Lisa Maya Knauer, Chair Sociology/Anthropology Depart. &
Camilo Viveiros, Activism2Organizing.org 

Wednesday, March 1, 2017 1:00PM - 2:00PM

University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, CCB Auditorium 

This workshop starts with participants’ own experiences, and then explores some key moments and issues in social change organizing – from the early days of the labor movement here in Massachusetts to Occupy Wall Street to Black Lives Matter to the current wave of protests. What can we learn from them? What are appropriate strategies now? What can we do that would really make a difference?

#RESIST #Organize #Activism2Organizing #MovementofMovements #SocialMovement #OrganizeUptoScale

I’m looking forward to facilitating sessions on “Present-day Emergencies and What they have in Common”, “Utopian Solutions” and introducing Laura Gottesdiener, author of “A Dream Foreclosed: Black America and the Fight for a Place Called Home” at the upcoming Land & Water Conference at the Watson Institute for International Studies Brown University.

“We’re gonna have to do more than talk. We’re gonna have to do more than listen” - Fred Hampton

Activism to Organizing will be providing upcoming training for this Community Organizing Campaign workshop

anomiegirl-blog asked: Hi! I'm one of the organizers who works on the Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar. Our 2015 theme is "ecojustice" and we're hoping to reprint an excerpt from your excellent piece "10 lessons from the criminalization of dissent." Let me know if it would be okay. We'd like to include a photo of you and a short (50-100 word) bio as well. I'm happy to answer any questions!

Sure

Dr. Seuss

Fred Rogers (via stretchandembolden)

We are compiling a list of resources for organizing and social movements: for analysis and practical on-the-ground use, as well as for a tailored independent study.
                      

Help us gather your favorite readings related to social movement theory, strategy and organizing methodologies. The scope of potential readings is large- we are looking for literature in the form of journal articles, books, texts, and organizing-related handouts and pamphlets. Fields of study include sociology, social movement theory, social movement research/methods, anthropology, political economy, philosophy, critical theory, history, etc. 

The list will be used for a general resource guide, and for a guided independent study syllabus, with categories, questions and topics. This study will compare, contrast and assess different organizing methodologies, including organizational structures and various movement strategies, with the aim to further spread effective organizing potential. 

Thank you for any suggestions, please send them to: camilo@activism2organizing.org

Black Friday solidarity with Walmart Workers in southeastern Massachusetts & Rhode Island.

Activism2organizing helped bring together community & labor activists to fight back against Walmart’s attacks on workers.

Volunteer community & Occupy activists, carpenters, students, Teamsters, seniors, teachers, grassroots organizations, and people of faith stood strong for Walmart workers! 100+ people were mobilized from Fall River to Seekonk to Swansea to Providence.  We delivered letters of support from the community demanding changes in Walmart’s treatment of workers, when we could (in Swansea we were rebuffed from even entering the mall). We held informational pickets and leafleted customers, we chanted and drivers honked their horns in solidarity.  We stood up for all workers across the supply chain around the world, as in one of our mike checks when we said:

Walmart workers aren’t just the people you see in stores,

They are sons and daughters, moms and dads, working hard to support families.

Walmart workers are in warehouses moving products across the country,

Walmart workers make products around the world,

Walmart workers have built the Walton’s economic empire.

We want all the work that creates the wealth of the Walton’s to be respected,

We demand change in how Walmart treats all their workers! 

In Providence, RI 50+ people were able to hold a strong presence inside the Walmart for nearly 30 minutes, doing informative mike checks, holding signs of solidarity, and reaching out to shoppers, the vast majority of whom were on our side! Exposing the Walton’s economic empire is a way to target the 1%. 6 Walton heirs own more wealth than 40% of the rest of the U.S. combined! Common sense dictates to most people that this is not fair.

Stay tuned for upcoming workshops to expand your organizing & to win larger victories.  Contact us on ways to build bigger actions around the issues you care about, and to schedule trainings for your campus, organization, or community group.