vision. learning. integration. transformation.
We do a disservice to our communities when we don't intentionally create healthy group dynamics and lead with the values we are trying to cultivate. Movement Matters' Advanced Trainings really helped me develop the skills I use on a daily basis to ground my work in an approach that builds rooted, sustainable organizing.
Victoria Gonçalves,
Tenant Organizer, LEDC.
Tenant Organizer, LEDC.
Advanced Training Series
Our Advanced Trainings engage seasoned organizers, community leaders, community workers, and advocates. Anchored in Movement Matters' framework for organizing (relationship building, constituency building, and power building), these three-day, two-day, and one-day learning and planning sessions move beyond fundamentals to provide an instructive and challenging space that deepens each participant’s vision, skills, and capacity. Each advanced training also provides dedicated opportunities for integration and alignment to participants’ current programmatic goals and/or campaign strategies.
Movement Matters is committed to the use of a values-based approach to organizing and movement building that is intersectional, anti-oppression, anti-colonial, and anti-racist. Our educational approach and capacity building framework are firmly based in popular education, cultural organizing, and other liberatory pedagogies with the ultimate goal of transforming not only the outcome of our work but also the process by which we do it.
We ask that each participant come prepared to re-examine and move past their own discomfort and individual challenges to fully participate in our liberatory, creative/arts-based, non-linear, multi-racial, multi-ethnic, transformational learning and action spaces.
All Advanced Trainings participants are required to complete a capacity questionnaire/registration form, and/or be part of a 1-on-1 prior to the trainings to ensure that we understand your capacity building needs, how to support your work, and how to tailor the trainings. Space is limited.
Movement Matters is committed to the use of a values-based approach to organizing and movement building that is intersectional, anti-oppression, anti-colonial, and anti-racist. Our educational approach and capacity building framework are firmly based in popular education, cultural organizing, and other liberatory pedagogies with the ultimate goal of transforming not only the outcome of our work but also the process by which we do it.
We ask that each participant come prepared to re-examine and move past their own discomfort and individual challenges to fully participate in our liberatory, creative/arts-based, non-linear, multi-racial, multi-ethnic, transformational learning and action spaces.
All Advanced Trainings participants are required to complete a capacity questionnaire/registration form, and/or be part of a 1-on-1 prior to the trainings to ensure that we understand your capacity building needs, how to support your work, and how to tailor the trainings. Space is limited.
To the best of our abilities, we gladly work on a sliding scale with individuals and groups that need the support.
Manual, art materials, and healthy meals and snacks are included.
Manual, art materials, and healthy meals and snacks are included.
The Movement Matters Advanced Trainings gave me concrete ideas to build from, especially with more creative approaches that are meant to include and empower those communities we work with. Being in a room full of people who also believe in our cause gave me further inspiration and bravery to take risks.
2018 Advanced Trainings Participant.
No Base, No Leaders, No Change:
Advanced Facilitation, Meeting Design, and Planning
Thursday, June 20th - Friday, June 21st, 2019
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Base-building is a crucial foundation of community organizing and one of the most challenging areas of growth currently faced by groups throughout the DMV and beyond. Changing demographics in the region have meant that a privileged, politically savvy population is advancing policies, practices, and priorities that devalue the experiences and contributions of long-time low-income communities of color.
In the face of these dynamics, our organizations and communities will be powerless without a cohesive and well-developed base that shares a rooted analysis and has built the trust and discipline to react as a united group. Well-designed, consistent gathering places, and the reflective and skilled facilitation of them, are irreplaceable steps in developing this type of constituency. However, these essential skills are often overlooked as expendable "soft" components of organizing.
Far from being a luxury, effective meetings and skilled facilitation are vital in building a sense of common identity and cohesion necessary to transform a group of individuals into a constituency that can envision change and take the necessary risks to attain it. These ensuing ‘relationships of action’ drive movement-based organizing work.
We ground our Advanced Facilitation, Meeting Design and Planning training in this constituency building context, lodged within our own community organizing framework. It connects the theoretical role that facilitation and meetings play as the “spine” of the organizing process with practical skills to create more dynamic meetings.
This advanced training had amazing facilitation, pace and flow, modeling of values, engaging activities, movement, color, vibrancy, safe and loving space, food, arts and crafts, really 99% of it! This was an awesome and productive space.
