Organizing for Soulforce on a Local Level
 

We've received many requests for information about our local Soulforce groups, and while we plan on re-evaluating the program at some point, with our busy agenda for this year, we just haven't had the time to reevaluate it.

This year, Soulforce is planning a number of actions that will be happening simultaneously in various cities. This provides an excellent time to organize locally.

Because of that and because we believe that the forums offer a unique opportunity for people to share organizing experiences, we're starting a new thread that will be exclusively for organizing around Soulforce projects on a local level.

To start the thread off, I've listed a couple of ideas as to how you might create interest in your area about Soulforce and nonviolent resistance. One very simple idea is just forwarding the Soulforce Alerts to your friends and loved ones. Some other suggestions to get local interest started in Soulforce might be:

o Hosting a house party to watch "God and Gays" or another Soulforce video

o Asking local churches if they would invite you to show God and Gays or a Soulforce video.

o Form a study group around videos, “Eyes on the Prize” or "The Power of Nonviolence," (available at your local library) and discuss what can be learned for the LGBT rights movement.

So welcome Soulforce enthusiasts, let's start the sharing.

Kara

Thank You!!
 

I've been wishing we had a local chapter for a couple of years. I even contacted some people about it (because apparently there USED to be one.)

Recently, a gentleman in the area tried to rouse some interest in starting a local chapter, but I was the only respondent.

So - I've been thinking that with all the buzz that will be going on in the fall around the fall action, perhaps areas without local chapters can capitalize on that momentum to launch chapter meetings after the fall events are over. What would folks think of that?

By the way, can we gab about the fall action on the forum yet?

Great timing, Kara
 

Mia and I have been trying to get some local interest stirred up for a group that we were going to call Communities for Change and Equality (CCE), but have been challenged in getting much interest. And, we haven't really known how to organize in an effective way. This may be a very basic, practical place to start, without "reinventing the wheel" so to speak. We thought we would be held up in starting a local Soulforce chapter due to the need to reorganize it on SF end, so this is a good compromise. We will keep you posted. SF- NEPA, here we come!!!!! :love:

Chicago?
 

Do you know if there is an active group in Chicago. I never hear about it here.

California? I'm right here in the Capitol and haven't heard about any chapters or actions going on in Nor Cal. We have PFLAG, MCC (if it's still active), and occasionally an HRC action, that's about it here.

Great suggestions Kara. The problem is getting people to come. Any ideas on promoting something like this to gain an interest from those who normally won't bother?

There used to be a local group in Chicago, but I think the two guys who were the organizers on that have left the area. To my knowledge Soulforce currently only has active local groups in NYC, Denver, Philadelphia. If I've forgotten anyone, have pity on an old lady's failing memory. :eek:

There will be opportunities to do organizing locally as we announce some upcoming projects. We have one project we're currently working on that needs to find Soulforce supporters who live in/or near state capitals. If any one does live in/or near their state capital, contact me at Kara@Soulforce.org and I'll get back to you.

Hey Kara ... near Harrisburg, PA. But Jeff Lutes has already been in touch with me about this ... hope I can help.

We used to have a Soulforce group in S.F. But living in the gay mecca there were two problems - one too much competition, and two, too much apathy. We were never able to mobilize more than about a dozen to two dozen folks for anything.

One of the things I tried to do was use every LGBT elist I could find to promote stuff. We are planning a fund raiser here in the East Bay for Soulforce in July when Mel will be here teaching a course at PSR. I surely wish I had a magic wand to get folks off their butts:(

Apathy is a hard one - I have friends who think because I'm recently out (just the last few years) and they've been out for a while or their entire lives, that's why I feel so passionate about equality and actually doing something. Yeah, they used to feel that way to and want to do something, become involved. but now, they are just living their lives. Fine, but apathetic. Possibly the level of passion in a person dictates the level of their commitment?

I believe it is much harder in a openly gay and lesbian community like SF. These are people who are out in the open, live their lives as gay people and go about their business not caring much if someone else doesn't like them. It's easier to get something organized where folks are more in the closet or at least there are issues when they are out. Sometimes being more oppressed will lead to greater action.

No answers here either. Frustrating and stymies are progress, but gotta deal.

