goal: develop shared understanding for how movement ... · mlk did not on march on washington did...
TRANSCRIPT
GOAL: Develop shared understanding for how
movement building is different, yet connected to
“power building” - and its critical importance to
the campaign
What do you think of when you think of Movement Building? what made those other
movements, movements? do you feel you are part of a movement? what are some of
those common elements?
- started w/ turning to one person, why they as an individual feel they
are part of a movement or something bigger then them as an
individual. contributing part of something bigger then they are. turn to
find another set of pairs - what does it feel like when you’re part of a
big team... what felt good about it, make you feel welcome..
- flip chart up what people add what they did - why was that important to
them? capture some of those words and draw from the definition.
juxtapose the definition! helping them understand they are already part
of a movement (if they are?)
Bosse
Recognizing that a movement is larger than any organization or individual, we
nevertheless believe that there are ways that organizers and organizations can
contribute to building a movement as they pursue more focused campaign work:
● Vision and Urgency: Communicating a common vision that moves people
from fear to hope and indicates how they contribute to tangible solutions
● Local Victories: Executing campaigns and winning local victories that provide
people with a sense of their own power and contributions to larger outcomes.
● Movement Moments: Seeking out intersections with events or circumstances
in the broader world, and tapping into the energy and enthusiasm of mass
mobilizations.
● Leadership: Cultivating leaders who are capable and willing to take action
when the organization asks, and critically, to identify issues in their community
and self-organize within their networks.
● Relationships: Building relationships with partners who share some core
values in order to strengthen our power as we work toward common goals.
● Vision and Urgency: Communicating a common vision that moves people
from fear to hope and indicates how they contribute to tangible solutions
frame, narrative, not issue specific more vision specific.
MLK did not on March on washington did not say I have an issue, he said I have a
dream/vision. Rooted in narrative. broad base. working towards long term
transformation and power.
● Local Victories: Executing campaigns and winning local victories that provide
people with a sense of their own power and contributions to larger outcomes.
photo: SGMF National Monument signing.
A pragmatic policy package Developing policy is particularly important because
Americans are a practical lot: if something is bad but there is no viable solution, it is
often accepted that this is “just the way things are.” To convince the public that the
poor may not be with us always (at least in their current situation of poverty), one
needs a policy package that looks like it might actually work at alleviating poverty. An
old axiom from famed community organizer Saul Alinsky is that people are more
motivated when they win. While some progressive forces seem to have preferred the
moral high ground of frequent defeat, most new social movement organizations are at
the ready with practical programs to rework job training, use public bonds to build
parks, and/or remake health care to better serve the poor.
● Movement Moments: Seeking out intersections with events or circumstances
in the broader world, and tapping into the energy and enthusiasm of mass
mobilizations.
A willingness to network with other movements No one wins alone. It is critical
that social movements that may be focused on particular issues and particular
constituencies are able to find their way to potential allies in other movements. Too
much diversity can be negative – a cacophony of interest groups produces a laundry
list of demands rather than a narrative of commonality – but the success of the right
was largely due to welcoming a broader range of interests than many realize. Social
movement organizations that are too exclusive or too focused on building their own
group may fail to build the movement; the goal is to find those who seem to view their
own activities as streams flowing into a broader current of social change.
● Leadership: Cultivating leaders who are capable and willing to take action
when the organization asks, and critically, to identify issues in their community
and self-organize within their networks.
Melissa Gutierrez is the Volunteer Leader for the Communications Team in Phoenix. She has been
taking on additional duties since her first action event with Sierra Club at MLK Day in January of
this year. Melissa will be attending the Wildlands and Wilderness Team’s Seattle Training this
month.
● Relationships: Building relationships with partners who share some core
values in order to strengthen our power as we work toward common goals.
this was Brune meeting with Havasupai leader in Summer of 2014 in front of the Canyon Uranium
Mine by their sacred Red Butte Site, which would be within the new proposed monument
On the left is Sondra Young, President of the Denver Branch of the NAACP, and in the middle is
Rosemary Lytle, President of the NAACP State Conference for CO MT and WY.
We worked directly with Rosemary around the Juneteenth Festival and have been making
connections with Sondra to explore work in the Denver metro area.
*****TRANSACTIONAL relationships are no longer acceptable. - Sarah Hodgon
- Breakout: ask people to turn to a partner and take 5 mins to answer what does this mean to you.
- Dan/Lena each share how movement building has applied to their work
- Groups of 3, now discuss how you would apply this to your work
Photo 3: Fall colors at Rock Creek Lake.
Lena - 5 mins to tell the story about Keystone movement
Dan - 5 mins to tell the story about Artic movement
what are the biggest threats to public lands?
threats
what are some of the challenges or hurdles in building a social movement?
Isolation: EX: “thats not an enviro issue” - look at comprehensive immigration reform
examples
Ex: White stallion fight - built leadership remotely, trained leaders, built long term
movement leaders and also Lone Star Chapter by framing the issue around water and
farmers and not talking about SC in these arenas after being told the decision makers
were all unswingable
Creating strategy that effects frontline communities without frontline groups having a
seat at the table
EX: BEA initiative - addressing historical and current inequities in fundraising
between big greens and EJ groups - means SC will get less and we have to be ok
with that.
Disagreement on strategy - many different approaches, strategies
Look at Elements of MB on PPT -
Handouts - 1. Challenges to MB
1. sheet to work through
OR (this might be end breakout q’s)
- Which of these elements do you feel are
missing from your work?
- Which of these elements are present in your
work?
Wrap up - Sierra Club and movement building
1. Focusing internally to build our own base of power by (a) deploying staff and
volunteers to recruit, train, and organize leaders locally, especially in areas that make
the most strategic difference, and (b) engaging our broader network of members and
champions in taking action on and offline;
2. Focus externally to build and use power when collaborating with other
organizations and individuals to implement specific campaign strategies and/or
broader movement goals. The Sierra Club works with a number of partners at
national, state, and local levels to bring together a broad coalition to demonstrate
support for clean energy solutions. When the Club joins in these collaborative
movement-building efforts, the organization contributes the following resources: