Keyboard Defender – Better Utah Institute

Keyboard Defender advocates are introverted and barnstormers.

Keyboard Defender advocates care deeply about changing things for the better. Their issue of choice fires them up! Their energy may be drained quickly in large groups, but in less frenetic situations they can get a lot done for their cause. They want to call attention to their issue and have a lot of tools available right at their fingertips to make that happen.

There are many ways to take action and make your voice heard. Here are some ways that a Keyboard Defender might like to advocate:

Engage with your elected officials on social media
Write an op-ed or letter to an editor
Vote
Start an issue-based online campaign to mobilize others
Share well-researched information on your social media channels
Volunteer to help publicize or plan an event for an issue-based organization or politician (just make sure you don’t have to be there in person on the day if you don’t want to)

An introvert is a person who tends to recharge by spending time alone or by enjoying the company of a few close friends. They feel drained being around people for long periods of time, particularly in large crowds. They problem-solve by thoughtful consideration and often prefer to write out their thoughts, rather than express them in conversation.

A barnstormer believes that to bring about change you need to pull attention to your cause. It’s a type of advocacy that is done to draw attention and demands immediate results. The basic principle behind barnstorming is that applying pressure forces change to happen.