by Daniel Hunter, Training for Change
September, 2004

THE SITUATION

The US election. People are already hailing it as one of the most important elections in recent history. Worldwide people are paying attention to the election and what its results might signal to the world population. Progressive activists debate how much the outcome will matter in foreign policy, or even basic economic issues. Emotions are high on all sides.

With less than two months to go, it's hard to miss the important issues at stake, and the fiery emotions that blaze on all sides. Groups are hard at work mobilizing constituencies.

And after this election is over? Then what? If Bush gets elected, how will we respond? What are our next moves? OR, if Kerry gets elected, how will we respond? What are our next moves?

Smart strategy tells us to stay on the offensive. To do that, we need to spend time answering important questions that link the US elections to long-term strategy implications.

• How will we handle the strong emotions and residue of the mud slinging and backbiting?
• How do those who want a strong democracy in this country continue to stay engaged and keep momentum -- regardless of who wins?
• How do we press forward our in light of the election outcome?
• What's next in the life of the United States -- what are the important themes to watch for and forces that will affect the choices of the US government?

In essence: where do we go from here?

THE PROPOSAL

In Philadelphia, Training for Change is organizing a multi-movement event called "Where Do We Go From Here?" -- a post-election workshop held November 6th, the weekend following the elections, for progressive activists. We propose that progressive organizations around the country hold similar workshops. The political right is already considering post-election scenarios; we shouldn't be left behind without a strategy!The goals of such workshops would be to:

• Reflect and Share Perspectives
  Within any community, there will be many different "reads" on the election. October and November will be emotionally hot times for activists and citizens engaged in US politics. Rather than divide and fracture, we'll need some space to air our different perspectives and come together.
• Identify Strengths and Shared Goals
  Under the banner of "Anybody but Bush" we have a wide range of issues we are concerned with, and a range of solutions to those concerns. In this setting, some consideration should be given to where are overlapping areas. Where is our political strength? How can we use our strength in the upcoming months and years?
• Float Action Ideas
  Out of this workshop different ideas may come forth about how to proceed given the current political climate. Strategy takes time to develop and should be done with lots of consultation within an organization and movement. So this workshop would not be a "planning" workshop -- with agreed upon outcomes and commitments. Instead, a chance to brainstorm ideas, identify others who might work together, and consider next steps.

The outcome of such a workshop would be:

• increased coordination and sense of cooperation among movements/organizations;
• carrying the momentum poured into the US elections into our next steps;
• identifying our strengths and building on those as we respond to either 4-years of Kerry/Bush;
• creating new ideas for actions to take the initiative and stay on the offensive.

• Workshops could last between 5 to 7 hours on the Saturday following the elections. (That plan assumes, of course, the elections are finished by then.Backup plans could be created, depending on different scenarios.)
• Each workshop might accommodate between 20 and 100 people.

AN OFFER FROM TRAINING FOR CHANGE

Training for Change has already agreed to organize and sponsor, along with allies it recruits, such a workshop in Philadelphia. Training for Change (TFC) is an activist training organization in Philadelphia that has years training grassroots and progressive groups across the US, Canada and around the world on nonviolent strategic action.

For over a decade, TFC has been turned to by activist groups to help them develop smarter strategy. Its clients have included Greenpeace USA, ACT-UP, United Farm Workers, Women's Prison Association, United Mine Workers of America, and the Philadelphia School System. (You can read more on its website: www.TrainingForChange.org.)

This year, in response to current events and requests by supporters, TFC launched "The Strategy Project" -- a project to design programs to help empower strategic thinking by local activists. Towards this end, we have created new tools, articles and resources to help support strategic thinking by citizens engaged in social justice.

Because this proposal fits with our program, we would like to work with different groups to help these events occur around the country. TFC's mission is not "organizing" as much as training -- and towards that end we see our role as supporting the training design, assembling resources and materials for the workshop, and helping to recruit and train facilitators (as necessary).

For more information on the Strategy Project, see the Training for Change website: www.trainingforchange.org. To contact us about this proposal, please contact Daniel Hunter, Program Director at Training for Change -phone: 612-827-7323 and e-mail: peacelearn@igc.org.