We ask a lot of our supporters. In 2012, we asked you to make Joseph Kony famous, and you made him viral. At the 2013 Fourth Estate Summit, we asked you to pledge to fundraise for #zeroLRA – and not only did you promise to raise $2.4 million over the coming months, but you raised over $28,000 right then and there at the Summit. And these are only two out of countless examples in IC history of supporters pulling off astounding accomplishments when asked.

Amanda Palmer delivers one of the coolest and most interesting TedxTalks I’ve ever watched, and it’s all about the phenomenon of asking. As a street-performer-turned-musician, Palmer has formed a living around asking others for support – even when doing so makes her feel vulnerable or even ashamed. But her experiences in the performance industry have thrust her into one of the most fundamental human truths:

“When we see each other, we want to help each other.”

Palmer recognizes that behind every requested favor or fundraiser is something more than just a question: it’s the opportunity for connection.

“Through the very act of asking people, I connected with them. And when you connect with them, people want to help you.”

Action is a byproduct of connection, and connection only occurs with authentic interaction. This fall, Invisible Children is launching a fall campaign called #zeroLRA, and we are asking you to fundraise for programs like flier drops and “come home” messages on radio networks – programs that have real effects on real people in East and central Africa. But in asking you to fundraise, we hope you will connect with us, and more importantly, with the stories of those whom your money directly benefits.

So, talk to us through Facebook, Twitter, email, phone, carrier pigeons, smoke signals – whatever you want – and we will talk back. Because, like Palmer so truthfully observed, all we want to do is see each other, and help each other.