Ruckus is happy to announce our 2012 Action Camp will take place June 8-12th at The Highlander Center in Tennessee! Co-sponsored by NDLON (National Day Laborer Organizing Network), this camp will be focused on the fight for migrant rights & making connections to other critical movements for justice at this time.
Why Migrant Rights?
The movement for migrant rights is at a critical juncture. Billionaires fan the flames of racism and hatred through the Tea Party and militia groups, to garner public consent for anti-migrant legislation like SB1070 copycat laws, and so-called "secure communities" policies that are spreading throughout the United States. And as if SB1070-style laws weren’t bad enough, now Alabama’s HB87 has raised the bar even higher, setting a new standard for extreme right-wing anti-immigrant legislation that seeks to make conditions so bad for people, that individuals will ‘self-deport’.
This is a battle for civil rights, and like the movements before us, we must wage wide-spread nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience campaigns to turn the tide of public opinion, and to demand just and equal rights under the law.
Why Action Camp?
Extensive training and preparation are necessary (and proven effective) in order to execute successful action campaigns, and Action Camp is a key step in this path to cultivate skilled organizers who can implement effective actions, and spread these skills onto others.
Ruckus has a 15-year track record of pulling activists together at our Action Camps and providing the training and networking necessary to develop new generations of direct action tacticians for the movement.
ACTION CAMP DETAILS
Ruckus’s 2012 Action Camp will be five full days of training June 8-12, including curriculum that will span from theory and strategy, to hands-on action tactics.
Topics include:
- Nonviolent Direct Action Theory
- Action Strategy, Design & Planning
- Action Climbing
- Scouting & Action Preparation Skills
- Blockades & Occupations for multiple applications
- Action Communications & Tech
- Media & Messaging
- Creative Action Arts
Accommodations
We are excited to host this year’s camp at the Highlander Research & Education Center, known for its legacy of labor & civil rights organizing, and civil disobedience training.
Participants will camp out in tents on the beautiful grounds of the Highlander Center’s land near the Great Smoky Mountains. Limited dormitory housing will be available for those who cannot or do not wish to camp.
All meals are included, prepared by experienced Ruckus chefs. Meals are centrally vegetarian/vegan with meat options available at dinner.
Who should apply
Activists, community members and organizers working in the migrant rights movement will make up the majority of the participant pool, with slots available for those working on other critical movements for justice. We seek to foster cross-pollination and the sharing of best practices and lessons learned between different movements whenever possible.
Priority is given to individuals actively working in communities and organizations, and who are committed to apply the skills learned at Camp back in their communities in direct action campaigns.
All interested participants should fill out an Application. Applications are due by April 10th, 2012. Applicants will be notified of acceptance by April 30th.
Participant Fees
Action Camp costs Ruckus approximately $1,000 per participant. Participants are asked to contribute what they can along a sliding scale.
Want to help us pull off the 2012 Action Camp? Donate here to help cover the camp costs for a participant!
For more information about our Action Camps, please check out the following links: