Happy Social Media Day! 

Mashable launched Social Media Day in 2010 as a way to recognize and celebrate social media's impact on global communication. While every day is essentially Social Media Day, June 30, 2015 marks the sixth-annual official global celebration.

In past years, meet-ups happened all over the world. celebrating Social Media Day, including those in Egypt, Spain, and San Diego. In fact, every year we have celebrated in Detroit with a rocking event. This year was no different!

Hosted by Social Media Association of Michigan (SMAMi) at MotorCity Casino & Hotel's SoundBoard, Social Media Day Detroit was held on Friday, June 26. The event kicked off with a great panel discussion about Detroit and technology and social media.



The panel was originally supposed to be focused on new ways to use technology to solve some of Detroit's problems, but it evolved into a deeper discussion about what those specific problems are and how they impact people’s lives. The esteemed panel included:

• David Anderson, CoFounder at Bamboo Detroit
• Piper Carter, CoFounder at Detroit Digital Justice Coalition
• Jake Cohen, Managing Partner at Detroit Venture Partners
• Michael Evans, Senior Developer at Loveland Technologies
• Edi Demaj, CoFounder at Rocket Fiber
• Jill Ford, Head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the City of Detroit
• Niles Heron, CoFounder at Michigan Funders
• Alicia Jones, CEO at Harmony Point ITC

Wish you could have attended last week's Social Media Day Detroit panel discussion? You're in luck! Our friends over at IT in the D recorded the discussion. Click on the button below to start streaming the panel discussion.


After the panel discussion we had a great time celebrating and networking with each other.

Let's get this party started! #SMDayDet pic.twitter.com/aCIxF4lXoS

— MotorCity Casino (@MotorCityCasino) June 26, 2015

@SMAMiorg Hashtag Mitten, get it? #SMDayDet #SocialMitten #✋ pic.twitter.com/dXHBZ8wwDa

— Jenna B (@brown169) June 27, 2015

Great talking to the ladies at @yelpdetroit ! #smdaydet pic.twitter.com/pTyyjfRZLS

— Jenna B (@brown169) June 26, 2015

Enjoying #SMDayDet with @SMitchellMarket #SMDay #Detroit pic.twitter.com/FzsHPWuSsR

— Sara Nickleberry (@socialwithsara) June 26, 2015

Now broadcasting at Soundboard #Smdaydet pic.twitter.com/FK31jSN4xe

— IT in the D (@ITintheD) June 26, 2015

EPIC TWEETS #SMDayDet #SMDay #SMCD pic.twitter.com/np23emDNfk

— Joel Heckaman (@JHeckaman) June 27, 2015

As an added bonus, Governor, Rick Synder, has officially proclaimed June 30 as Social Media Day as a day of recognition in the State of Michigan.

The proclamation states we will celebrate June 30 as Social Media Day...

• WHEREAS, social media platforms have created a vibrant community for citizens to communicate with each other, universities, organizations and municipalities throughout the world; and,
• WHEREAS, state of Michigan leadership, departments, and programs have established a standard of excellence in social media communications, providing unprecedented customer service and transparency to constituents; and,
• WHEREAS, usage of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to provide interactive and effective means of messaging has evolved into real time event coverage, ideation, user generated content and a more participatory government; and,
• WHEREAS, Social Media Day, a globally recognized event, allows individuals to gather physically and virtually to celebrate the advancements of technology, information and interaction; and,
• WHEREAS, on this day, we recognize Michigan's social media users and we raise awareness of the important service these channels provide in government, business and education;
• NOW, THEREFORE, I, Rick Snyder, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim June 30, 2015 as Michigan Social Media Day.

Don't forget about this Friday's event in Detroit!

June 26, 2015 marks the date of the 6th annual Social Media Day celebration taking place in Detroit—bringing together influencers and innovators to talk about social media, Detroit, and technology’s ultimate role in a re-surging city’s success—hosted by the Social Media Association of Michigan (SMAMi).

The event will begin with a roundtable discussion on "Technology’s Role in a Resurging City.” Special guests will be notable tech entrepreneurs, agency executives, and public sector leaders who will all speak to the important role social media and technology has on Detroit’s success and public perception, locally and around the world. The featured guests, all notable Detroiters, include:

• David Anderson, CoFounder at Bamboo Detroit
• Piper Carter, CoFounder at Detroit Digital Justice Coalition
• Jake Cohen, Managing Partner at Detroit Venture Partners
• Michael Evans, Senior Developer at Loveland Technologies
• Edi Demaj, CoFounder at Rocket Fiber
• Jill Ford, Head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the City of Detroit
• Niles Heron, CoFounder at Michigan Funders
• Alicia Jones, CEO at Harmony Point ITC

Happy Social Media Day!
aka June 30th

By now you may or may not have heard about Mashable's sanctioned Social Media Day "holiday," which has been celebrated annual for six years running.

Mashable launched Social Media Day in 2010 as a way to recognize and celebrate social media's impact on global communication.

Attend a Social Media Day Meetup
There are hundreds of Social Media Day events happening around the world including those in Egypt, Spain, Las Vegas and San Diego so changes are there is a meetup taking place close to you. Use Mashable's tools to find local events. These are great places to meet and network with like-minded people and ultimately nerd-out over social media.

Thow a Social Media Day Party
If there isn't an event in your area, plan one! It might be too late now but you could always start planning for next year's event! Use the Mashable Meetup Organizers group for guidance.

But if you're like us in Detroit, we celebrated Social Media Day early so there isn't any organized event taking place on June 30. Here are some other options:

The Hashtag
Use the hashtag #SMday on Twitter to follow along with everything that is happening before and on June 30, Social Media Day. You can also follow @MashableEvents for a sneak speak of what's happening.


Collaborate
Join Mashable's Meetup Coordinators group on Facebook to learn more about all of the meetups that are taking place as well as initiatives for this year. You can network here too! If you are the one planning an event, this is also a great place for ideas.


Toolkit
Mashable has been nice enough to provide a toolkit for marketers or anyone working on anything Social Media Day related. This free, digital toolkit if full of logos and other goodies you may need.


Have any other great ideas for how to spend this year's Social Media Day? Leave them in the comments below.

I'm thrilled to celebrate Mashable's fifth annual Social Media Day again in Detroit!

Mashable launched this event in 2010 as a way to recognize the digital revolution happening right before our eyes. Each year, thousands of people organize hundreds of meetups across the globe. From Australia to the Philippines, all the way to Sri Lanka and Morocco, countries come together every June to participate in this global movement.

This year's Detroit even is being hosted on Friday, June 27 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. by the Social Media Association of Michigan at Tech Town, an urban research and technology business park in midtown Detroit that defines itself as a community of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, service providers and corporate partners creating an internationally recognized entrepreneurial village in the city of Detroit.

Detroit's fifth annual Social Media Day event will begin with an educational panel discussion on Social Media 3.0 and taking social media to the next level, followed networking, entertainment, and fun giveaways!

The event is FREE however registration is required, click here to register.

If you're planning on celebrating in Detroit hit me up on Twitter (@katelynshelby) and we can hang out!