OPAWL’s Facilitation for Liberation Fellowship is a political education training series rooted in principles of political education and popular education, which are anti-oppressive approaches to raising consciousness in our communities. This training is designed for both experienced facilitators who wish to improve their skills and for new facilitators who wish to develop them. Working in a cohort of other AAPI organizers and activists in Ohio, fellows will learn how to facilitate groups in a way that encourages participants to connect their own knowledge and experiences to larger structural problems, so they can be empowered to fight against oppression. Note: this curriculum is adapted from the School of Unity and Liberation, but the training is not affiliated with SOUL.
Topics covered will include:
- Understanding the theory and history behind popular & political education
- Deconstructing difficult topics for a group
- Dealing with difficult situations while facilitating
- Facilitation do’s and don’ts
- and more!
This fellowship will cultivate facilitation skills crucial for community organizing so that OPAWL’s members are equipped to build political consciousness within OPAWL and their communities. Fellows will walk away with the support to run at least one workshop, training, community conversation, teach-in, etc. in 2022. We hope to invest in the leadership of OPAWL members, build connections and strengthen relationships between cohort members, and co-create a culture of support, affirmation, participation, communication, and feedback in the online training space.
YOU CAN APPLY IF: you are a woman or non-binary AAPI (Asian, Asian American, and/or Pacific Islander) person. We are prioritizing current or interested members of OPAWL.
COMPONENTS OF FELLOWSHIP
20-25 cohort members will be accepted. Accepted cohort members will each be offered a $315 stipend for participation in the fellowship, as well as a $75 stipend for technical support and access. ASL interpretation is available.
The Facilitation for Liberation Fellowship has three main components:
- Eight virtual 2-hour sessions between October 31 through January 15, 2021 (dates below)
- An in-person Summit (which will include two final training sessions, as well as a practice and feedback session for all participants) and Graduation Ceremony. The decision to gather for in-person events will be contingent on the status of the pandemic in January and updated safety guidelines.
- Post-training support for fellows to develop and facilitate at least 1 political education program in 2022
The training schedule will occur over the following dates and times (all virtual and in EST unless specified otherwise):
- Sunday, October 31, 1-3 pm
- Sunday, November 7, 1-3 pm
- Sunday, November 14, 1-3 pm
- Sunday, November 21, 1-3 pm
- Sunday, December 5, 1-3 pm
- Sunday, December 19, 1-3 pm
- Sunday, January 9, 1-3 pm
- Sunday, January 15, 1-3 pm
- [in person] Summit on Saturday, January 22 OR 29, 1-6 pm
- [in person] Graduation on Saturday, January 22 OR 29, 7:30 pm
Post-training support throughout 2022 will entail:
- Ways to stay in contact/community with fellow cohort members
- A training session on how to develop your own workshop
- Feedback as you develop your event(s)
- Support with hosting and marketing your event(s)
- Opportunity to apply for a micro-grant to fund your event(s)
The fellowship will be primarily facilitated by OPAWL members Kenza Kamal (she/her) and Anjali Kapoor (she/her).
If you have questions, email F4L@opawl.org.