, and we appreciate each and every one of you-- without you, we literally wouldn't exist.
But we hope you consider donating to help us make it to the conference, and to support our work to bring polyamory to the forefront as a viable, socially accepted relationship style. We have the drive and direction; and we definitely have big plans and high hopes. But we can't do it without you
Update @ 10am Central 12/31/09: Thank you to Alan at Polyamory in the Media for his generous donation of $1,000. Within a few hours of our fundraiser launch we are already at 20% of our goal!
Categories: News Tags: modern poly, fundraiser, organizing, poly living, polyamory leadership network
