What is Digital Momentum, and why does it matter?
This September, the groundbreaking Momentum Training series is holding its first training designed by and for digital and online organizers.
Digital Momentum will connect the power of the netroots with a growing community of organizers who are already sparking new fights across the country using Momentum’s unique blending of organizing traditions and new insights from the powerful waves of mass mobilization that have swept the country in recent years.
Led by trainers from some of the most significant campaigns and projects of the last decade, from immigrants rights struggles, to climate justice campaigns, to the movement for black lives and Occupy Wall Street — Digital Momentum aims to begin a transformation of the digital organizing space to make it more ambitious, proactive and generally awesome.
The curriculum for the training is being adapted from past Momentum trainings, and blended together with online organizing insights. Here are some of the most important conversations you’ll be a part of over the course of 4 days:
The ecology of movements — and how we make change together. First, we will build a shared understanding of the many different kinds of groups and projects that make up movements for change. Then we will dig into how their work connects into an ecology of a movement.
A history of the internet and online organizing. Starting from the invention of the internet and moving forward to today, we will track the history of how social movements have leveraged digital tools to create change — and what that says about how online organizers need to approach movement building in the future.
Changing what we measure, and how to talk about it. Online organizers are able to apply a level of statistical rigor to their work that other movement sectors are not. But what are we measuring, and how is it actually translating into change? Together we will shape new metrics for success, and address how to talk about them with supporters to build the movement stronger.
How to identify and move the social groups that will help you win. A central focus of Momentum is targeting the public for change, and we will show how bold escalation has been able to move passive supporters and neutral groups into active participation in movement moments.
How to escalate, absorb the energy we create, and turn it into a cycle of momentum. In moments where more people take bold action, energy flows into movements — and online organizers are often tasked with the job of bringing new people into the campaigns we run. The key is figuring out what comes next, and how to get those people into the trainings and actions that will kick off the next wave of escalation.
Building and sharing the best tools and practices to make it all real. We don’t always have the tools we need to make the change we want. A key part of this training will be talking about what digital tools we’re using — and what we want to use — to create a shared toolkit that will better integrate organizations and movements across the political spectrum.
Our hope is to build models of online organizing that support and escalate mass campaigns for justice. We want you to be a part of it. If you’re ready to join this conversation at this crucial moment, click here to apply for Digital Momentum — the deadline is August 7th.
