[Hamp-law] *Grassroots Community Organizing Course

[Jordan Bensley]

Hi,


My name is Jordan Bensley and I am writing to you as a Hampshire student, a
part of the UMass Alliance for Community Transformation (UACT). UACT is a
unique partnership of students, faculty and members of grassroots community
organizations. We work together to design programs that build community
across difference, promote social, racial, economic, environmental justice,
advance cross-cultural understanding and critical educational learning as a
tool for social change.


One of the ways in which we actively do this is through a 5-credit,
peer-facilitated honors Anthropology course titled Grassroots Community
Organizing (GCO). Each spring we study grassroots development and
organizing, that is, the ways that communities use local knowledge and
other local assets to combat poverty and political disenfranchisement.
During our spring break we travel to communities to work side by side with
grassroots organizations, living in close quarters, working hard, engaging
in much mutual teaching and learning, as well as have the opportunity to
engage in meaningful collaboration with a community that is often very
different from our own.


Students need to apply by November 14th, this deadline can be extended if
needed, in order to take this class.


In order to spread the word about this community based learning experience, we
are asking to be added to your listserve to reach students who would be
interested in this class.


Below is a short description of GCO that can be emailed out to students.


Thank you for your time,

Jordan Bensley


For more information check out: www.uactumass.org


__________________________________________________________________________


LISTSERVE MESSAGE


Are you interested in being a part of social change work on campus and
beyond? Want to become a part of a challenging, diverse, critical, and
supportive learning community? Excited to learn from skilled community
organizers working in Springfield, Boston, and Virginia? Motivated to effect
positive social change on your campus?


Grassroots Community Organizing (GCO) is a space for you to practice all of
these things!


GCO, a 5-credit Anthro class (Anthro 380) offered in the Spring at UMass,
meets once a week in sections limited to around 15 students. This class is
rigorous, peer-facilitated, and requires significant academic and personal
commitment. GCO also involves an Alternative Spring Break, through which
each section will travel to work closely with one of our community partners
on real community organizing projects! Through mentorship and training from
community organizers and leaders, we work on concrete campaigns that build
the power of low-income people, people of color, and other marginalized
folks to control the institutions and policies that affect their lives.
Past GCO classes have worked on transportation justice, gentrification, the
school-to-prison pipeline, health care access, housing justice, immigration
and refugee policy reform, economic justice, and climate justice.


GCO is open to students from all grades, majors, five colleges, and levels
of experience with organizing/social justice work. The class requires a
$250 fee, which covers all transportation, food, lodging, and training
costs for both the Alternative Spring Break trip and an overnight class
retreat. Scholarships may be available through a private fund - contact us
for more info.


Participation in GCO requires an application process! Applications are due
Nov. 14th! This can be extended if you contact uact at umass.edu.


If you want more information about the class or would like an application,
please e-mail uact at umass.edu or visit http://www.uactumass.org/. We look
forward to hearing from you!
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