things have started looking up since my last dreary entry.

( how so? )

( and then what happened? )
so aside from the little bike fiasco, things are definitely getting better.

on the agenda for the rest of the day: probably chicago or evanston for some off campus reading and a coffeehouse concert tonight at Uncommon Ground. i have never seen this woman before but she's on the same label as ellis so it'll probably be good.

The Vagina Monologues

Thursday, March 17^th, 8pm

Saturday, March 19^th, 2pm & 8pm

Tickets: $5 for students, $10 for general public

Location: Lake Forest College, Southside Lounge

All the proceeds go to Lake County Council Against Sexual Assault

Visit www.vday.org and www.lacasagurnee.org

Hey young activists and student organizers, check out the GROW a FREE training based on the principles of direct action organizing.  It will be held at the University of Chicago on the second floor of Cobb Hall from Friday, January 28 through Sunday, January 30.  Please spread the word!  To register, simply call or email the GROW Coordinator at training@usstudents.org or 202-347-8772 or register on site between 5 and 6 pm on Friday, January 28 on the second floor of Cobb Hall (look for signs).  If you have questions or need directions, contact Andrea. 

The GrassRoots Organizing Weekend has been developed to give students the tools to solve the problems we face and to build our organizations.  GROW is based around the principles of Direct Action Organizing to win concrete victories, make students aware of their own power, and ensure long-term change.  The GROW will help you to overcome lack of participation on campus and build strategies to win specific issue campaigns. The GROW is broken up into a series of presentations, hands-on exercises, role plays, and interactive discussions that enable students to learn a variety of tools for strengthening all aspects of student organizing.  Our trainers - seasoned student organizers from across the country - share experiences and easy-to-understand guidelines to enhance the utility of the training on your campus. 

GROW Section-by-Section Breakdown

• Introduction to Direct Action Organizing  –   Discuss the principles of direct action organizing and how this type of organizing relates to different types of organizing that student organizations use. 

• Understanding the Relations of Power – Through an interactive role-play, learn what power is, who has it and who does not, and how measuring and demonstrating power is essential to winning any organizing victory. 

• Choosing an Issue –   The way that you frame issues sets the scope of who your organizing affects.  Learn to outline specific criteria and a process that your organization should consider when turning problems into issues that mobilize people.

• Strategy Guidelines – The strategy chart is a tool for planning successful direct action campaigns.  Learn the basics of using the chart and then design your own for a sample campaign. 

• Context of Our Organizing:  Educational Access – It is necessary to increase access to higher education for everyone!  We recognize that there are institutionalized barriers to higher education that support a cycle of poverty.  See how this relates to the organizing that you are doing at the campus, local, state, or national level. 

• Recruitment – To build organizations that can win concrete victories, it is essential to constantly involve new people in your organizing.  Learn what motivates people to join organizations and then, using specific steps and techniques, practice recruiting new members and leaders. 

• Coalitions - Many times, winning victories means working with other organizations.  Coalition building can be very tricky, but there are tried and true guidelines for forming, joining, and maintaining a coalition.   Learn them and then examine the coalition forming process in small groups.

• Actions or Accountability Sessions – Learn how to use tactics to demonstrate your organization’s concrete power over decision-makers.  In a culminating role-play, you will simulate an action or an accountability session with a target and then discuss how to use power tactics on your own campus.

GROW Agenda

Friday

5:00 - 6:00 PM                                          On-Site Registration

6:00 - 7:00 PM                                          Introductions

7:00 -10:00 PM                                          Understanding the Relations of Power

Saturday

9:00 - 10:30 AM                                 Choosing an Issue

10:45 AM - 12:00 PM                                     Strategy Guidelines

12:00 - 1:00 PM                                  Lunch

1:00 – 2:30 PM                                          Strategy Exercise

2:30 - 3:45 PM                                          Context of Our Organizing: Educational Access

4:00 – 5:30 PM                                          Recruitment and Organization Building

Sunday

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM                                      Coalitions

10:45 – 12:00 PM                                        Actions Guidelines

12:00 – 1:00 PM                                 Lunch

1:00 – 2:30 PM                                          Actions Role-play

2:30 – 3:00 PM                                          Wrap-Up & Evaluations

Important:  GROW sessions involve all participants and build on one another.  It is crucial that participants make a commitment to attend the entire weekend!

_________________________________

Andrea DeChellis, Training Coordinator
United States Student Association Foundation
1413 K Street NW, Ninth Floor
Washington, DC 20005
phone (202) 347-8772      fax (202) 393-5886
www.usstudents.org

All good activists need to EAT and GROW . . .
Bring an Electoral Action Training or GrassRoots Organizing Weekend to your campus or region!  Call the USSA office today.

SAVE THE DATE!!!  TAKE IT TO THE HILL!!!
Join students from accross the country for the
United States Student Association's
36th Annual Legislative Conference and National Student Lobby Day
March 19-22, 2005
Washington D.C.