Happy New Year, 2022!

2022 Word of the Year: “Advocate”

At the end of each year, it’s my habit to assess the current year and choose a word for the coming year that will guide and motivate me and the direction of my business. After a lot of thought and consideration, I’ve decided “Advocate” is my 2022 Word of the Year.

I like that “advocate” is both a noun and a verb. I personally identify with the noun: I am an advocate. The verb means that action will follow.

The definition of an advocate is someone who fights for something or someone, especially someone who fights for the rights of others— a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy. The definition given for the verb is to publicly recommend or support.

Synonyms for advocate are: champion, supporter, backer, promoter, proponent, exponent, protector, and patron.

It’s apropos that the concept of “Champion” has been an integral part of The CoCreation Community for over ten years, reflected in all parts of the business, the website, email addresses, even my title: Founding Champion. I’ve blended the new CCC VIP Program with the old Champion Program. I will continue to be an advocate for, and support, Creatives and entrepreneurs developing an online presence so that their creative endeavors are seen and voices heard, resulting in more visibility, influence, and abundance flowing to them.

Advocacy means giving a person support to have their voice heard.

I’m also expanding the business model to include more affiliate relationships where I am positioned as a promoter and proponent of others’ programs and services aligned with the values of The CoCreation Community.

Inclusion, diversity, and community-belonging have always been both my personal and business core values. In 2022 The CoCreation Community includes the division, DIBadvocates.com: Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging ONLINE—creating a place for everyone, no matter one’s age, circumstance, or ability.

To advocate means to assist people to access and understand appropriate information and services, which is the primary function of DIBadvocates.com.

How will we advocate for diversity, inclusion, and belonging online?

Acknowledge that diversity and inclusion of everyone makes the online world a richer place for ALL. To advocate for another, we must acknowledge their dignity, their worth and their value as a human being. This crosses any barrier of age, ability or circumstance.

Touch/Outreach—Awareness is the first step toward change and not everyone is aware of how to have the online world more accessible, or even if their own websites or businesses are accessible to everyone. We will focus on creating awareness through researched blog posts and articles, the CoCreation Conversations’ free Zoom calls once a month with knowledgeable guests in the Accessibility arena, and a Speakers’ Summit with multiple speakers who are experts in a variety of areas touching the DIBadvocates’ topics of interest.

Advise — We are positioned to coach and advise our clients, as we’ve always done. The CoCreation Community is partnering with professionals who can help anyone wishing to make their websites accessible. We will have a list of vetted partners and affiliates. (An affiliate relationship is one where The CoCreation Community will receive a commission for fulfilled referrals to vetted partners.) We will assist our DIBadvocates clients in choosing the most appropriate solutions for their unique needs.

Support and Coach— Partnering and collaborating is the best way to provide the most qualified and professional services to fulfill a full spectrum of needs, and support our own business, as well. Advocating for our CoCreation Community and DIBadvocate.com clients is our priority.

The CoCreation Community's Mission: to communicate powerful messages of inclusion, compassion, and transformation through Connection and Story via multi-media arts and new media. We help our clients develop an online presence so that their creative endeavor is seen and voices heard, resulting in more visibility, influence, and abundance flowing to them.