| Africa Action Guide to Mobilizing
on Campus
 Why Mobilize on Campus?
Young people, and students in particular, play a critical role
in every social movement. Colleges and universities are important
institutions in the communities in which they are located. When
organized, students have the power to substantively change their
universities and their communities, and they can collectively impact
U.S. policy on the national and international level. In order to
be successful at effecting better U.S. policies toward Africa, there
is a need for new voices, new ideas, and new energy that can be
found in student organizers both on the front lines taking action,
and behind the scenes setting priorities and developing winning
strategies.
Who’s Got the Power?
Students have the most power on campus. They pay tuition, they
outnumber administrators and faculty, they have the ability to impact
new enrollment. Consequently, students can play a major role in
changing policies, not only on their campus or in the community
of which it is a part, but also on the national and international
level.
Activism = Education
Student organizing is as much a part of the educational experience
as attending a class or symposium. We must always approach student
organizing as a way to provide opportunities to broaden intellectual,
cultural, and social awareness.
Getting Started
It is very easy to find students—they’re on campus!
However, different types of schools are organized in different ways.
For example, commuter colleges usually have a less developed network
of student organizations than most resident campuses, and students
attending schools in major metropolitan areas may be organized as
much off-campus as on.
On most campuses there is a network of student organizations that
are key outreach targets for Africa Action campaigns:
- Political (student government, groups focusing
on political/social justice issues, political action groups, etc)
- Social (fraternities/sororities, arts-focused
groups, etc)
- Identity Community (women’s organizations,
African Student Associations, Black Student Unions, etc)
- Academic (African Studies Associations, Political
Science Associations, groups affiliated with specific departments
or faculty, etc)
If you are new on campus and don’t know your way around as
much, there are several key places on every campus that should prove
helpful in finding student organizations.
- Student Activities Center—This is a university
office that keeps a listing of registered student organizations,
contact information, and office locations.
- University Website—Sometimes you can
find information on student organizations in the “prospective
student” section of university websites.
- Student Center—Almost every university
has a Student Center. The offices of student organizations are
usually housed there, meetings and events are regularly held there,
and most importantly you can always find students there.
Join An Organization!
By joining an organization, it is easier to mobilize and activate
an already existing base of people. Organizations also provide the
structure necessary to mount effective campaigns. If the organization
you join is not already affiliated with the Africa Action Student
Network, pitch it to them! Inform them of the benefits of being
a member and remind them that Africa Action provides:
- Targeted action alerts on our primary campaign issues.
- Student Network Updates with news, Africa Action’s campaign
updates, alerts, and tips and tools for effective activism.
- Activist tools: fact sheets, action ideas, posters, stickers,
film festival kit, etc.
- Event organizing resources including background materials and
speakers suggestions.
- An opportunity to connect with other students across the country.
- Listings of events or meetings of interest near you on our Campus
Action Calendar
- A direct link from your website to Africa Action’s Online
Action Center with automatic actions and updates.
Watching the Calendar
Plan your activities with the academic calendar in mind. This calendar
governs the lives of most students, especially those you may be
interested in recruiting. It is imperative to know when classes
begin, when finals week takes place, and the timing of fall, winter,
and spring breaks.
Know the energy cycle on campus:
Due to finals, vacations, and other factors, the cycle for campus
organizing is usually similar to the one produced above, with late
spring being a prime time for large scale campaigning.
How to Win Friends and Influence U.S. Africa
Policy
Even the most experienced organizers find it difficult to organize
a group by themselves. For this reason, it is important that you
find someone with whom to work. First, think about the close friends
that you have. Are any of them interested in politics, activism,
or social justice? If so, they’re probably a good place to
start. If you don’t have any close friends who are interested,
think about any other groups of which you’re a part. Maybe
you belong to a social justice club or a multicultural group. Religious,
cultural, social justice, environmental, political, service, and
feminist groups are often a good place to look. And don’t
forget about the classes you’re taking. Is there anyone who
has spoken in class about African issues, activism, or social justice?
When you find someone, talk to them in person or give them a call
(i.e. don’t just email). If you don’t already know the
person, make sure you introduce yourself. Give a brief explanation
of why you’re approaching that person (“I know that
you’re really interested in social justice and I’ve
just gotten involved with this great organization that’s working
for political, social and economic justice in Africa. It seems right
up your alley and I’d love to tell you about it. Do you think
we could chat sometime?”).
When you meet with this person to talk, you want to tell them about
Africa Action and our primary campaigns, but you also want to give
them the chance to talk about their interests. You can, and should,
explain what Africa Action is, but be sure to include information
about the specific things that draw you to the movement. Don’t
feel like you have to explain the whole system right away. Let the
other person talk too. Have a conversation. You’re not delivering
a lecture.
Assuming that goes well, either set up another meeting or continue
talking about what to do next or who else to recruit. If the person
doesn’t want to or can’t get involved, see if they know
anyone else who might be interested. Call this new person or one
of the others you thought about earlier. You’ll find someone!
A few easy tips for getting other people involved and organized:
- MAKE FRIENDS. There are other people like you
in your community. How did you get involved—where did your
interest come from? Where are others coming from? The key to recruiting
organizing partners is listening. What do people need in order
to become active? Explain who you are and your affiliation with
Africa Action. Once you’ve got a hook, follow up—get
commitments (however big or small) from people, immediately. Make
people feel like they are needed from the start.
