Transforming Group Dynamics: Effective Strategies to Empower and Energize Activist Groups from Let Live Foundation on Vimeo.

Video description:

“Are you tired of group dynamics getting in the way of activism? Rather than continuing on the path of frustration and burnout, we are committed to increasing awareness of effective internal strategies to support our activist groups. Join us for a one hour interactive discussion where we will offer case studies that describe common challenges groups encounter and possible solutions. Bring your ideas and resources as we support each other in making our groups more energized, healthy and sustainable.”

Key ideas (IMHO):

• It’s important to try to get a clear, nonbiased look at how your organization works.
• ALL communication builds or erodes connections.
• Be honest about our own needs.
• Create environments that allow people to be honest about their needs.

PS:

• Spinach is not a summer vegetable

Dealing with Confrontation at Outreach Events from Let Live Foundation on Vimeo.

Here is the video description:

During outreach, protest, and tabling events activists will sometimes be forced to deal with confrontational people. We will discuss common challenges street level activists may encounter and how we can diffuse tense situations, calm negative interactions, and refocus the discussion on the issue at hand.

Here are some key ideas I caught from watching:

• It’s highly unlikely that you’ll get arrested or ticketed.
• Most rent-a-cops and similar types of people don’t know the actual law. It’s a good idea to ignore them and/or insist that they call the police.
• We all make mistakes. Forgive yourself. Forgive others.
• It’s good to know a lawyer, an animal rights lawyer is preferable.
• Body language is important. Think about what your body says, not just what your sign says or what your mouth says.
• Try to listen to people and hear what they have to say.

Personally, this is what I think (take it with a grain of salt since I rarely demonstrate):

• It’s good to remember that you can usually just ignore or walk away from confrontation. It’s an option to keep in mind.
• Kill ‘em with kindness – you hear this all over the place: the best way to respond to rude or hateful people is to be extra nice. Well, it can work. It’s not for every situation, but for some, it makes perfect sense. If they flip you off, give them a peace sign.
• There are ways to help leafleters, tablers, protesters without doing the activism yourself. You can video-tape. Or you can show support with a honk or wave. You can take a leaflet and sit nearby and read it. You can notify the press… You can get active without being on the front lines.

Write for the Animals: Changing Lives, One Word at a Time from Let Live Foundation on Vimeo.

Video description from Let Live:

“The written word is a powerful way to influence behavior and affect social change. Learn how you can use the communication skills you already have to speak up for animals. Discover where you can gather new tools so that you can strengthen the effectiveness of your written voice. From writing articles in your local paper; publishing a letter-to-the-editor or OP-ED; blogging; or even through personal narrative, the art of the written word is something any activist can tap into. Join Farm Sanctuary’s National Advocacy Organizer, Jasmin Singer, as she walks you through how even a non-writer can get active for farm animals. Jasmin will talk from personal experience in the blogosphere world – including the trend of blogging as a means to create social change. She will also tell you how she became a freelance writer with several magazines and online publications – and how you can too. Most importantly, you will leave with the ability to take the first steps in speaking out for the animals by using your written voice to raise awareness and compassion.”

My thoughts:

• Good writing takes lots of practice. So practice, practice, practice.
• Effective writing doesn’t necessarily have to be good writing. Getting the message out there, even if you don’t do it perfectly, is still worthwhile. Do it. Again. And again. (Think of it as practice.)
• Writing on the web (blogging) is different than writing for newspapers or magazines. It’s OK to re-hash, be unoriginal, unimaginative, unpoetic. Online, writing can be in code (wink, wink, link, link).

• The animal movement has fewer resources and smaller budgets than anti-animal organizations.
• Vegans have truth on our side. There is a reason slaughterhouses and factory farms don’t have windows.
• Focus on a target audience: teens and young adults are most receptive to the vegan message. Besides, since they’ll spend more time on Earth than older people, a conversion to veganism as a teen saves more animal lives than the same conversion as an older adult.
• You might be surprised to learn how far your money can go with a little hard work and planning.

“Tactics & Tools for the Effective Activist”:

Key ideas:

• Food is powerful. Feed non-vegans vegan food whenever you can. Have feed-ins, etc.
• Ask restaurants to offer more vegan options. Just ask. The worst they can do is say, “no.”
• For many people, the reason they aren’t vegan is practical, not moral. They simply don’t know how to be vegan. We have to show them.

Here is a compilation of some of pieces of the conference:

Want more? Check these out…

Thinking Outside the Lockbox: Making Our Actions Count in a Changing Activist Environment

Protest Conduct and First Amendment Issues

Campaign Development: Goals, Strategy, and Tactics

We’ll post more here at Vegan Soapbox as they become available.