Kim Keller from Roadkill Goldfish goes to battle for our kids! She is an activist who uses her connections & talents to equip & educate the public. Read on!
This past year when I spoke at a high school, it caught major media attention. A booking agent and close friend connected me with social media expert Kim Keller from Dallas, Texas to help keep the momentum going. With over 20 years of experience as a public relations professional, reporter, writer and even a cancer survivor, Kim is a major go-getter and has become a close friend. You may have seen her on Fox News, Good Morning America, the Blaze, or the Dallas Morning News just to name a few. You will love her wisdom, whit and expertise on how parents can protect their kids in today’s digital world.
Kim, how did your blog start?
Several of my friends encouraged me to write a blog that shared funny stories about my life and perceptions. Plus, blogging was cheaper than psychotherapy, so I figured, why not? My lifetime career fantasy has always been to be either an investigative journalist or writer for Saturday Night Live, but I really didn’t want to deal with death threats or late nights in a television studio. The blog let me do a little bit of both without the risks.
Hilarious Kim! How did your blog go viral?
Image: Instagram
I had been writing for only four months, and then God announced he had other plans for the blog. I was pretty disgusted by Miley Cyrus’ raunchy performance during MTV’s Video Music Awards, and I wrote a post based on a conversation I had with my daughter. The post was a message that girls don’t have to act like the Mileys of the world to get attention or be seen as valuable, and it was a tongue-in-cheek apology for being my kid’s mom, not friend.
The post had more than 2 million views within the first 36 hours, and within in a week, it had been read by more than 4.1 million people around the world. It struck a chord and hit a nerve. Hundreds of parents from across the globe thanked me for taking a stand, and haters made some really nasty comments and threatened me for speaking out against culture’s efforts to hyper sexualize our children.
I can relate Kim. Hang in there! How did you handle the public feedback?
The media frenzy lasted about two weeks. The negative response was awful because much of it became very personal and threatening, and some of the media outlets that covered the story were a bit patronizing. I wanted to run and hide, but a friend reminded me of when God told Moses the Israelites would win the battle as long as Moses held his hands in the air. Moses got tired, his arms started sagging, and things didn’t go so well on the battlefield. However, Moses’ friends stood beside him and propped his arms up for him. I had lots of people “propping me up” through prayer as I did media appearances defending the message behind my article.
The opposition likes to bark loudly, show their teeth and lunge like rabid wolves at those who disagree with them; however, I discovered they were just a bunch of whiny Chihuahuas pulling on a short leash. Hooray, God!
You’re so right! How did all this turn into a ministry?
I spoke about my experience at church a few weeks later, and after my presentation, a woman thanked me for my ministry. I never considered my blog or speaking out to be a ministry, but God sure did. Since then, it’s been my mission to teach parents and their kids about the impact today’s culture has on our communities and give them the tools and courage they need to change it. It’s reflected in all my blog content and in my speeches.
What makes your messages unique?
God gave me a very diverse life experience. I spent half of my life without Jesus, doing and believing all the stuff that goes along with that worldview, and I spent the other half with Him. I gotta tell you, the second half has been much better. I think the experience of having lived in both worlds helps me connect with more people.
The professional stuff has been helpful; I’ve been a news reporter, media spokesperson, college instructor and local actor. But I think my messages are most shaped by my role as a mom. My husband and I have a teenage daughter and tween son, so we’re in the trenches with every other parent who’s fighting to raise well-balanced and Godly kids. We’re definitely not perfect parents, and we’ve made our share of mistakes, but we keep going.
What upcoming projects are you working on to build your platform and reach more people with this message?
I still post once or twice a week, but I’m branching out into more public speaking because I feel that conversations are much more effective than anything I can ever write. I’ve got two presentations: “Social Media 101” teaches parents about today’s social media landscape and how they can better protect and educate their kids in the digital wild west; and “Mamas, Dramas, and Messy Media” educates adults about how today’s media and culture impact our kids and what they can do to fight back.
I hope to be able to bring these messages to more groups in 2015 because I feel it’s critical that parents KNOW what’s going on out there and can DO things to make a difference for their kids. I also want to empower them to speak out without fear because it’s important that their voices be heard in this world.
I completely agree. You’re the sister I never had. Is there anything friends and other believers can do to support you?
Pray. Prayer is always important. Everything else falls off the rails without it. People can also follow the blog at www.RoadkillGoldfish.com and share my content, or they can spread the word about my presentations so I can empower folks in other communities. And if they feel led, they can make a gift to support the blog and its outreach.
One last thing. I have to ask…What’s the story behind the name, Roadkill Goldfish?
WOW! Thank you Kim for your dedication to help educate us on how to thrive in a sexualized culture. Keep up the great work!
Question: What are some ways you have helped protect your kids in today’s high tech media world? You can leave your comments by clicking here.