Where Do I Begin: A Workshop on Identifying Social Change Roles and Ecosystems, with Deepa Iyer and Adaku Utah

During times of crisis and overwhelm, we often feel untethered and uncertain about how to show up and make a difference. In this workshop, we will learn about the Social Change Ecosystem Framework, a tool that can support individuals, organizations, and collectives in mapping their roles to meet the moment. We will use reflection prompts, exercises, and examples to chart out a plan for the next three months and beyond. For an introduction to this workshop, please take a look at the resources available here.

This workshop is facilitated by Deepa Iyer and Adaku Utah who are part of the SolidarityIs team at the Building Movement Project, a national nonprofit that catalyzes social change through research, resources, and relationships. Deepa is the creator of the Social Change Ecosystem Framework and the founding host of the Solidarity Is This podcast. Adaku’s work for twenty years work has centered on movements for radical social change, with a focus on gender, reproductive, race, youth, and healing justice.

Read more from Deepa about the Social Change Ecosystems Map here.

December 3, 2024 - 6:30 to 8 pm ET/3:30 to 5 pm PT

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This workshop is part of a mini-series of workshops that offer an opportunity to answer the question that many people are asking: “How do I take action where I am?”

These five 90-minute sessions happening in December & January are intended to provide concrete ideas and steps that anyone can take. Each session is facilitated by long-time activists and organizers.

The sessions will be offered as Zoom webinars, but we will not record them. A couple of days before each session, we will email a Zoom link to all registrants. Importantly, these workshops are appropriate for people who are new to activism and organizing. They will not be useful if you are a long-time activist and organizer because you’re already taking action.

For the workshops, we will offer ASL interpretation and enable closed captions. We will have live captions for the January 8th workshop. A tech and access support person will be present throughout the event to attend to any emergent participant needs regarding Zoom and access.

Each workshop is a standalone session, but it’s a good idea to register for Mapping Your Social Change Ecosystem as an introduction so that you can assess your skills and interests in activism and organizing.

Please DO NOT register if you know you cannot attend. This is important. Space is limited. So please don’t register as a placeholder.

These sessions are being offered at no cost to participants BUT this does not mean they are free. There are costs associated with putting together such a program (labor, tech, interpretation costs etc...). If you can make a donation, please do. Funds will cover the costs of ASL. We will donate any surplus funds to REBUILD.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you make a donation, that counts as one ticket so you do not also have to register for a free ticket. It's either a free ticket OR a donation one.

Here is the list of workshops. You must register for each of them separately.

December 3 from 6:30 to 8 pm ET — Mapping Your Social Change Ecosystem facilitated by Deepa Iyer + Adaku Utah

December 4 from 6:30 to 8 pm ET - Mutual Aid - facilitated by Dean Spade

December 10 from 6:30 to 8 pm ET - Creating Change with our Kids facilitated by Zara Raven

December 11 from 6:30 to 8 pm ET - Move the Needle: Activism for Artists, Crafters, Creatives, and Makers facilitated by Shannon Downey

January 8, 2025 from 6:30 to 8 pm ET - I'm Disabled, How the Hell Do I Survive/ Resist This? To Exist Is to Resist facilitated by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna Samarasinha

This mini-series is organized by educator and organizer, Mariame Kaba.

Where Do I Begin: Identifying Social Change Roles and Ecosystems