Building Power & Solidarity
A Training Series With Seattle CISPES
Join the Seattle chapter of Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES) for a training series to build our organizing skills, political analysis, and community. This is an exciting opportunity to re-engage for long-time members and we also welcome new folks who are interested in getting involved for the first time.
Please fill out this mini-survey to save your spot in class. As all are welcome, we strongly encourage Salvadoran-Americans to apply.
Dates: We will be convening once a week for four weeks. There will be a potluck each session to keep us well nourished, community building to keep us smiling, and inspiring discussion to keep us fighting for a new world. The dates include…
- October 12th (Sunday) — 5-8pm
- October 19th (Sunday) — 5-8pm
- October 26th (Sunday) — 5-8pm
- November 2nd (Sunday) — 5-8pm
Political Analysis: Participants will have an opportunity to deepen political analysis, including…
- CISPES 101 – We will learn about the powerful history of CISPES’s approach to solidarity.
- History of Movement in El Salvador – We will learn about the emergence of the FMLN and the grassroots movement that is fighting U.S. domination and building a new world.
- Immigrant Justice – Identifying the root causes of migration and discussing the transformative approaches to fighting for immigrant justice in the United States.
- Solidarity & Oppression – Participants will discuss how fighting oppression (eg: racism, sexism, ableism, transphobia) is intimately connected to powerful solidarity work.
- Elevator Speech – Participants will have an opportunity to craft and practice their CISPES elevator speech that is rooted in your experience and values.
- Making Asks – Participants will have numerous opportunities to make direct asks — for fundraising, recruitment, task delegation, and outreach.
- Planning Meetings – Participants will learn about the nuts-and-bolts of planning an effective meeting.
- Social Justice Research – Participants will engage in mini research project on immigrant justice and get to connect with movement leaders.
- Popular Education – Throughout the experience, participants will learn about building learner-centered education rooted in our social justice values.
Commitments: We are asking participants to make the following commitments…
- Attendance — We are requesting that each participant make a commitment to attend each session, we are able to work with you if this is not possible.
- Event Planning – Participants will play an active role in organizing a CISPES public event in mid-November. This will be a hybrid graduation celebration, fundraiser, and speaking tour talk (CISPES is hosting an outside guest from El Salvador).
- Membership – We are seeking to build the chapter and hoping that individuals will be involved in 2015 as a CISPES member, involvement as a member is flexible.