Talking Class Cultures in Social Change Groups
Why have we seen so few cross-class, multiracial movements in the US? Class culture differences are one answer. Common activist problems – such as low turnout and internal conflicts – are approached differently in labor and community groups than in middle-class-majority groups. Each class culture holds some of the keys – but working-class activists’ strengths are often overlooked. A successful cross-class movement must have working-class cultural strengths in its bones.
This fall, Class Action received a generous $15,000 Matching Gift pledge to help us raise $30,000 to launch this unique and groundbreaking campaign. Your contribution will be doubled.
Please help us reach this goal by making a new or increased gift this year.
- Identify activist class culture differences;
- Gain cultural competence to draw from the strengths of all class cultures;
- Create an organizational culture that is fully welcoming and respectful of all class backgrounds;
- Amplify the voices of working-class and poor activists to build stronger cross-class alliances.
As a small non-profit, Class Action is often unable to serve social change justice groups who are not geographically close to our mostly northern trainers. This means there are entire segments of the country where many groups are doing amazing work, but may not have access to all our tools for reducing classism in their organizations and movements. With your help we can widen our network.
Please click here to make a new or increased gift this year.
Campaign Strategies
Specialized Workshops: Develop tailored workshop with new modules drawn from the insights of Betsy Leondar-Wright’s new book, Missing Class: Strengthening Social Movement Groups by Seeing Class Cultures.
Free Tool-kits: Develop more movement building materials and make them available to everyone, like checklists for making their organization more equitable, case studies of class-conscious organizations and guides for inclusive meetings and coalitions.
Subsidized Trainings: Provide more personalized, in-depth trainings to social justice groups, free or at a low price they can afford, while also fairly compensating Class Action trainers. We will also expand our interactive webinar offerings.
3-Day Training at the Highlander Institute: We will hold an intensive training for social justice leaders in June 2014 at the historic Highlander Center in Tennessee. Here we will bring together individuals from varied groups to learn, skills share and deepen their connections with one another.
