We lichen each other

May 7, 2020 – June 7, 2020

How might we...

Base Building: How might we improve our engagement with our members/base to build power?

How might we build shared analysis with our people to better understand the world we live in now and the world we want?

How might we move 50000 Minnesotans actively and consciously to choose us by creating public choice points around crises?

How might we optimize our organizing resources by innovating our outreach & acquisition strategies...

How might we take people on a personal journey reflecting on solidarity (based in our analysis)?

How might we test activations that begin reflecting our growing mandate from our mass base?

What's the journey of solidarity that people are taking each other on in the FB group and what made that possible?

We can learn from what is organically happening in our FB group. These learnings will inform how we might best activate our base.

Review organic interactions on MN solidarity FB page, 1000 plus members.

Background
- Organic content is worker focused, caring and loving.
- Not have to moderate heavily.
- Who are the people in this group and what is up with the lack of tension?
- Acknowledge that cultural strategy takes time (at least 3-6 months)

Looking for:

TAMN analysis woven in?
Questions that people are posing to each other on the posts?
Engagement:
- Sharing with personal contact
- PM an administrator
- If Someone (members) asks for help, what kind and what happens? Are they asking here?
- WOC survey going out asking for most immediate need to inform a convo with governor and lieutenant – get that data once have it.
Build community of story sharing:
- When share personal stories are other people interacting, thanking, etc ?
  - What might be enough? If one in 10 posts is about this.
- What Political Education integration and weaving might be possible?

Noticeable that MN solidarity on FB with 1230 people was quiet during George Floyd Uprising, not much organic posting. This could be because people didn’t know what to post or that FB wasn’t a meaning making platform and/or because people in the group seem to be whiter and older.

George Floyd uprising is a place to practice solidarity, but unclear how people in this MN solidarity group are wrestling with solidarity.

IGTV focused on 3 episodes that focused on political education (pre- uprising) and were well received, want to experiment more there. The experience of working as an ad hoc team with organizers allowed for innovation and creativity. This collaboration was life giving. Gave confidence and clarity in work. Staff want more ownership like that where they can plug in their own creativity and ideas. Hard to be organizer and coordinate political education – time to develop the program well while simultaneously organizing full time. Tension here.

How as staff are we fulfilling need and hunger from members for political education?

During uprisings, IG really took off, people reached out to ask for trainings, resources, where to send PPE, to ask TANN to share content. (Before pandemic had 900 followers, currently have 3000)