introduction
Every year more and more people are coming into politicized activity and the movements to abolish police and prisons are becoming more popular every day. Yet, police violence and mass incarceration has not ended- in fact, it’s being funded more than ever. We also recognize that mass incarceration and policing are only two points our communities come into contact within a series of increasingly repressive systems in our education, housing, family planning, etc. It will take large, mass movements and millions more people and organizations than we have today to abolish and transform these institutions. The Community Resource Hub believes the only way to do that is through deep community organizing.
what to expect
The Community Resource Hub created the George Jackson School, our organizing school first launched in early 2023, grounded in lessons from historical abolitionist movements, prisoner rights movements and liberation scholars, as well as lessons from the Hub’s own Defund Fellowship in the wake of Summer 2020 uprisings. The Hub training team brings over two decades of experience in organizing and training development and facilitation and serve as lead trainers for other national training programs such as the School Of Unity & Liberation (SOUL) and Black Organizing for Leadership Development (BOLD).
The George Jackson School grounds participants in the basic tenets of traditional community organizing, a political education that centers the political context and principles within which our work resides and uplifts the intellectual work and organizing examples of those incarcerated prisoners who founded the modern abolition movement. The school will incorporate theory, action and reflection with the goal of strengthening participants’ campaigns and organizing practices. Sessions will focus on organizing basics, including campaign development and strategy, base building and leadership development. These skills are applicable to any and all campaign issues and so the school is open to organizers from across sectors, as well as activists outside of the nonprofit structure. It is only through cross sector collaborations and campaigns, that we can build the power necessary to bring about the transformation our society needs.
The success of our first 3 cohorts has led us to being the process in developing in-person regional trainings to keep up with the requests we’re receiving from groups across the country. Our first regional training will be in July 2024 in Florida, with a second to be launched some time in 2025 in California.
who this school is for
The George Jackson School is for new organizers with less than 3 years organizing experience, as well veteran organizers and organization leaders. Participants should already have an active local or state organizing campaign. Participants should be a part of a grassroots organization (nonprofit or community-led) either as a staff member or an active member.
time commitment
Participants must be able to commit to a rigorous schedule and complete practice work between sessions for at least 5 hours each week for a total of 8 weeks, including:
- Orientation (2 hours)
- 2-hour sessions every other week on Tuesdays & Thursdays
- 2-hour sessions every other week on Tuesdays & Fridays
- 30-minute Office Hours every other week on Fridays (optional and reserved by scheduling in advance)
- Practice work between sessions
- Graduation
cost
Cost of the school is on a sliding scale. For organizations with budgets of $799,00 and under, cost is $1,500 per person. For organizations with budgets of $800,000 and over, cost is $2,500. Inability to pay is not a barrier to participation in the school. If funding is an obstacle, we are willing to work with organizations to figure something out. No one is turned away due to cost.
how to apply
Participants are asked to submit applications. Accepted applicants may be asked for a follow-up interview. Applicants are notified up to 3 weeks before our orientation.
