Moving Passive Allies to ACTIVE Allies
After over 100 days of people in the streets demanding a Free Palestine worldwide, the International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel must prevent genocide in Gaza. We are at a turning point: this unprecedented ruling brings us all closer to a ceasefire and a just peace for the people of Palestine and Israel.
What is needed now?
KEEP THE PRESSURE ON! More actions and more solidarity to demand a ceasefire and justice for Palestine.
Get Up Rise Up fund for creative activism accepting submissions
Deadline: February 5th!
This month, we will award small grants to creative, beautiful actions calling for a ceasefire. We particularly want to support grassroots mobilizations that disrupt binary framing, use compelling visuals, create many points of entry, consider your audience, have smart action logic, and address meaningful targets. Get inspired by principles, tactics, and stories in our toolbox and by the long legacy of Palestinian creative nonviolent resistance to occupation, we detailed in this recent article!
Right now, as we know, the situation in Gaza is one of utter chaos and abject horror. Beyond the urgent need for a ceasefire, a safe return of Israeli hostage, and release of the over 7,000 Palestinian political prisoners detained in Israeli prisons, we need sustained action for an end to the blockade of Gaza.
TO WIN, YOU DON’T NEED TO OVERPOWER YOUR POWERFUL OPPONENT. YOU NEED TO PULL THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER THEM!
Looking for a tool to determine where best to focus your campaign? Assess your Spectrum of Allies — one of the most important methodologies you can use to unleash the power of change!
How does it work? First, identify key social groups impacted by your cause, determine where they currently are on your spectrum (neutral? passive allies?), then figure out what you need to do to move some of them closer to your position.
Placing people and groups along a spectrum can help you avoid common pitfalls like preaching to the choir (focusing only on your active supporters) or wasting energy trying to persuade your active opponents. Success lies in shifting groups along the spectrum— from turning passive allies into active allies and passive opponents into neutrals.
To see how the spectrum of allies works within a strategic planning framework, check out the spectrum of allies methodology in our toolbox or the “Assessment tools for analysis” model from our Beautiful Action Trainer Modules (BATMo!).
Go Deeper
Laying Groundwork for Strategic Planning: Assessment Tools for Analysis
This curriculum resource for social movement trainers focuses on the essential role of assessment and analysis in strategic planning, a crucial bridge between developing a vision and formulating campaign strategy scenarios.
Various tools and methodologies introduced in this resource for trainers can support game-changing strategic planning, including Spectrum of Allies, Stakeholder Mapping, The Onion, Analysis Tree, Pillars of Power, Power Mapping, Historical Timeline, and Connectors and Dividers.
Get involved - TODAY
Online seminar: Arts for Social Action: Artistic Responses to Gaza
Jan. 30, 4 p.m. Amman / 3 p.m. Jerusalem / 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT
Since October, we have witnessed unimaginable levels of human suffering, destruction, and displacement of Palestinian people living in Gaza. Artistic responses from the Middle East and North Africa region have emerged in response to the assault on Gaza, many of which seek to mobilize communities for social action. In this webinar, presenters will discuss these responses and new American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) -commissioned research on arts, cultural organizing, and social change. Presenters include Saja Kilani, spoken word artist; Nasir Al Bashir, producer and songwriter; Zeyne, singer and songwriter; Jude Sajdi, Sawa Consulting; Cathy Khattar, Arab Fund for Arts and Culture; and Khaled Elkhouz, AFSC Middle East regional director. In Arabic, with English interpretation available.
Beautiful Trouble in the World
Earlier this month, the Beautiful Trouble team worked behind the scenes, providing training and coaching support for Ceasefire Actions across the United States and with Burmese activists in an in-person five-day creative strategic planning workshop in Thailand.
Does your group need an injection of creative energy? Bring Beautiful Trouble to your group for one of our signature trainings.
Belo levante!
The Brazilian edition of the Beautiful Trouble card deck is proving extremely popular. Revolutionary love and appreciation to Escola de Ativismo and Autonomia Literária for believing in and making this project happen.
