Online Organizing: Beyond Numbers and Speed to Developing Strategic Power and Winning Issue Campaigns
Session Type(s): Training
Starts: Friday, Jun. 21 7:30 PM (Eastern)
Ends: Friday, Jun. 21 8:45 PM (Eastern)
300,000 signatures on a petition sounds big, but is it powerful? This session will explore the difference between having large numbers and having real power to win on your issue campaign. We’ll use the Midwest Academy Strategy Chart to examine case studies and explore a strategic way to conduct power analysis in the context of real campaigns. We will discuss target research and guidelines for building a constituency to which the target will find it very hard to say no. We will look at the intersection of online and offline work, and how to combine the two to build powerful progressive organizations. Participants will apply these principles to their own work and leave with a blueprint for developing strategic issue campaigns, analyzing and building power.
Trainers
Keron Blair
I’ve been at Midwest Academy for two years. Since then, I’ve worked with students in California on a divestment campaign, a national faith-based coalition working to end Mass Incarceration, campaigns to decriminalize personal drug use, groups working to prevent school closures in Philadelphia, statewide coalitions to stop the passage of anti-immigrant laws in Alabama. I also run the Academy’s internship program, teach a graduate course in Organizing at Loyola University and train at the Academy’s 5-day Organizing for Social Change trainings.
Before Midwest Academy, I worked on campaigns to ensure equitable access to jobs for low-income people, efforts to expand and protect tenants rights in New Orleans, Healthcare Reform, building support for the Employee Free Choice Act and organizing in response to anti-labor laws in India and Ohio in 2011.
I migrated from Jamaica 13 years ago, and have been organizing for close to 9 years.
Judy Hertz
I am the Executive Director of the Midwest Academy. Our mission is to provide training and consulting that helps build infrastructure for the progressive movement.
I don’t mind the 1% buying jewelry, but I just hate it when they buy senators. To address the massive income inequality and power imbalance in our society, I believe we need a strong labor movement working closely with strong community organizations.
I have been an organizer for many years, working in congregation-based organizing, as a tenants rights organizer, with low-income immigrant mothers on school reform issues, among other jobs.
I have been with the Midwest Academy for 14 years, almost three as ED. I co-developed our workshop for supervisors of organizers and the advanced organizing strategy session. I have provided training and consultation to Working America, the National Council of La Raza, Change.org, the US Student Association, the Sierra Club and many others.