Movement Matters

.:. building individual & organizational capacity for change .:.

About Movement Matters

The driving vision of Movement Matters is to ensure the development of greater infrastructure and capacity for progressive community organizing and social change work.

Created by David S. Haiman and Marta Vizueta Bohorquez, Movement Matters works directly in partnership with organizations and individuals doing or moving towards progressive social change work to provide culturally competent training, technical assistance and mentorship that strengthens their work.

We also seek to identify larger opportunities to serve as a catalyst for groups to come together to strengthen the local organizing infrastructure in ways that are beyond the mission and scope of any one organization. In these instances, Movement Matters identifies and proposes ideas, vets these ideas with members of the organizing community and serves as the mortar for these ideas to reach fruition by providing the staff and support necessary for their development.

Movement Matters is committed to the use of anti-oppression, values-based approaches to organizing and movement building. Our educational approach and capacity building framework is firmly based on liberatory pedagogies, with the ultimate goal of developing local community organizing leaders from the ground. Though our main focus is the District of Columbia, we also work locally in other communities and on a national scale when appropriate.

:: An Example of Our Work

For the second year, Movement Matters is providing technical assistance to grantees through the Collaborative for Education Organizing (CEO). CEO, a funding collaborative (including Gates, Meyer, World Bank, Community Foundation, Hill Snowdon), is designed to develop the District's community-led organizing capacity for education reform. In partnership with the Annenberg Institute for School Reform (NYC), the Movement Matters team is leading the building of staff and organizational capacity in six area non-profits to engage parents, students, and community members in coordinated efforts to increase the effectiveness and equity of the D.C. public and charter school system.

For more on Movement Matters and its training team visit the About Us page.

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What People Are Saying About Movement Matters...

“Marta and David (Movement Matters) are not only an incredible resource for capacity building, but their first hand knowledge and understanding of community organizing work in the D.C. context make their trainings invaluable to local organizations looking to do social justice work.”
Lee Christian Parker
Director of Education Initiatives
Community Foundation of the National Capital Region

“David and Marta (Movement Matters) are cornerstones of our national faculty when it comes to community organizing, community building, and healthy organizational practices for positive and productive community change.”
Reemberto Rodriquez
Training Manager, Community Building and Organizing
NeighborWorks America

“Many consultants in the area lack the knowledge of community based work and its ability to impact the overall work of non-profits in the area. David and Marta not only understand this, but have lived it, allowing them to bring an expertise to their work that facilitates transformational change at all organizational levels.”
Ana Lopez
Executive Director
Community Bridges

“Not only have David and Marta helped us develop as an organizing group within the context of the Collaborative for Education Organizing (CEO) initiative, they have also taken the time to develop my own skills as a lead organizer. With their guidance through whatever issue I threw at them, I have enhanced my organizing and facilitation skills and been supported in the development of my members' leadership skills!”
Shaina Ross
Lead Organizer
D.C. Area ACORN

“Marta and David are awesome. Their one-on-one coaching around facilitation and popular education has been critical to my growth as an organizer and in our campaign development. Further, their thorough understanding of organizing has been key as we have defined and refined our campaign issues. They are an excellent resource for up and coming organizers and campaigns in D.C.”
Jahi Wise
Education Organizer
Critical Exposure/S.T.E.P. Up DC

“The training and technical assistance I have received from Marta and David has really helped to increase the effectiveness of the tenant organizing work at LEDC.”
Farah Fosse
Director of Affordable Housing Preservation
Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC)

“We love Movement Matters! They’ve been effective trainers with our staff, our youth members, and now with our Board of Directors and Advisory Committee.”
Jonathan Stith
Executive Director
Youth Education Alliance (YEA)

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Trainings & Events

The trainings below are a core part of Movement Matters' work in the Washington, D.C. area and nationally. We are committed to providing individuals and organizations with grant opportunities to attend such trainings if the cost is beyond budgetary capacity. Please visit the Trainings page for dates, cost and other details. Please note we are currently setting dates for our upcoming sessions.

:: Fundamentals of Community Organizing

:: A Deeper Look at Popular Education for Organizing

:: Strategic Planning and Evaluation for Community Organizing & Social Change Work

:: Organizational Development for Community Organizing & Social Change Work

:: Annual D.C. Popular Education & Community Organizing Seminar