When people discover who they are, their relationship to power changes. Culture can spark that transformation. It’s more than rallies. It includes song, dance, poetry, fashion, food, religion, sports, storytelling and so much more. Or, as the German anti-fascist poet and playwright Bertolt Brecht put it, “Art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it.”
Democracy is not a spectator sport; for it to work, people must be engaged, and for them to be engaged, community organizers need tools and tactics that speak directly to their community members. Culturally competent and savvy tactics are part of the way we get to a more representative and inclusive democracy. One that reflects the world we want to live in.
Leading up to the 2024 elections, Big Bowl of Ideas partnered with NEO Philanthropy to produce five high touch and tailored training sessions about cultural strategies to help organizers motivate their community members to vote.
We were able to share tactics that go beyond op-eds, press conferences, and social media advertising. For many who attended the sessions, the strategic use of culturally relevant tactics was eye opening. This information was new, fresh, and welcome as we all dig deep to attract more people to the movements that bring forth justice, dignity and equity.
How We Designed The Trainings In Special Ways
Each session provided an overview of a specific cultural tactic, open discussion, an expert guest, and a relevant homework assignment that Big Bowl of Ideas then reviewed and provided feedback on.
After conducting a survey of NEO Philanthropy’s grantees, the five topics that were selected included:
- How to Get Murals and Public Art Done with special guests Mer Young and Lisa Marie Thalhammer
- How to Work With YouTube and TikTok Creators with special guests Ashwath Narayanan
- Meeting People Where They Are At from Barber Shops to Nail Salons, Food Trucks And Other Points of Entry with special guests Yosi Segant
- Dancing in the Streets: Dancing, Drums, Joyful Noises and Car Culture with special guests Tanya Selvaratnam, Rachel Gita Karp, and Steve Lambert
- Hip Hop and Disaffected Voters with special guests Michael Crawford and Jasiri X
If you click on the title of the sessions above it will take you to the homework assignments. These worksheets are free for you to use to explore any one of these tactics. Reach out if you would like a thought partner in trying to make these dynamic and fresh tactics part of your organizing toolkit.
Two session attendees were inspired to create and pursue murals, public art and food vendor collaborations to get out the vote for this year’s election cycle. Both projects are underway with the support of NEO Philanthropy, and we expect them to come to fruition by the end of October 2024. We can’t wait to share more details in a few weeks.