- CREATE INCLUSIVE SPACE. The organizing atmosphere
of your group must be inviting. Have regular meetings—same
times, same places & make sure they’re convenient to
different constituencies (i.e. people who work, people who are
involved in other groups). Most importantly, keep the atmosphere
alive, open, and congenial.
- MAKE YOUR WORK EXCITING! Advertise with gusto,
and advertise to a wide audience. Design enticing flyers, posters,
newspaper ads, articles, or letters—talk to people often,
make recruitment a part of every conversation you have.
- GATHER RESOURCES. What do you need to do your
work? Building excitement among a group of people is one piece;
building the capacity to use that energy is the other. Brainstorm
your needs—from raising money to developing skills programs
& training. Recognize what different folks offer to the group
and make a plan to meet your organization’s needs.
- GIVE PEOPLE A REASON TO COME... Be inviting
& make it exciting.
- ...AND A REASON TO COME BACK. Get commitments!
Loyalty and energy around an organizing campaign come from feeling
like you’re part of something bigger than yourself. The
best way to give people that feeling is by giving them a piece
of the action. Everyone has strengths and/or resources to offer
in building the organization. Encourage these contributions! Grow
the organization—and the movement—together!
Recruitment Principles
- Appeal to People’s Self-Interest
- Maintain Ongoing Activities
- Recruit to an Activity and Not a Meeting
- Have an Entry-Level Program for New People
- Make Accommodations to Support Special Needs of individuals
Steps Toward Successful Recruitment
- Be Prepared
- Legitimize Yourself
- Listen
- Agitate
- Get a Commitment
- Follow Up
DOs and DON’Ts For Working With Student Groups
DO contact student organizations at the beginning
of your campaign. Make sure you give them time to help.
DO identify and articulate students’ self-interest
in the campaign. (Will involvement support their current campaigns,
bring campus notoriety to their group, provide a venue to build
stronger relationships with the community, educate their members,
etc?)
DO pay attention to the school schedule. College
students are in class eight months of the year. Those eight months
are filled with holidays and final and midterm exams.
DO go to the university or college website and
look for student groups that focus on social and economic issues.
Another good place to gather information is to call the student
activities office. They usually have a list of all student groups.
DO contact the leadership of the student organizations.
Keep in mind that many student organizations do not have presidents
or executives in the traditional way. A lot of student-run organizations
make decisions based on a group consensus. Speak with the leadership
listed as the primary contact and ask to attend a meeting.
DO facilitate discussions with student groups.
Offer suggestions on how they can help but also let them come up
with ideas of their own. Students are extremely creative and will
often be able to think of something that never crossed your mind.
DO bring community allies to meet with students.
DO treat student organizations as an ally if you
are a member of another organization. The relationship should be
mutual. If you want them to come to an event make sure you try to
go to one of theirs.
DON’T forget to explain what the campaign
is and why it’s important. Most students don’t have
a vast knowledge of African affairs, even well known events and
figures (e.g. anti-apartheid movement) may only be met with a surface
understanding.
DON’T assume they know or can make the connections
between their issues and Africa Action’s campaigns. You have
to have enough information about the group to help foster these
connections.
DON’T get into political or ideological
debates with student groups, especially early on in the relationship.
DON’T forget that student groups’
leadership turns over rapidly as students graduate. It is important
to recruit younger students in order to guarantee the continuity
of the campaign.
Additional Resources on Student Activism
CampusActivism.org
[http://www.campusactivism.org/]
This interactive website has tools for progressive student and youth
activists.
History of Student Activism
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_activism]
A Brief history of worldwide student activism according to Wikipedia
(the free online encyclopedia), complete with some recommended reading.
Speak Out - Institute for Democratic Education and Culture
[http://www.speakoutnow.org/index.html]
Speak Out promotes progressive voices on campuses and in communities
and works with some 200 speakers and artists who represent the breadth
of social movements.
Action For Change
[http://www.actionforchange.org/getinformed/history.html]
Excellent resource with a detailed timeline of student activism
as well as an extensive list of recommended reading on practically
any topic related to student or youth activism.
Red House Books Catalog of Campus Protest Reading
[http://www.redhousebooks.com/catalogs/campusProtest.htm]
Campus Organizing Guide from the Center for Campus Organizing
[pdf]
[http://www.campusactivism.org/uploads/orgguide.pdf]
Top 10 Activist Campuses
[http://www.motherjones.com/news/outfront/2004/09/08_401.html]
Mother Jones magazine annual list of the Top 10 Activist Campuses
of the year.
Jay’s Student Activism Links
[http://www.neravt.com/left/directory/subjects/student.htm]
Who’s Jay? Who knows. This site has an extensive list of links
to student activist websites.
TransAfrica Forum Youth & Student Network
[http://www.transafricaforum.org/student.html]
Africa Action’s allied organization TransAfrica Forum’s
Youth and Student Network aims to further the development of progressive
Black/African student activists and organizations and to advance
activism on issues facing the African World.
History of Africa’s Student Movements
[http://www.aasu.org.gh/student%20movement.htm]
A brief history of the role of African youth and students in the
liberation struggles on the continent, from the All Africa Student
Union.
[PDF]
|
Africa Action Student Network
