We’re recently back from hosting our first ever Direct Action Training for Trainers for People of Color, and we’re pleased to report it was a success!
We wanted to pump the streets up with more experienced direct action trainers of color, and decided a T4T for People of Color was in order. One of our primary missions is spreading direct action capacity across the communities we work with, and experience has taught us to create multiple opportunities for folks to do so. We also wanted to create a space for people of color to explore the issues of direct action within communities of color and front-line communities.
April 20-23, we hosted 25 leaders from across the United States and Canada for 4 days of training in San Francisco, covering nonviolence theory, direct action skills and training methodologies of nonviolent direct action. We’re excited to put a new crop of trainers on the streets – taking action and building the capacity of communities on the front lines!
Check out photos from the T4T for POC on Flickr or Facebook, and stay tuned for more reports and lessons learned from this landmark training.
[ORIGINAL TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT]
The Ruckus Society recognizes that creative, strategic, nonviolent direct actions are effective means in securing environmental, social justice and human rights. Moreover, these actions can be more transformative when led by those who are most directly impacted by injustice. This area of impact typically falls within the communities of People of Color and it is members of these communities who typically work on the front lines of the fight for justice.
The Occupy Movement has proven to be a key movement in bringing activists of all backgrounds together. The broad Occupy message resonates with People of Color who identify with many of the Occupy aspirations. Despite this, many people of color have reported not being able to access trainings they think Occupy should be offering. One area of interest for people of color is in taking the lessons of direct action back into their communities.
To this end, The Ruckus Society is convening a Direct Action Training for Trainers (T4T) for People of Color to build our expertise as direct action trainers and strategists and learn skills to provide expert support for the 99% and all our movements.
Participants at the Direct Action T4T for POC will:
- Enhance their workshop facilitation and design skills
- Receive personal guidance from experienced trainers
- Network with and receive support from other trainers in the field of
- Nonviolent Direct Action
- Exchange ideas and share experience with other participants about the role and strategies of people of color in non violent direct action
- Learn concrete training skills in Nonviolent Direct Action, Direct Action Strategy, Planning and more