You can be the catalyst for building strong public organizations that create real change.

There is no shortage of issues that communities face, yet the difficulty in getting people to work together to solve them can often be the biggest stumbling block. People come with their own values, interests and personal pressures, and they're often conflicting. Community organizing is a skill set and practice that begins at the level of public relationships, understanding what drives a person as well as what is impacting their lives.

In this training CALEB organizers discuss basic principles of building community power such as intentional public relationship-building through one-to-one meetings, understanding what motivates people to act, and how we analyze power to build public campaigns. Participants will collaborate with each other on example strategies and tactics in order to have an impact on the decisions that affect us and our communities.

Please note: You do not need to be a member of CALEB to participate. This session is open to everyone. Lunch is included.

About the instructor:

Michael Gilliland is the Organizing Director for CALEB, a nonprofit coalition including faith groups, labor unions and community organizations. CALEB's goal is to build the capacity of its members to affect change in issues ranging from criminal justice and economic mobility to education. A lifelong Chattanoogan, Michael brings over a decade of experience in organizing and social justice work including affordable housing advocacy, research regarding local bank lending and equitable development, as well as co-creating "The People's History of Chattanooga" Project.