Northeast Leadership Retreat

Amnesty International Northeast Leadership Retreat August 10-11, 2013

Essex, Massachusetts

Early Risers Stretch & Swim in the Ocean 7:00am (optional of course!)

Saturday
Welcome Session 9:00am-9:30am
Learning Objectives:
I. Review weekend agenda & logistics II. Initiate relationship building
Public Narrative: Story of I [The Role of Personal Stories in Organizing]: 9:30am-10:30am
Learning Objectives:


I. To understand the importance of public narrative
II. Develop understanding how public narrative works: values, emotion, and story structure III. To develop an effective story of self
Public Narrative: Story of Us
10:30am-11:30am
Learning Objectives:
I. To provide participants with clarity on how AI evolved from its origins of a "one year writing campaign on behalf of the 'forgotten prisoner'" to where we are today working on multiple human rights issues

II. Educate participants on important policy decisions that guide our work
III. Educate participants on AI's process of research & documentation to advocacy
IV. Understand AI Mission, History, Evolution of, Policy, Governance
V. Overview of AIUSA’s Structural Web (where do I fit into the picture and who is who)

Meet-ups by Roles
11:30am -12:30pm
Learning Objectives:
I.To engage local group activists in conversation to share their experiences II. To share success stories and work through obstacles
III. To share resources & ideas
Lunch 12:30PM-1:30PM
Public Narrative: Story of Now
Learning Objectives:
I.Provide participants with overview of AI’s Global Strategy
II.Provide participants with overview of AIUSA’s priority campaigns [targets, timelines, resources] III.Inform and engage participants on campaign
IV. Develop activist calendar
V. Build skills for creative campaigning and designing actions [adapting strategy to fit our group/community]
VI. Provide in-depth information on AI’s Individual and Communities at Risk program
VII. Introduce participants to Northeast Region’s Special Focus Case
VIII. To develop organizing skills for effective advocacy on IC@R work
Part II: Advocacy Overview & Campaign Engagement
Part III: Legislative Tactics
Part IV: Creative Campaigning & Designing Actions [adapting strategy to fit your group/community]
Break 3:15pm-3:30pm
Part V: In-depth Discussion on AI’s Individuals & Communities at Risk Program with Samir
Casework Session I: Facilitated by Todd
I.To educate participants on how to work on long term IC@R case
II. To develop a strategic and coordinated plan for specific IC@R casework
Casework Session II: Facilitated by Rick & Kelly
I.To educate participants on how to develop creative strategy for ongoing casework
II. Demonstrate how to forage for resources and materials
III. Build relationships and coalitions with allies to gain broader support for IC@R cases
Dinner 5:45pm-7:00pm
Action Calendar & Engagement Opportunities
Learning Objectives:
I.To plan and coordinate an activists’ calendar that reflects national, regional, and local activities

II. To educate participants on the ladder of leadership within AI and opportunities for personal/professional growth
Saturday Night: Campfire & S’mores
Sunday
Early Risers: Stretch & Swim 6:30am (optional of course!)
Local & Student Group Organizing
8:00am-10:30am
Learning Objectives:
I. Understanding of how student and local groups can work together II. Gain knowledge of resources available
III. Learn to navigate member center IV. Build relationships within states
Skill Based Session Objectives:
I. Formulate ideas for dynamic events
II. Discuss and share fundraising techniques for local/student groups III. Generate outreach & growth plan for groups
Break: 10:30am-10:45am
Activism 2.0 Training : Turning Information into Action Online and IRL
(In Real Life)
10:45am- 12:15pm
Learning Objectives:
I. Explore different types of web tools that can be used by activists II. Learn how to practically organize and mobilize using web tools III. Develop a project plan for taking action on and offline
Lunch 12:15pm-1:00pm
Wrap up/Evaluations: 1:00-1:30pm 

Aug Update: Tabling, Noho Event, Northeast Retreat, etc

Our Aug activities began with another successful Information Table, thanks to our active members Martha and Irwin who always manage to bing a lot of traffic to Amnesty table...



We also decided to join a long list of co-sponosors of Starving for Justice event in Northampton, a talk by attorney Buz Eisenberg. The event is organized by Pioneer Valley No More Guantanamo (see below).

On Sat 8/4 in the afternoon, few members of our group participated in first public event of the NAACP chapter in Amherst (Martha, Magda, Irwin, and Mohamed went to the event).

On 8/9-11, Mohamed will be representing our chapter in the Northeast Retreat of Amnesty. The 20 Different Chapters in the region will be focusing 3-day retreat on the following:

"How can we work together in a way that supports our community-based organizing?

What is the biggest challenge you face with the existing case dossier/assignment system?

What is the improvement you would like to make (not open ended, options: a. better access to timely information b. real time updates, c. ability to share information with other groups and see what they are doing on that case, d. ability to choose your own cases, e. have direct, collective access to country specialists and guidelines?"

Our Chapter is taking this opportunity to focus on many questions and concerns that raised over the few past years by our members and plan to share with the groups 

Starving for Justice: The Guantánamo Hunger Strike

A talk by Attorney Buz Eisenberg

Tuesday, August 13, at 7:00 p.m.

Northampton Friends Meeting
43 Center Street, 2^nd floor
Northampton

Buz Eisenberg will report on his recent visit to Guantánamo during the prisoners’ hunger strike to protest their continued detention and inhumane treatment.  Eisenberg has represented seven men, including two still in Guantánamo, over nearly nine years.  Most of the remaining 166 prisoners have spent more than 11 years in Guantánamo, even though 86 have been cleared for transfer and only a handful have been charged with crimes.

Eisenberg is President of the International Justice Network, fighting for due process and fair treatment for Bagram detainees in Afghanistan. He is professor of constitutional law and criminal justice at Greenfield Community College.

Organized by Pioneer Valley No More Guantánamos

Cosponsors:

ACLU of Massachusetts

Alliance for Peace and Justice

American Friends Service Committee of Western Massachusetts

Arise for Social Justice

Grace Church Peace Fellowship

Massachusetts Campaign Against Torture

Mt. Toby Friends Meeting Peace & Social Concerns Committee

Northampton Committee to Stop the Wars

Northampton Friends Meeting

Rosenberg Fund for Children

Western Mass. Code Pink

Made possible in part by a grant from the Markham-Nathan Fund for Social Justice

Free and accessible. 665-4561