Nonviolence 4 Equality

These resources were originally designed to be used when planning for vigils, but they can be adapted to serve as general purpose planning documents.

Downloadable resources:

soulforce-action-logistics — .PDF version of the information discussed below.

soulforce-action-checklist – Organizers can use this checklist as a guideline to plan and execute a nonviolent direct action. This checklist is not comprehensive, additional resources should be sought if the organizer is planning to stage civil disobedience.

THE LOGISTICS OF PLANNING A SOULFORCE ACTION

Note: This document is designed to assist Soulforce groups with the basic elements of planning a local action in support of a national Soulforce direct action.

Introduction

The keys to planning and coordinating any event are legwork, follow-through and communications. An early and important decision that the group should make is what type of event would be most appropriate.

Visiting the site

The group should decide upon an appropriate site for the action. Make sure it’s a site with sufficient traffic or passers-by.

The decision on the site should include discussions on the site’s (1) symbolic value, (2) accessibility and (3) media appeal.

Call the chief of police to let him/her know that you are planning a action for that site. Offer to meet at his/her convenience.

Follow up with any permits and/or special permissions that may be required.

If the site is “off limits,” choose another and follow the same steps; in no circumstances should you just “do it anyway.”

Make sure to coordinate with the police to properly “choreograph” the action.

After the site is chosen and permits obtained as necessary, brainstorm problems or challenges that the site may present.

Send a follow-up letter to the chief of police, thanking him/her for the meeting and promising to stay in touch if changes occur.

If the site chosen for the action is private (e.g., church) property and not public (e.g., park) property, follow the same steps to obtain appropriate permissions.

Choosing a central location for coordinating the action

Locating a place for participants to meet before and after the action is optimal.

Welcoming churches or LGBT community centers may be willing to be “Soulforce central” before and after the event.

Make sure to obtain all appropriate permissions from the staff, including the permission to use the phone or other equipment or facilities.

Also make sure that the building is open at the proper times and that it is secured and in good shape when you leave.

Having participants meet together immediately before the action – and going to the site together – also is optimal.

That way, last-minute changes can be communicated most easily and parking can be coordinated.

Being “upfront”

Let other municipal authorities as appropriate know of your plans. Call the mayor’s office and offer to meet with mayoral staff.

Send a follow-up letter, thanking him/her for the meeting and promising to stay in touch if changes occur.

Recruiting participants

E-mail lists are probably the best way to recruit participants for a local action.

Also consider making a simple flyer announcing the action and posting it in the local GLBT bookstore or other GLBT-friendly establishments.

You may decide to ask potential participants to “register” their intent to participate so you can communicate with them regarding the plan as it develops.

Anytime you get together with potential participants, make sure to get their name, phone number and e-mail addresses.

Developing a theme

Model your theme on the theme of the Soulforce national direct action.

If the Soulforce national action includes other activities, such as letter-writing, gift-giving, contributions to beneficent organizations and the like, consider incorporating the same or a similar element into your action.

Encourage participants to use the theme when describing the action to others, particularly the media. Then, participants can provide examples from their own lives of what that theme means to them.

For more guidelines in working with the media, see the Soulforce website.

Dealing with the media

Choose a media coordinator for the action who will be responsible for drafting media releases and/or media alerts.

The media coordinator may act as the group’s spokesperson, or he/she may find out the media’s particular interest and locate an appropriate person for the media to interview.

Also, consider having a local person who is well known be your media “hook” and/or your spokesperson.

Developing “visuals”

Although the site your group has chosen may itself be symbolic, what else could the group show — or do — to dramatize its point?

If the group decides on a banner and/or hand-held signs, consider having them made at a “quick banner” company. >> Make sure that the banner and signs are large enough with bold, readable lettering.

Having a large Soulforce banner and/or rainbow flag also can be effective.

Communicating at the action

It is helpful if the action coordinator and the media coordinator have cell phones at the action.

Depending on the number of participants in the action, the action coordinator should ask two or three capable, trustworthy individuals to be action “monitors” who can answer questions, make sure that participants know where to go, and the like. (Bring bandanas to the action that the monitors can wear as an armband.)

The action coordinator also should have emergency phone numbers (e.g., the rescue squad).

Following through after the action

Getting participants together after the can be a healthy way to end the event. Participants can share stories, successes and lessons learned.

After the action, the action and/or media coordinator send a brief summary e-mail (who, what, when, where and why) to the national director of local groups and copies of local articles to the national media coordinator.

Downloadable resources:

soulforce-action-logistics

soulforce-action-checklist

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