The Social Sciences Club and Ridgefield Resistance are co-hosting a free workshop on creating and organizing social and activist movements.
“Grassroots Social Activism: Development and Impact of Social Activism” is a 90-minute event taking place on Wednesday, April 15th at 12:30 p.m. at WCSU’s Warner Hall Lyceum. Admission is free and open to all students regardless of political affiliation or background.
Ridgefield Resistance is using its own experience as a grassroots organization to educate students on how to build a movement. Starting with just six people sitting around a kitchen table, they now boast 500 members. On top of just the organization’s membership, they were once able to mobilize 1,700 citizens to a single rally. They aim to use this event as a case study, breaking the organizing process down into five steps that any student can easily apply.
“This isn’t a presentation about Ridgefield Resistance. It’s a workshop about how ordinary people produce extraordinary impact – using our experience as the live case study.”
– Ed Federman, Founder of Ridgefield Resistance
Three WCSU students from the Social Sciences Club will also be presenting, sharing their experience organizing for causes affecting our community. The goal with their presentation is to show that the same logic applies whether organizing a rally, student movements, or anything else.
After the presentations are finished, the workshop will open up for audience involvement. Students are encouraged to come to the event with an idea of causes they care about to work through potential strategies in group discussion. There will be a board at the front of the room to collect students’ ideas before the session begins.
Ridgefield Resistance is a civic organization that prides itself on being non-partisan. According to founder Ed Federman, “We have Democrats, Republicans, and Independents in Ridgefield Resistance. What we have in common is that we believe the process matters – and that ordinary people, organized well, can change things.”
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