NOW WHAT? TAKE ACTION So what issue(s) do YOU care about? What can YOU do to address this? How can YOU get others involved? Here is an action project that students carry out in our courses. But really, with motivation and hard work, anyone can take action. We suggest working with others, but you can do the action on your own. From our experience, students who work individually almost always reflect that they wish they had worked in groups. As Margaret Meade reminds us: “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has”. ACTION PLAN Intro: Briefly introduce the What, So What, Now What of your action plan. What: What issue(s) are you trying to address? How are you located in this power dynamic? So What: So what can you do to address these power dynamics? Who are your allies? What do you anticipate as obstacles to making change? What assumptions are you making about how change happens? Why are you planning an individual or collective action? Does your action involve speaking for others, rescuing others, or being philanthropic? What challenges have been raised to this kind of action in the course material and how do you respond? Who will be affected by this change? Now What: What is your plan for action? How will this meet your goals? Who needs to be involved for this to be effective? This should include a detailed plan of who is responsible for what and when. Note: Do not perform actions that reinforce stereotypes in any way. Avoid harm to yourself or others. The action must be non-violent and legal. Students cannot interview people without first securing clearance from the research ethics committee.

Examples of Possible Actions:

• Starting political conversations in non-academic settings • Creating an alternative economic and political community • Developing a YouTube video on torture • Running a workshop on violence against women • Doing a popular education workshop with youth on local and global

economic problems • Conducting a safety audit on campus

Krista Hunt 2009 www.teachlearnchange.org

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Length: 3-4 double-spaced pages

REFLECTION PAPER Intro: Briefly introduce the What, So What, Now What of your action plan, and what you plan to argue about how change happens. What: What did you do? So What: How did things change from the action plan? Did you meet your goals? To what extent have your views on change been modified, challenged or reinforced by this project (refer to your response in the action plan)? To what extent have your views about yourself as an agent of change been modified, challenged or reinforced by this project (refer to your response in the action plan)? What key lessons have you learned about making feminist change? Now What: What will (would) you do differently next time? How will (could) you build on this action? Length: 8-10 double-spaced pages Evaluation: Students will not be evaluated on how successful they were in making change (i.e. did it work), but rather on their thoughtful planning, implementation and reflection about their chosen action. In other words, the focus is on process and reflection, rather than outcome.

Krista Hunt 2009 www.teachlearnchange.org

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