Far Northern CA
 

I've been wanting to organize a local group in the Eureka/Arcata area in CA. I thought about having a Soulforce booth at our Pride for information (books and pamphlets) and a person to talk to. There have been students in the past at local High Schools who did presentations around the area. As soon as they leave, there is no one else. I don't think very many people even know about Soulforce. I'm kind of nervous about having a booth without having had much non-violent training. I like the idea about inviting people to watch and discuss the videos and/or movies you mentioned, Kara. It will be interesting to hear about the new actions Soulforce is planning. Has anyone ever tried having a booth at a Pride event? Why are we so apathetic?

Montanna

I recently looked into having a booth at Atlanta Pride, and the cost for non-profits is over $500!!! If you want electricity, it's a couple hundred dollars more. That's a bit cost-prohibitive for our small group.

TJ and I have our heads together over something at the moment, and as he's the leader of Soulforce Atlanta, I'll let him mention it if and when it turns into something. (The idea may go nowhere, I don't know!).

Apathy in the GLBT community is very frustrating. I hardly consider myself an "activist", but I do try to speak up when I can. I don't understand why GLBT people aren't more concerned. I think we're too comfortable in the U.S.A. on the whole. We won't realize our rights are gone until it's far too late.

Susan

I've wanted to organize a local group to help improve antigay attitudes among local clergy, and a local Soulforce chapter would provide the perfect framework for a favorable start. It would be wonderful if we had available some kind of "membership kit," with books and videos and other materials. I don't, for example, find the video "God and Gays" in the Soulforce store.

(Since originally posting this several hours ago, I have found local chapter applications and the original 17-Step Journey under "Resources" on this website. I've printed out several copies for the purpose of discerning interest at our next PFLAG meeting. I guess I should have checked there before posting here!) :-)

Because we're re-evaluating the whole local group process, the initial process is no longer applicable. We've got so many projects we're working on at the moment, that we've had no time to really look at this process. We are rewriting the 17steps so that they're not so focused on Falwell. We're almost through with that process. God and Gays is not a Soulforce film, which is why it's not on our Resource page. You can order that film from: http://www.godandgays.org/

Our staff is much smaller than most people would expect for such an organization. I hope folks will be patient with us. My thinking in starting this thread is to find ways to spread the Soulforce message on a more local basis.

kara

How does one go about putting a group together officially?

At the moment, there isn't a process to become an official local group. But that shouldn't stop anyone from organzing a group that is based in the soulforce principles. Hopefully in the fall, we'll have some time to re-evaluate the initial process. kara

One idea that Mia and I have discussed, her idea, actually, is to have a family picnic this summer in the local park near where I live. A pretty nonthreatening kind of event, have the pavillion there available, and invite gay families and singles, as well as the general public, to come together, mingle, and have fun. Who doesn't like to visit the park on a warm summer's day? A lot of where we know we need to start is awareness about WHO we REALLY are, not one eyed monsters trying to recruit their children. SOme of us are raising children of our own, and we are all trying to live our lives, and to be understood and embraced. I will keep you posted. We tried to conduct a couple of meetings, and we had a better showing of straight allies than gay persons. Sad but true. But neither one of us gives up easily.......:love:

Kara, let us know if and how we can provide any help as volunteers.

I mean, this thread kind of sounds like a green light to go out and rustle up some local chapter interest on our own. I could certainly do that while I work on other related projects this summer. ;) :)

My intent is more to rustle up interest in Soulforce and some of the actions we'll be taking as the year continues. Most of them will be ones based in a # of cities simultaneously. So gathering people who have similar values now to help out as these projects get announced, seemed to me to be a way to begin.

I'm sorry if I raised some false hopes as to our being prepared to begin local group organizing. But you don't have to be an "official local group," to create some energy for supporting Soulforce.

While we no longer have a local group in the S.F. area, I do maintain an email list of people that I know are interested in anything Soulforce is doing.

kara

Well, that's not unlike what I was thinking. As we work on the simultaneous multi-city action, I can certainly hang on to the email list we develop locally, and then inquire through that list as to any local interest in starting a SF chapter, later on, after the fall action is complete.

Does THAT sound good?