Ivan Boothe works with nonprofits and social change groups, developing websites and online strategy around advocacy, fundraising and member engagement. Previously, he was a co-founder of the Genocide Intervention Network and served as director of communications and Internet strategy coordinator.

Last week, Special Envoy to Sudan Gen. Scott Gration sat down with representatives from Save Darfur and the student network STAND for an unprecedented live Q&A, webcast directly from the White House website.

The event served as the launch of an initiative the White House is calling Ask U.S., "an effort to reach out to the advocacy communities and to solicit questions on the U.S. Sudan policy from activists deeply and passionately engaged" around Sudan.

Watch a recording of the webcast:

Save Darfur Coalition Executive Director Jerry Fowler and STAND Student Director Layla Amjadi were joined by Samantha Power -- now the National Security Council's Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs, but known more widely as the author of "A Problem from Hell": America and the Age of Genocide, a history of the United States' response to mass atrocities from Armenia to Rwanda. Power herself was an inspiration for many of the anti-genocide organizations which exist today, including the two that participated in this online exchange.

Calling for transparency, pushing for accountability

The webcast was notable not just for its interactivity -- members of both STAND and Save Darfur were encouraged to submit questions, which were then asked directly of Gration on air -- but for its accountability...