Social Media Ambassadors Initiative

PSYDEH’s new Mexico volunteer opportunity and digital initiative “SE DUEÑA DE TU VOZ” (“OWN YOUR VOICE”) engages and connects women across the Republic. 

What is it?

Innovated by PSYDEH’s social media and brand awareness consultant Valeria Olivares, we form a corps of influencers to help us use Instagram to connect Mexican women (and men) and serious actors from civil society, private, and governmental sectors. Our aim is to inform citizens about women’s leadership and voices and PSYDEH’s human rights-oriented work while building a community we leverage into value.

Why the initiative, now?

Mexico will have more than 72 million social network users by end-of-2021, the second-most in Latin American, bested only by Brazil. With this being almost 50% of the country’s population, and user numbers growing rapidly because of the pandemic, it is imperative to establish collaborations with users to amplify the everywomen’s voice and civil society.

We have analyzed the difference between successful and not-so-successful digital communication campaigns and found that success is dependent on interesting and involved influencers or leaders who speak eloquently to stakeholders or issues. We also know that many Mexican women influencers are already focused on social issues but not linked with impact makers like PSYDEH.

We do this now because the Mexican government cuts almost all public support for Mexican civil society. The president has made several statements questioning the utility of nonprofits like PSYDEH. While there are corrupt organizations, and we should better regulate civil society, not all actors are bad. Civil society needs to find ways to thrive in order to help Mexico to develop in a sustainable way (as is the case for any democracy). This is especially true, now, when we face worsening social and economic problems; for example, non-partisan actors can play their unique role to ensure Mexican government accountability in the fight against increasing poverty.

In conclusion, battered by media attacks and budget cuts, Mexican nonprofits must be creative when looking to engage, collaborate, connect with one another and citizens to make an impact. We hope this effort will help PSYDEH and others modeling what we do succeed. With success, “Sueña de tu voz” ambassadors, allied with PSYDEH, will forge a community with generations X, Y, and Z at the center. And more eyeballs in the said community equal an enhanced ability to negotiate with companies in myriad ways, including cause marketing partnerships. 

What’s next?

In late-2020 we pitched our concept to potential Mexican ambassadors with the aim of having 3-5 professional women influencers co-innovating the initiative by Febbruary 2021. Thereafter, we’ll formulate a menu of Instagram-centric activities we’ll use to achieve target outcomes by April-May 2021.

An example of these “activities” is inviting women to tell their own stories about women who’ve impacted them using the hashtag #MUJERESQUEINSPIRAN (women who inspire). In this way, women recognize other women (and men) who have left a positive mark in their lives by sharing their own images, videos, or text. Through sharing, this Mexico volunteer opportunity will celebrate women’s voices, women’s leadership, and connect women and men across class, cultural and language barriers, ideally with an eye to action.