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Home > Classroom > Trainings & Events > Grassroots Organizing: Storytelling Academy

Grassroots Organizing: Storytelling Academy

June 10, 2022

About the course

Through narrative and storytelling, we–as individuals, communities and nations–can learn how to make choices in response to the challenges of the uncertain world we live in. Narrative is how we communicate our values through stories, bringing alive the motivation we need for changing the world. Because it engages the head and the heart, narrative can instruct and inspire, not only teaching us about why we should act but also moving us to take action.

In this course, participants will learn the public narrative framework and will develop stories about why they are called to leadership (“story of self”), how their values are connected to the collective values of their communities (“story of us”), and what challenges to our values demand urgent action (“story of now”). They will also learn how to effectively coach and support others in developing and sharing their stories.

Who is this course for?

  • Open to new things: Participants should be movement-focused people who want to learn a framework for organizing. We welcome folks who are totally new to organizing, or who  have been doing organizing for some time but don’t feel like they have a good structure for it. 
  • Relational & people-focused: Ideal participants are excited to build relationships, to invest in the leadership of others, and to build teams of purpose-driven leaders.
  • Involved in movement work: We seek to support organizers who are currently part of an organizing effort or are seeking to build one alongside others they know.

Ideal applicants come from all walks of life, from seasoned organizers and campaigners looking to sharpen their skills, to beginners who are passionate about organizing and want to start their learning journey. Here are some attributes shared by all our applicants:

Relational: We are interested in people who are curious and committed to working in collaboration with others. If you are interested in building power with your community, or in investigating innovative ways of bringing people together for social change, then you may be a good fit.

Organizing Insight: You don’t need to be a professional organizer but we’re looking for applicants with some experience doing organizing and/or community-building work on the ground. That work can be tied to grassroots, electoral, and/or issue organizing. We seek to support people who are currently part of an organizing/community-building effort or are seeking to develop one. 

Dedication to Inclusive Politics and Intersectional Solutions: At re:power, we center race, class, gender and sexuality across all our trainings – it’s part of our practice of inclusive politics. We want organizers to be open to new ideas regarding it and to the ideas and contributions from their fellow organizers who will reflect our diverse communities.

Course Expectations

This is an interactive course. We ask participants to write in the chat box, share verbally, and participate in breakout group discussion. We understand that folks have a lot going on though, so if you are not able to participate in a breakout discussion you can let the tech moderator know. We encourage, but do not require, participants to turn on video during breakout discussions.

Questions? Please contact us at grassroots@repower.org

Additional Information

What do people do with their re:power grassroots organizing training?

re:power alumni have gone on to be national, regional and deputy data directors on presidential and national issue campaigns; engineers for grassroots organizations, non-profits, and tech companies; GIS and analytics directors for the White House and Federal Government; campaign managers, state directors, trainers and much more.

What’s the schedule? Can I come at different times each week?

We built this cohort with the busy schedules of activists in mind. There will be one unique session each week. We highly encourage you to participate in each session of the training series, as the material builds on the skills learned. Attending each session live provides the best opportunity to engage in the materials and discussion. Ultimately we understand the complex lives of organizers and people during the time of COVID, and so each session will also be recorded and available afterwards.

How much time should I expect to spend on the course?

Participants should set aside about 2–3 hours a week for coursework—including attending live webinar sessions, homework, and biweekly office hours.

What equipment or software do I need to be able to attend the course?

You will need a technological device capable of connecting to the Internet. Windows machines, Macs and Unix boxes all welcome. We will be using Zoom and request that whenever possible, you turn on the video function.

Will we receive copies of the materials I saw in class?

Yes. Copies of the slides, handouts and other supplementary materials will be available to all trainees. We thank you in advance for your feedback.

I have a disability/ need support or an accommodation.

We are dedicated to supporting all of our trainees in their learning. If you need an accommodation or additional support of any kind, please email grassroots@repower.org with “Accommodation Request” in the subject line and we’ll do what we can.

Past requests for support have included, but were not limited to: early access to materials, different colored hand outs, an alternative method for completing quizzes, requesting facilitators speak directly into the camera and more.

Other Events

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