Future Hindsight

The crisis of our time People have very little political power beyond voting on election day. Current governing structures are incapable of changing the world and solving the big problems that we face, such as the climate crisis. The solution is to form a social movement – perhaps through revolution – that can make good decisions and achieve its goals, such as win elections, take sovereignty, and maintain power. A notable example is the Five Star Movement in Italy, which directs policy and takes control away from elected representatives when they violate the core principles of the movement. The limitations of contemporary protest Occupy Wall Street did not achieve its goals of ending the power of money over our democracies or give more power to the 99 percent. However, it did reveal that both the strategy of street protest as well as the way of protesting are broken. In addition, current activist culture is producing consensus-driven activism that is looking for incremental change and reform within the existing system. A true activist used to be someone who stands outside of the status quo and is not afraid to go against a movement's consensus. The nature of social change A strong theory about how social change comes to fruition revolves around structural forces beyond human direct participation, like an economic crisis. This argues that it's the combination of the crisis and people in the streets that achieves change. Two more ways of thinking about effecting change are subjectivism and theurgism. Subjectivism believes that change is a process that happens within us. When we change the way we are, then we transform how we see the world. Theurgism believes that social change and revolution are a process of divine intervention, by forces that are completely outside of our control. Find out more: Micah White is the lifelong activist who co-created Occupy Wall Street, a global social movement that spread to 82 countries, while he was working as an editor of Adbusters magazine. He is also the co-founder of Activist Graduate School, an online school taught by, and for, experienced activists. His book, The End of Protest, A New Playbook for Revolution has been translated into German and Greek. His essays have been published in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Guardian, and beyond. He has been profiled by The New Yorker, Esquire, and more. Follow Micah White on Twitter @beingMicahWhite

Financial risk and social cost Engaging in early and constructive dialogue between indigenous communities and corporations is crucial for success. Big companies involved in infrastructure projects that affect indigenous lands have the resources for careful research and negotiation to mitigate potential financial risks and social costs. Educating both indigenous people and corporations about each other's interests protects indigenous rights and values, and increases the chances of fruitful negotiations and mutually beneficial projects. Respect the environment The sun, earth, air, and water are essential and universal elements that make life possible. Indigenous communities have respected and honored their land and rivers for centuries as the source of life. It is necessary for all of us to recognize the importance of a healthy environment and act to protect it. If we all agree to work together, we can improve the lives of our communities and that of future generations. Youth leadership The community's youth took a leading role from the beginning of the protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline. They delivered letters of protest to the district office of the US Army Corps of Engineers in Omaha, Nebraska. They also took a petition with over 160,000 signatures to the Washington, D.C., office, demanding that the lands and waters of the Great Sioux Nation be respected. Finally, they took the fight to social media, which raised awareness on a national and international level about the environmental risks of the pipeline. Find out more: Dave Archambault II is a global leader for Indigenous Peoples' rights and the former Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota, where he led the #NoDAPL movement to prevent the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. He is now the Senior Fellow at the University of Colorado's First Peoples Investment Engagement Program (FPIEP), a project of First Peoples Worldwide that focuses on educating industry groups and stakeholders about the rights of indigenous people and fostering dialogue between them to transform business behavior. The FPIEP conducted the "Social Cost and Material Loss: The Dakota Access Pipeline" case study. For more information to protect water for indigenous people and to defend indigenous rights, visit Water Protector Legal. Follow Standing Rock Sioux on Twitter @StandingRockST and First Peoples Worldwide @FirstPeoplesWW.

