September 10th, 2019 | 6:00 – 8:30 PM | CIC Venture Cafe – Kendall Square
Our biggest takeaway from our May BASG event is that we all want to find some way to engage and have our voices be heard. Knowing that finding that way can be daunting, we’ve gathered some terrific organizations to give you a spectrum ideas with the hope that something will strike your fancy. This month we’ll learn:
- What non-violent protest looks like
- The dos and don’ts of writing a great Letter to the Editor
- How to run for office and how to effect policy change
- How to hold a house party and talk to your neighbors
- And so much more!
EXTINTION REBELLION Extinction Rebellion (abbreviated as XR) is a socio-political movement with the stated aim of using civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance to protest against climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and the risk of social and ecological collapse. In his book Falter, Bill McKibben calls non-violent resistent one of the two key technologies critical in addressing the climate crisis. We welcome the Boston chapter to tell us how we can engage in civil disobedience.
MOTHERS OUT FRONT has made great headway on many fronts. For this event they’ll focus on “Reaching Beyond the Choir – Engaging Neighbors and Friends in Climate Advocacy”. One of the things they take pride in — and the reason for their existence — is to build an ever-widening constituency of “regular moms” who are willing to take action and hold our decision makers accountable. They do this by knocking on doors, holding house parties, discussion circles, one-to-one meetings over coffee, movie screenings, Green Living Tours and more.
BETTER FUTURE PROJECT and 350 MASSACHUSETTS are active on many fronts. Joining us will be Larry Rosenberg, active in 350 MA and Elders Climate Action. He helps coordinate a letters-to-the-editor team. Larry will tell us how to write effective letters to the editor and why they matter.
Claire Mueller of TOXICS ACTION CENTER will talk about how to be active in our local communities to drive policy change. Claire is the Lead Community Organizer and Climate Justice Director at Toxics Action Center. In that role, Claire provides organizing support, facilitation and training to more than thirty grassroots groups teaching community leaders to plan winning campaigns, hone their message and materials, build their group, fundraise, garner media attention and more. Claire is a founder and co-coordinator of the statewide coalition of more than 150 groups working to further climate justice policy and foster local clean energy campaigns.
Ross Morales Rocketto, Co-founder & Chief Program and Recruitment Officer, RUN FOR SOMETHING will share how that organization helps recruit and support young diverse progressives to run for down-ballot races in order to build a bench for the future — the folks they support now could be possible members of the House, Senate, and maybe even President one day. They aim to lower the barriers to entry for these candidates by helping them with seed money, organization building, and access to trainings needed to be successful.
Join us for another great BASG line-up!
Your BASG Organizers:
Carol, Holly, Tilly, Eric, and Amy
BASG 