# 8 Direct Action Stories

Session #8: Direct Action Stories

Music: "Heroes", David Bowie, Live Aid, 1985 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGOx0ZpMrrU

Essential Questions:
      • What makes ordinary people get energized to become an activist?
      • What roles can one play in creating social change?
      • What are the critical elements of a successful  social change ?

Rick's Rap:

Gathering: " A time that I got involved to change something important to me.."

Speakers: Agnes Brien, School of the Americas Watch http://www.soaw.org/border/
                  Rick Grier-Reynolds, Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP)         http://avp.international/the-avp-program/

Video: "When You hear the Word Violence, AVP/USA"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oyh7jiY9Jk

Closing: "Something I learned today was..."

Readings:
(1)AVP International website http://avp.international/the-avp-program/
(2) George Lakey, "What role were you born to play in social change?" Waging Non Violence, 2/3/16, https://wagingnonviolence.org/feature/bill-moyer-four-roles-of-social-change/
(3)  Charlotte Alter, "The School Shooting Generation Has Had Enough," Time Magazine, April 2, 2018 http://time.com/longform/never-again-movement/

Resources:
• "Highlights of the National Student Walkout," Common Dreams, 3/14/18 click for link
• "School of the Americas Watch," Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_of_the_Americas_Watch
• Bill Moyers,  "Movement Action Plan," https://www.wri-irg.org/en/story/2014/movement-action-plan
• George Lakey, " Eight skills of a well-trained activist," Waging Nonviolence, June 11, 2013 https://wagingnonviolence.org/feature/8-skills-of-a-well-trained-activist/

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
                                              Mohandas Gandhi