Leadership Training & Development
Join BLAC’s Organizing for Collective Power training program and learn to build trauma-informed grassroots campaigns that transform communities into hubs of advocacy, leadership, and healing.
Designed by and for organizers in Appalachia and the Midwest, this six-month program combines interactive workshops, mentorship, and hands-on strategies—covering power analysis, storytelling for change, campaign listening, negotiation, and movement fundraising. Through flexible virtual sessions and guidance from experienced leaders at all scales of impact, you’ll gain the skills to protect your community’s resilience while influencing local and national policies. This program is not just about organizing—it’s about healing individually, collectively, and politically. Sign up today to be part of a movement that turns “sacrifice zones” into centers of power and transformation.
What to Expect:
This program is designed to equip participants with the skills, strategies, and support needed to build and sustain grassroots movements. Through interactive workshops, mentorship, and hands-on organizing, you’ll gain the tools to create real change in your community
Program Structure:
- Workshops: Engage in interactive sessions covering organizing fundamentals, power mapping, community engagement, and campaign strategy.
- Mentorship & Leadership Development: Work closely with experienced organizers for guidance, feedback, and skill-building.
- Action Plans: Collaborate with peers to develop real-world campaign strategies that address pressing local environmental and economic concerns
- Feedback Loops: Participate in regular reflection sessions to assess progress and refine your approach.
Timeline:
- February: Applications open for the inaugural cohort, with selected participants completing onboarding and attending a virtual kickoff session to meet fellow participants
- March – August: Participants come together to build community, learn the fundamentals of trauma-informed organizing, and begin power mapping their local landscapes. Through interactive workshops, mentorship, and hands-on organizing, participants develop and refine real-world campaign strategies, practice advocacy tactics, and take initial steps toward implementation
Why Now? Why BLAC?
BLAC’s Organizing for Collective Power program is uniquely designed to center Black Appalachian voices, combining trauma-informed organizing with grassroots power-building in historically overlooked communities. Unlike traditional leadership programs, BLAC’s approach acknowledges the deep-rooted impacts of environmental racism and economic disinvestment, ensuring that healing is woven into every step of the organizing process. By fostering a network of local changemakers and equipping them with tangible strategies to influence policy from the courthouse to the White House, this program builds lasting, community-driven leadership that challenges systemic injustices at their core
Privacy Notice: Information provided will be used solely for program purposes and will not be shared without your permission.
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