Six
Amazing Regional Events!
Read
all about our inspiring actions!
CODEPINK's six regional
activist trainings around the country gave inspiration,
taught new skills, and provided support to hundreds
of women for International Women's Day! We discussed
current campaigns; practiced role plays, deep
listening, and public speaking; shared emotions,
music and laughter; created banners, decorative
t-shirts, peace panels and other visuals; learned
pink herstory from Medea Benjamin and her powerful
slideshow; and prepared for "5 Years Too
Many" actions later in March.
These trainings met needs of new and experienced
CODEPINKers, brought
us together with allies, and whetted our appetite
for future trainings and gatherings. Many thanks
to all who participated!
Click
here for more report backs from NYC, DC, St.
Louis, LA, the SF Bay Area, and Corvallis, Oregon.
Here are glimpses
from around the country:
- St. Louis, MO: Training at Washington
University organized by local coordinator Laurie;
included workshops on media, peace art and action
-- the last led by Medea Benjamin -- and concluded
with an action at Senator McCaskill's district
office. "I was really glad I was able to
get up to St. Louis to take part in the various
events the Local CODEPINK
had planned in honor of International
Women's Day." -- Midge Potts
- NYC, NY: Training at Columbia University
organized by local coordinators Nancy and Dana
in collaboration with student activists; 85-90
participants ranging in age from high school
students to older women, from NJ, Long Island,
Columbia and Barnard campuses and other NY locations;
focus on performing arts and international perspectives;
concluded with a successful fundraiser evening
event of musical and spoken word performances.
- SF Bay Area, CA: Gathering of women
in the Marin Headlands coordinated by Janet
and Rae included music; the making of beautiful
banners, t-shirts and peace panels for the Peace
Ribbon Project; ceremony with Iraq Veteran Eli
Painted Crow, workshops on cultural awareness,
interviewing, direct action, and counter-recruitment;
an inspiring talk by Medea Benjamin, and a talent
show, campfire and sleepover -- segued into
monthly Walk for Peace on the Golden Gate Bridge
and the launch of a "Really Real Green
Zone" encampment for peace and environmental
health in Berkeley at the Marines Recruiting
Station. See
photos on Flickr!
- Corvallis, OR: After returning from
a visit to the Pink House
in DC, Michele was fired up to bring the CODEPINK
spirit to her town in Oregon and organized this
training which drew women from Portland, Salem,
Eugene, Seattle, and Corvallis! 18 peace, justice
and environmental organizations teamed up with
CODEPINK in a very
full weekend of trainings on various campaigns;
childcare provided as well as meals from Food
Not Bombs; a featured speaker was Sara Rich
from Military Families Speak Out. CODEPINK
Corvallis plans to open their own Pink
House soon for ongoing activist retreats.
- Los Angeles, CA: CODEPINK
cofounder Jodie Evans and local organizer Sarah
organized this daylong training which was attended
by mostly new-to-CODEPINK
folks! Speakers included an Iranian woman, an
IVAW spokeswoman; workshops included Activism
101, anti-oppression, using the internet, writing;
finished with music and wisdom from singer/songwriter
Holly Near.
- Washington, DC: This wonderful three
day training at the Pink
House organized by local coordinators
Sarah, Ariel, Desiree, Gael, Ellen, and Liz,
offered workshops including organizing, anti-oppression,
gender, and participants also joined selected
trainings at the 11th Annual National Conference
on Organized Resistance (NCOR)
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Missed
This Year's Training Sessions? Check Out Our Online
Resources!
Click
here for ideas for training sessions, a sample
schedule, trainer tips, and location and outreach
ideas.
You don't have to wait until the next International
Women's Day to have an activist training camp
in your city! Check out our recipe below
and contact us for help setting up a workshop
or daylong training.
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Activist
Training Camp Recipe
A home-grown favorite for local activists!
Creating a savory, exciting, fulfilling activist
training camp is easy and fun! You could
plan a 3 hour gathering, a day-long retreat, or
a weekend overnight with an action! CODEPINK
national organizers are here to help you every
step of the way. For help getting started,
contact our grassroots coordinator, Rae at locals@codepinkalert.org.
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Ingredients
needed:
- CODEPINK
activists
- Time on International Women's Day
- A friendly space
- Big helpings of ideas and imagination
- Large bowl of practical details
- Spicy pink sauce of humor and fun
Directions:
- Mix together thoroughly a team of 3
time-tested local activists who are committed
to the local chapter and the causes of CODEPINK!
- Enthusiastically form a plan for the
Activist Training Camp: goals, outline
of training (welcome, workshops, art/talent
show, etc.) and admin details.
- Select a space (home, community
center, YMCA or YWCA) and a time
(an afternoon, the day of March 8, or the whole
weekend of March 8-9).(Optional)
- Fold in trainers or presenters from
allied non-profit organizations, such
as League of Young Voters, Veterans for Peace,
the National Lawyers Guild, or the American
Friends Service Committee.
- Cook up some tasty workshops on topics
of interest to your group such as media,
war tax resistance, outreach to new members,
creating visuals, voter education, US-Iran relations,
Women for Peace in History ~ the possibilities
are many!
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