2019 Advanced Facilitation Training Participant.
Advanced Facilitation, Meeting Design & Planning
Thursday, June 20th - Friday, June 21st, 2019
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Cost: $250
• Deepen active facilitation and listening skills
• Develop and manage healthy group processes
• Develop impactful, multi-modal, graphic and arts-based agendas
• Meetings as a strategic tool for constituency/base building
Thursday, June 20th - Friday, June 21st, 2019
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Cost: $250
• Deepen active facilitation and listening skills
• Develop and manage healthy group processes
• Develop impactful, multi-modal, graphic and arts-based agendas
• Meetings as a strategic tool for constituency/base building
2019 Advanced Facilitation Training Registration
Fill out the online Registration and Capacity Questionnaire. Once completed, press SUBMIT.
Fill out the online Registration and Capacity Questionnaire. Once completed, press SUBMIT.
Registration is currently closed.
I will create more opportunities for members to be artistic, creative, and visually engaged. I will make sure that ice breakers become a necessary and important piece of group process, and I will incorporate consistent rituals and group agreements to build community and spark trust. I will do a much better job of putting time and intricacy into my meetings to create stronger, engaging, and strategic spaces. I feel I have added a bunch of tools to my toolbox.
2019 Advanced Facilitation Training Participant.
Our Stories, Our Meaning:
Advanced Communications, Media Tools, and Strategies
Thursday, July 18th - Friday, July 19th, 2019
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Changing and controlling meaning around our issues has been a key area of challenge and growth for change groups and initiatives, a fact that negatively impacts base building efforts and policy and implementation campaigns. Our advanced Communications, Media Tools, and Strategies training provides a theoretical grounding in media and communications as liberatory tools to combat dominant messaging that reinforces inequity and powerlessness in our communities.
This advanced training is also grounded in Movement Matters’ own community organizing framework, connecting various aspects of communications and media work to the core organizing competencies of: relationship building, constituency building, and power building. Participants gain an understanding of how each of these organizing competencies can be strengthened by strong communication strategy and media development, and how to incorporate these tools and techniques into to their current programmatic and campaign work.
Changing and controlling meaning around our issues has been a key area of challenge and growth for change groups and initiatives, a fact that negatively impacts base building efforts and policy and implementation campaigns. Our advanced Communications, Media Tools, and Strategies training provides a theoretical grounding in media and communications as liberatory tools to combat dominant messaging that reinforces inequity and powerlessness in our communities.
This advanced training is also grounded in Movement Matters’ own community organizing framework, connecting various aspects of communications and media work to the core organizing competencies of: relationship building, constituency building, and power building. Participants gain an understanding of how each of these organizing competencies can be strengthened by strong communication strategy and media development, and how to incorporate these tools and techniques into to their current programmatic and campaign work.
Realizing that video creation and sharing are tools for relationship/base and power building is game changing.
2019 Advanced Communications Training Participant.
Advanced Communications, Media Tools & Strategies
Thursday, July 18th - Friday, July 19th, 2019
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Cost: $250
• Media as a narrative changing tool
• Engagement strategies for traditional media
• Strategic production and dissemination of self generated media
• Integration of media production with organizing strategies
Thursday, July 18th - Friday, July 19th, 2019
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Cost: $250
• Media as a narrative changing tool
• Engagement strategies for traditional media
• Strategic production and dissemination of self generated media
• Integration of media production with organizing strategies
2019 Advanced Communications Training Registration
Fill out the online Registration and Capacity Questionnaire. Once completed, press SUBMIT.
Fill out the online Registration and Capacity Questionnaire. Once completed, press SUBMIT.
Registration is currently closed.
I will strengthen my constituency building practices by creating and using videos, memes and other forms of pictographics to deepen analysis and knowledge, and engage members.
2019 Advanced Communications Training Participant.
Popular Education
Description of this Advanced Training is under construction, check back soon!
Applying What We Learn: MM Learning and Action Circles
We heard clearly from our alumni that there is a strong need for anti-oppression spaces for organizers, popular educators, and community leaders in the DC DMV region to continue building our skills and apply what we learn on an ongoing basis.
In response, we launched Movement Matters' Learning and Action Circles (LACs). We envision these spaces as a shared workshop where each participant can bring their ongoing projects and have the opportunity to cross-pollinate ideas with peers, access resources, get support in planning and implementation, and deepen their own skills. These sessions are also aligned to continue the learning from our Community Organizing & Popular Education Institute and our Advanced Training Series.
In response, we launched Movement Matters' Learning and Action Circles (LACs). We envision these spaces as a shared workshop where each participant can bring their ongoing projects and have the opportunity to cross-pollinate ideas with peers, access resources, get support in planning and implementation, and deepen their own skills. These sessions are also aligned to continue the learning from our Community Organizing & Popular Education Institute and our Advanced Training Series.
To request information about MM's Advanced Trainings, or to request a training in your area, contact us.
Movement Matters is based in Washington, DC.
We work regionally with various communities and with national partners.
We work regionally with various communities and with national partners.
