2023 is winding down and we’re looking back on the year with pride. This year was full of deep investment in our people — building up their tactical skills, developing their strategy muscles, and fostering resilience for what lies ahead. 2023 re:power programming was some of our most powerful yet as we tested brand new programs built for our people.
We skilled up a total of 1,862 people this year.
Our 2023 re:power alumni are brilliant movement organizers, activists, candidates, electeds, and leaders. Over the course of this year we trained folks from Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas and so many other states and municipalities. We are so proud of the work they are doing in their communities and honored to have helped them create the change they seek.
74
%
Black, Indigenous, people of color
63
%
women
8
%
trans & gender expansive
38
%
LGBQIA+
14
%
youth
Through 19 public trainings, we prepared our movement for the work ahead!
Over the course of this year, we facilitated trainings that offered a combination of head, heart, and hands work. Head-work focused on strategy and analysis, heart-work on their values, motivations, and resilience, and hands-work on the tactic and skills they need to carry out the work. All of our trainings incorporated components of each while some leaned more deeply into heart work and other more deeply into hands.
Read some highlights about these trainings below.
Women of Color Leadership Cohort
These heart-centered 12-week cohorts brought together over 30 women of color leaders from across the country twice over the course of 2024. In each cohort, these leaders explored topics ranging from Root Cause Analysis, Organizing & Leadership as a WoC, Management & Strategy, Deconstructing white dominant practices and leadership styles, Visions of Liberation, and Visualization Practice. One participant shared, “This is magical and it works.”
Digital Organizer School
For the first time since 2019, re:power brought back the Digital Organizer School (DOS), which took place March 27–30 in Austin, TX! We had 19 phenomenal participants whose work spanned the movement–from Black liberation to faith and labor organizing to gender and reproductive justice. The group was excited for the opportunity to meet in-person, build community with other practitioners, and learn new approaches to organizing from their coaches.
Camp re:power
Re:power kicked off the Summer with our first-ever Camp re:power—a training that will have a ripple effect on the movement for years to come. More than 109 people applied, coming from 29 states across the country and 69 different movement organizations. We ultimately accepted 73 participants who are representative of the people we are here to serve—97% of participants identified as BIPOC, 78% identified as women, genderqueer, or non-binary, and 35% identified as LGBTQIA+. We provided participants with foundational field, digital, and base building organizing skills as well as with the support needed to develop transformative campaign plans that build state-based political power.
Grassroots Organizing School
In August, we launched Grassroots Organizing (GRO) School with an in-person gathering in Minneapolis. GRO School is an 18-week course designed to provide BIPOC grassroots organizers with the training and support necessary to develop a baseline of relational organizing skills. Led by an experienced team of WoC trainers, GRO School is re:power’s answer to the need for sustained, longer-term support for organizers embedded in campaigns and organizations.
We partnered with 31 organizations to strengthen their organizing skills, structure, and strategy.
re:power partnered with so many amazing organizations in 2023, nearly half of which were new relationships to us. We loved diving deep with organizations to support their work and help strengthen both individuals and institutions across the country.
Folks love our trainings!
“All the sessions were great, but honestly it’s all the extra comments and wisdom from the facilitators that really is the magic from these sessions.”
“I’m going to take back with me what I learned around field organizing tools, asset mapping, data analytics, and how each of those steps can perpetuate the success and power that re:power has allowed me to feel and access.”
“The highlight of Camp re:power has been meeting people from different places across movement sectors. It’s nice to feel like you’re not alone in this fight and that everything is intersectional.”
“I came to GRO school for the learning, guidance, and additional support in organizing work, and feel like I received just that.”
“The community that you get from a re:power training is amazing. You become a better organizer through learning and application—and overall the trainings are a lot of fun!”
We had a wonderful time connecting in Chicago.
We believe in the magic of gathering. As a majority-BIPOC, Black-woman-led organization, gathering is a part of our commitment to building community and a cohesive culture that fosters connection, while building power for our people. Furthermore, we believe that gatherings as a staff is an essential strategy for living fully into our cultural values by giving our team meaningful experiences that deepen human connections and ultimately strengthen our work.
What’s next?
In 2024, re:power will continue to expand our training offerings. While we will be bringing back some of our beloved courses: Digital Organizer School, Data & Analytics Camp, WOC Leadership Cohort and GRO School, we’ll also be adding new courses like Campaign School for Issue Organizers, Digital Ads and more!
2024 Trainings
Visit our training page now to see what’s already scheduled and open for applications!
Alumni Events
With our new Alumni Community Manager on board, re:power alum will be invited to some new opportunities to connect with your fellow alum! Stay tuned for more!
Growing Staff
re:power is continuing to add positions to our growing staff! Check out our careers page to see what positions are open.
Stay connected!
Powerful movements need powerful leaders and powerful resources. Invest in our work today.