Dear ROPnet,
Whether you’re celebrating Pride, hosting a table at the county fair, or protesting the violence and devastation that ICE is wreaking in our communities, there are countless reasons to host events this summer.
Before we know it, the days will be getting colder and shorter again, and as we look back on this season, we all want to get the most out of our summer opportunities to build relationships and connections. Check out a few ideas for goals and how to accomplish them below. We are also excited about being joined by various human dignity leaders across the state in the coming weeks to go live on Instagram and see how different rural communities are celebrating Pride. Stay tuned, and let us know if you want your community’s event to be featured!
What would a successful event look like for your Human Dignity Group?
Welcoming new people:
Public events are ideal for finding our people who share some of our views but haven’t been brought into the movement yet. Community events such as Pride are easy ways for community members to engage with justice movements. People can show up, learn, and get signed up for whatever pathway of involvement they are ready for!
- Make sure to bring your sign-in sheets! You can use this template sign-in sheet as a starting point. Don’t forget your clipboard and spare pens!
- Consider assigning people to be the “welcome wagon” at your group’s event. These people will be on the lookout for new folks to greet, welcome in, and chat with them about staying involved. They can also be responsible for updating your group’s database after the event and following up with everyone you met!
Building the strength and capacity of your group or regional coalition:
Coming together year after year allows for new connections and reconnection within our groups. Annual events, especially, can build momentum, growing into something way more powerful than you could have imagined in the beginning! Events can also help reground us in what our long-term goals are, create safe spaces for a particular group, create an opportunity for in-person neighbor-to-neighbor conversations, generate ideas without a set agenda, and start building the world we want to see!
- Community events can be a fun assignment for new group members looking to be more involved. Consider using your event as an opportunity to build up the leadership skills of new members of your group or leadership team. What particular tasks or roles can they be in charge of? Handing out flyers at the parade, passing out rainbow snow cones at Pride, or hosting a craft table at the ice cream social are a few examples.
Keeping everyone safe:
Decades of rural organizing have taught us that there is safety in numbers. The more we know our neighbors on a personal level, the better we can keep temperatures low and build trust to keep our communities safe and welcoming.
- Check out our guide for safety planning for events and actions here
- Check out this training on de-escalation on our YouTube channel here
Having fun:
Celebratory, value-based, positive action brings folks in and keeps them involved when the to-do list gets long and our opposition gets daunting. In other words, fun keeps us in this movement for justice for the long haul! How are you centering fun and recognizing victories in your summer event?
Are there goals we missed that your Human Dignity Group is focusing on with your events this summer? Are you looking to plan an event but feeling stuck on where to start? Reach out to Stephanie at stephanie@rop.org.
Warmly,
Stephanie and the ROP team
