Discussion: What is a grassroots movement?

Grassroots organizing’s power is in the sense of justice about an issue and the power of ordinary folks to influence people in powerful positions, whose power always depends on cooperation from many, many people. Its power is not of money, issue expertise, or relationships to decision-makers.

Grassroots organizing works to increase the capacity of a social movement by training new volunteer leaders and by involving new volunteer activists. Leadership development helps to increase the size of the movement and to increase its power. Leaders learn a variety of skills, such as flyering, running meetings, writing letters-to-the-editor, and about the issue, whether it be about racial justice, pro-life campaigns, affordable housing, clean air, or lower taxes. Eventually leaders learn how to be organizers: they learn how to pick an issue, run a campaign, and how to train new leaders.

Since the power of grassroots organizing is in ordinary people, it seeks to mobilize large numbers of people. An activist group of five people may be able to reach 5,000 people in a week by putting up posters, sending e-mails, or making phone calls. Larger organizations can reach hundreds of thousands or even millions people.

Grassroots organizing creates democracy. By engaging ordinary people in its campaigns, it works from the bottom up to make its decisions. It does this by working with its constituency to determine issues, strategies, and tactics, and finding its volunteer leadership from the folks it is organizing

How do they organize?

Grassroots organize and lobby through procedures including:

• door to door, also known as canvassing

• phone banking

• house parties

• meetings

• putting up posters

• talking with pedestrians on the street (often involving informational clipboards)

• gathering signatures for petitions

• setting up information tables

Communication 110, Communication & Critical Inquiry PEP Activity

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• raising money from many small donors for political advertising or campaigns

• organizing large demonstrations

• asking individuals to submit opinions to media outlets and government officials

• get out the vote activities which include the practices of reminding people to vote and/or transporting them to polling places.

Activity #1: Getting to Know the Issues (Artifact)

There are many issues those citizens, just like you care about. What can we do if we care about an issue but feel like no one will hear us? The answer is to know your officials and the issues, and simply to take action.

Take some time to read through some of the issues found on

http://www.congress.org

Once you've familiarized yourself with the issues, choose one to write a response to. You do not need to submit this response, unless you feel so inclined to. In 2 pages discuss to whom you are writing, the issue you have chosen, and your particular stance. [What information do you have or need? Why do you feel strongly about this issue, how does it affect you, the country, etc?]

There is no specific format- Frame your response as if you were actually submitting it.

Activity #2: Grassroots Campaigning

Research a grassroots campaign from the list provided. Prepare one PowerPoint slide highlighting the groups' purpose, mission statement, members, foundation, current work, etc.?

Example:

What: Grassroots Organizing

Who: The people who care about the issue come together to create solutions.

Where: Ten activists band together and put together a rally and a letter-writing campaign to increase state transit funding by 10

Activity #3: Grassroots Campaigning

Research a grassroots campaign from the list provided. Prepare one PowerPoint slide highlighting the groups’ purpose, mission statement, members, foundation, current work, etc.?

Example: