In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn the basics of grassroots organizing. Attendees will receive an introduction to building social justice campaigns; from choosing an issue, to identifying resources to determining tactics and strategies. Participants are encouraged to attend as pairs or small groups in order to focus on their particular neighborhood/ community or issue. We'll start out with a brief introduction, overview of organizing strategy with real world examples, and followed by group work and discussion. This workshop is a great start for students looking to make positive social change on their respective communities. 

PLEASE NOTE: All attendees should read "How Food Can be a Platform for Activism" in advance of coming to class. 

About Shakirah Simley

Shakirah Simley is a writer, educator, and community organizer in San Francisco. Shakirah has over a decade of experience working on food equity policy issues, as well with national youth organizing and labor unionization campaigns. She is a 2017 Fellow for the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, former Community Director for Bi-Rite and its Family of Businesses in SF, and is the co-founder of Nourish|Resist, a multiracial organizing collaborative dedicated to using food spaces and people as tools for collective resistance. She graduated from UPenn in 2007 with a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and Urban Studies, and received her M.A. from the University of Gastronomic Sciences via a Fulbright scholarship. Shakirah has been honored for her work as one of Zagat’s "30 under 30" and received special commendations from the City of SF from former Mayor Ed Lee and Supervisor London Breed. She currently works for the City and County of San Francisco, doing community and economic development in the city's Southeast neighborhoods. Her writing has been featured in the Huffington Post, SF Chronicle, Civil Eats, and the recently published book: Feed the Resistance.