See it, film it, change it Video documentation of injustice and systemic abuse can be a powerful tool for holding offenders accountable. The key is to present and disseminate the video effectively and strategically so that it is seen by the people who are moved to effect change. When the footage of an incident captures enough detail, it can be used as evidence in a court of law and positively affect the outcome of the trial. Think before sharing After recording human rights abuse, take the time to make sure you are not putting yourself, the subjects of the video, or anyone else in danger by releasing it. Rushing to post the video can weaken its impact because the perpetrators may have a chance to influence the narrative around the event. Careful and thorough planning can be the difference between a video that becomes a catalyst for change, and one that is easily dismissed or discredited. We need to be accountable Video alone is not sufficient to bring about social justice. We need to be accountable ourselves for how we conduct our daily lives. When we are not directly affected by police abuse, it's easy to turn a blind eye, which in turn upholds systemic abuse. A much broader understanding of human rights issues is the starting point for a deep commitment to making change and for building bridges with the communities that are most affected. Find out more: Jackie Zammuto is the U.S. Program Manager at WITNESS, where she focuses on the use of video for advocacy and evidentiary purposes. In 2018 she launched Profiling the Police, a collaboration with a Brooklyn-based community to explore new methods of using video to expose abuses by the NYPD. She has also worked in the production of materials like the Video as Evidence Field Guide and Forced Evictions Advocacy Toolkit.

Enhance understanding The purpose of civil discourse is to enhance understanding, not to change minds. It's always helpful to have a diversity of ideas, understand different perspectives, and potentially learn flaws in our own thinking. The pursuit of understanding is in and of itself a worthy endeavor. Civil discourse curriculum The five-week curriculum on civil discourse for the Episcopal Church is designed to facilitate productive conversations about society's important issues. The curriculum focuses on creating dialogues in church communities where people can come together free from the constraints of political affiliations. Sacred space for debate Successful civil discourse creates a safe space for debate. Truly listening to another person's thoughts and feelings is an important pathway towards finding common value. Coming to the table with respect and humility facilitates the sharing of ideas without judgement, and working through disagreement to unlock a way forward. Find out more: Alan Yarborough is the communications coordinator and office manager in the Office of Government Relations of the Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. He is also the co-author of the Civil Discourse Curriculum, a five-week masterclass on how to communicate as a society even when disagreeing and treat each other with respect and dignity. Bill Steverson is a parishioner in the Episcopal Church in Signal Mountain, Tennessee where he organized and led the Civil Discourse Curriculum in his local community.

Grassroots power Grassroots movements believe that change starts on the local level. Indivisible started with sharing a Google doc guide to empower everyday people to now having over 4,000 groups throughout the country. Indivisible's website features information that demystifies Congress and turns everyone into the insiders that they should be. Candidates who are in regular community with the grassroots become better at making a case for bringing voters along to join them in their vision. Speak with one voice on important issues Citizens hold the power to effect the change they want to see in their local governments and beyond, especially when they unify around an issue. Many Americans rallied together on healthcare since early 2017. Constituents attended town halls, met directly with elected representatives, and organized protests to deliver their expectations and ask clear, specific, and pointed questions about the Affordable Care Act. Speaking with one voice often and strategically was so powerful that it stopped Congress from reversing protections in healthcare. Inclusive democracy Endorsing candidates based on the nominations from local Indivisible groups helps the movement grow because these endorsements support local leaders and energize the electorate. Candidates who truly represent the community are more likely to succeed. When every day citizens organize, knock on doors, and raise awareness on important issues, they cultivate a stronger bond to their communities and motivate others to share in getting engaged. The more people participate, the more likely we will create a vibrant and inclusive democracy. Find out more: Marí Urbina is the National Political Director of Indivisible. Before joining the Indivisible Project, Marí ran the 2016 cycle of Voto Latino's political strategy and national campaigns as Vice President of Politics and Campaigns. She spent over seven years on Capitol Hill working in the Office of the Democratic Leader Senator Harry Reid. In her final years on the Hill, she was part of the senior legislative staff advising the Leader on strategy, media and policy that disproportionately affected Latino, AAPI and immigrant communities. Follow her on Twitter @TiaMari489

