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- 1. MSPJC’s training and educa on program, Grass-‐ roots Organizer Training for Power (G.O.T. Pow-‐ er) is commi ed to building our community's capacity through: building skills in grassroots organizing, providing support to people doing community work, and offering support and de-‐ velopment workshops in an -oppression and libera on educa on. G.O.T. Power u lizes the training modality of direct educa on, in which par cipants learn skills and theory through hands -on experience and by learning from the wisdom of the group. G.O.T. Power engages the commu-‐ nity by offering trainings to public, as well as serving groups with specific training requests. It is an open resource to the community, offering all trainings and workshops on a deeply dis-‐ counted sliding scale, with no one turned away. Community Organizer Training Our flagship organizing skills weekend-long intensive consis ng of six-‐ teen hours of direct-educa on based training in founda onal skills need-‐ ed to be effec ve organizers. Offered in English and Spanish (G.O.T. Poder). Skill base includes: Intro to Organizing, Campaign Planning, Facil-‐ ita on, Media, Transforming Conflict, Nonviolent Direct Ac on Organizer Skills Workshops 8 addi onal short-form organizing skills workshops offered: Intro to Nonviolent Direct Ac on Founding and Funding Your Grassroots Group Media 201 Facilita on Skills Intro to Community Organizing for Middle School Students Facilita ng Mee ngs Lobbying our Representa ves Training for Social Ac on Trainers (Training for Change) An -Oppression & Development Workshops Empowerment for Women Reflexology Emo onal Support for Men Nonviolent Communica on Paren ng from the Heart: Nonviolent Communica on for Parents Emo onal Support for Ac vists Race First LGBTQ Rights for Students There were 524 total G.O.T. Power training and workshop par cipants in 2013: 62 from outside of Memphis 340 middle and high school students 54 engaged in training of trainers opportuni es 27 trainings requested by specific groups Local and regional community groups engaged include: Bridges USA Co-Mo on Community-Police Rela ons Project Comunidades Unidas en Una Voz (Communi es United in One Voice), Friends For Life, Greater Birmingham Ministers Grow Memphis Hispanic Interest Coali on Alabama (HICA), Homeless Organizing for Power and Equality (H.O.P.E.) Memphis Bus Riders Union (MBRU) NAACP Peace and Jus ce Center of Nashville Sierra Club Tennessee Immigrant & Refugees Rights Coali on (TIRRC Workers Interfaith Network Homeless Organizing for Power & Equality (H.O.P.E.) is a grassroots organiza-‐ on made up of exclusively of people who have formerly or are currently experiencing homeless-‐ ness, advoca ng on behalf of themselves and the homeless community. Prevented $250,000 in cuts to funding for vital housing programs and suppor ve services secured by H.O.P.E. for the 2012 Shelby Coun-‐ ty budget. Recruited over 30 H.O.P.E. members and al-‐ lies, and coordinated street-outreach for the Community Alliance for the Homeless’ “100 Homes Campaign”, for which H.O.P.E. had secured crucial funding. 100 Homes aims to priori ze individuals for housing based on their vulnerability to street homelessness. Recruited over 60 volunteers and hosted vol-‐ unteer training for the city of Memphis' “Point in Time” annual count of the homeless. Recruited over 100 volunteers and assisted with “Project Homeless Connect”, a massive bi -annual outreach and service event to break down barriers that make it difficult to leave homelessness. Updated, published and distributed 6,500 copies of the “Homeless Survival Guide”, Memphis' first user-friendly directory of all homeless services. Served as a member organiza on with the Memphis/Shelby County Homelessness Con-‐ sor um, and the Memphis United Coali on In 2013 H.O.P.E. has developed four dis nct pro-‐ jects to address diverse aspects of homelessness and poverty. Developed a coopera ve business model for “Street-Wise INK”, a member-owned, t-shirt prin ng business. Secured a $10,000 Spark Plug Founda on grant to support the cost of equipment and training Launched “Street Watch” campaign to con-‐ front instances of police harassment of people experiencing homelessness. Hosted seven monthly “Know Your Rights Workshops” to educate the community on their rights and how to assert them. (Average 50 par cipants per workshop) Filed official complaints with Memphis Police Department Internal Affairs in response to unjust arrests and cita ons regarding com-‐ plaints of police harassment and/or miscon-‐ duct, and documented the process for filing a complaint. Released statement condemning harassment and the viola on of civil rights by law enforce-‐ ment and private security officers following a string of incidents where individuals using cell phones to document poten al unprofessional behavior were arrested and their phones con-‐ fiscated. Working with the Center for Research on Women, launched H.O.P.E. “Women’s Cau-‐ cus” to address and confront the dis nct ex-‐ periences of people experiencing homeless-‐ ness who iden fy as women, including domes-‐ c violence, sexual assault, and inadequate shelter and housing assistance Waged a successful direct ac on campaign that included ten weekly public protests against a local shelter/service provider for employing an individual about whom H.O.P.E. received numerous complaints of sexual har-‐ assment and unprofessional behavior from consumers and former staff persons. Used its regular “Dinner and Discussion” mee ngs as a pla orm to organize specifically around issues of violence. Talks resulted in the launching of a fundraising campaign for a five- week intensive self-defense training which equipped members with the fundamental skills needed to handle an a ack and get out of violent situa ons quickly. Ini ated plans for a training of trainers, where members can expand training of women experiencing home-‐ lessness on self-defense on the street and in shelters. Formed the H.O.P.E. “Garden Crew”, focused on developing community gardens to educate members on food independence, establish rela onships within the community and beau-‐ fy our neighborhoods. Community-Police Rela ons Project (CPR) creates a safe place for community and law enforcement to openly discuss barriers that prevent building a posi ve rela onship. These discussions will result in recommenda ons and a plan for ac on to create healthier community- police rela ons in Memphis and Shelby County. Eight (8) community forums were conducted in 2013, reaching an es mated 735 communi-‐ ty members from Frayser, Hickory Hill, Orange Mound, South Memphis, and for the LGBTQ and La no communi es, as well as 400 stu-‐ dents at the 2013 Gandhi-King Conference.) A cri cal first step in a long-term reconcilia on- seeking process, community forums create an open, mediated space for civilians and law enforcement officers to share personal experi-‐ ences with another. Employ of improvisa on-‐ al theatre company Playback Memphis as unique communica on tool for the forums has allowed even the most difficult offerings to be shared in a manner where the story can be er be received without judgment. Core group members meet monthly, par ci-‐ pate in working groups (steering commi ee, facilita on, media, and outreach) and volun-‐ teer to assist with community forums. As a result of CPR par cipa on, the Sheriff's Office has strengthened its connec on with Tennessee Equality Project and the LGBTQ community, and has designated Detec ve Barbara Tolbert as a liaison for the LGBTQ MPD officers are volunteering as liaisons. Insights regarding about the community's thoughts/percep ons about law enforcement gained through CPR involvement, are being reflected in official law enforcement trainings. Memphis Bus Riders Union (MBRU) works to build a sustainable grassroots organiza-‐ on made up of and represen ng transit- dependent people in the local area to organize for be er public transit. Held 12 regular member mee ngs with the MATA bus patrons about issues of public transit. Successfully mobilized hundreds of bus riders and allies to a end MATA Town Halls and City Council budget hearings. Completed dra ing and approval of by-laws and the elec on of new officers. Successfully organized to restore $1.2 million in funding for MATA and prevent detrimental cuts and changes including weekend, late night, and holiday service, Restored bus service to President’s Island and Northhaven and prevented the cu ng of the Central (U of M) and Germantown Parkway routes Offered changes to the #2 Airport MATA bus route in the Medical District. Par cipated in the MATA Shelter Advisory Commi ee, providing input on new/needed shelter loca ons. “I found the camaraderie fostered amongst the group invaluable. Not only did this allow me to meet, network, and begin rela onships with some truly badass organizers, but it too emphasizes the importance of strong rela onships for the efficacy of any ac on/campaign/movement.” - Community Organizer Training Par cipant Training and Engagement Organizing and Mobilizing 10th Annual Gandhi-King Community Conference More than 200 par cipants engaged in three tracks of par cipatory workshops, panel discussions and presenta ons. An addi onal 400 students engaged in the 2013 Gandhi-King Youth Conference. Plenary Speakers: Medea Benjamin of CodePink Women for Peace & Jaribu Hill of Mississippi Workers Center Track 1: Personal Nonviolence: Nonviolent Communica on, Vulnerability and Realness in Organizing, Interfaith Roundtable, De-stressing with Yoga Track 2: Nonviolence in Academia: Comple ng the Circle in King's Sociology, Teaching the Holocaust as General Educa on, Pilgrimage as Poli cal Spirituality, Gandhi's Programme - King's Jus ce Track 3: Movement-Building Nonviolence: Community Police Rela ons, Public Transit Reform, Nonviolence and Nonviolent Interven on Training, Civil Disobedience in the TN Immigrant Rights Movement, War on Poverty and Homelessness ORGANIZE for Grassroots Change: Consistent, coordinated and support-‐ ed organizing that li s up and brings together the grassroots voices of our communi es to work toward a vision of libera on and social jus ce ENGAGE Communi es in Building Power: Grass-‐ roots leadership development and organizer train-‐ ing to rebuild the capacity of low income and mar-‐ ginalized communi es to organize for peace, jus ce and power MOBILIZE Our Power for Jus ce: Mobilizing our community to create posi ve change and win victories that are based upon the collec ve, organized power of those most affected by injus ce