Meet your Member of Congress If a lawmaker has not yet made a firm decision on an issue, an in-person meeting has a ninety-four percent efficacy rate as an advocacy strategy. It's important for constituents to connect a personal story to pertinent information of how proposed legislation will impact the local community. This is what the lawmaker wants to know. Showing up at town hall meetings is also an effective way to share the needs and concerns of the community to the member of Congress. Congress works for us Most members of Congress are decent people trying to do the best they can for their constituents. Engaging with them in a polite manner can be the best way for them to truly hear and understand the concerns of the people they represent. Congressional staffers are the unsung patriots of our democracy, who are dedicated to make the world a better place even though they often take a lot of grief on behalf of their members of Congress. Virtual protest and dialogue Virtual protest is one of the most effective ways to interact with members of Congress. After the lawmaker has made remarks on a specific issue, posting comments on Facebook or Twitter that pertain to that issue will be seen. Email petitions also work as long as they are personalized so that they don't end up in a junk folder. Moderated online town hall meetings and telephone town hall calls are also good ways to dialogue with the elected representative. Find out more: Brad Fitch is the President & CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation. He has spent 25 years in Washington as a journalist, congressional aide, consultant, college instructor, Internet entrepreneur, and writer/researcher. He is the author of Citizen's Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials Opens a New Window. Click here to read CMF's 2017 report, "Citizen Centric Advocacy: The Untapped Power of Constituent Engagement." You can follow Brad on Twitter @bradfitch

Effective advocacy The Gathering excels at bringing coalitions together with a common agenda; rapid and urgent response to crisis situations in communities; organizing, like marching in protest to Washington, D.C., from New York; and advocacy for criminal justice reform bills with members of Congress. In addition, it works with incarcerated youth through cultural education and non-violence training, and facilitates dialogue between communities and formerly incarcerated people. Kingian nonviolence Kingian non-violence is the practice of de-escalating tensions between groups who disagree and discussing their differences peacefully. Some of the principles are to suspend first judgments and to attack the forces of evil not the people doing evil. Meeting people where they are creates a level playing field, which makes it possible to champion others to your cause. In 2010 North Lawndale High School had the highest instances of daily violence in public school in the Chicago area. After training students in Kingian non-violence, the school went two academic years without a single violent incident. The power of storytelling At the intersection of art, theater, and activism, our stories can be shared for powerful effect. The Exonerated, a play of monologues by inmates on death row successfully showed their humanity and helped change the misconceptions and conversations around the death penalty. Bringing the stories of the actual, lived experience to the public provides a perspective that raises awareness and expands our discourse beyond stereotypes. Find out more: Julianne Hoffenberg is the Director of Operations of The Gathering For Justice. She is also Co-Founder of Project A.L.S.; theater and film producer; Advisory Board member of SAY, an artistic home for children who stutter; and member of the theater company, Naked Angels. You can follow Julianne on Twitter at @JulesHoffenberg.

1963 March on Washington The 1963 March on Washington was the first mass protest in America. Due to the anxiety around such a massive group descending on Washington, the March was carefully planned from the top down by both the organizers and the Kennedy administration. The route was mapped out to march by the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, away from the White House and the Capitol. All the signs were made by one entity and bore uniform messages. Women's March The Women's Marches of 2017 were a decentralized, grassroots effort that yielded 5 million protestors nationwide, in red states and blue states, in urban as well as rural areas. In many small communities, the Marches of 2017 were the largest protests they had ever seen. The geographic spread is as significant as the total number of marches. The power of protest Protest can be a powerful tool to effect change in many forms. It can raise awareness on an issue and shift the debate surrounding it. Protest can intensify the urgency of an issue and expand the ideas of political possibility of public policies. On a personal level, protest is an act of faith, a way of registering discontent or stand behind an issue, and even a way to connect to something larger than ourselves. Find out more: L.A. Kauffman is a longtime grassroots organizer who has mobilized mass protests against the war in Iraq in 2003-2004 and most recently collaborated with the artist Nan Goldin to hold a protest against the Sacklers at the Guggenheim Museum in February 2019. She is the author of How to Read a Protest, The Art of Organizing and Resistance and Direct Action: Protest and the Reinvention of American Radicalism. She also contributes to The Guardian. You can follow her on Twitter @LAKauffman.

Our new season examines the power of protest and other civic action. Guests include activists who protest and advocates who don't, from Brad Fitch of the Congressional Management Foundation and Jackie Zammuto of WITNESS to Micah White, co-founder of Occupy Wall Street, and more.