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April 2025: how to influence & organize

Each month, we break down our topic into four weekly modules. Catch up on previous editions here.​

This week's module: LEARN

• ✅ CONNECT | Conversation prompts on your sphere of influence​
• 🎯 LEARN | The 4 R's of social transformation & other frameworks for change
• ACT | Ways to develop your influence towards climate justice
• REFLECT | Art, poetry, & commitments!

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Here's what we'll learn today Reader

Yesterday, at our community dinner in Seattle, we asked people to organize themselves in a spectrum around the room showing how much they identify as an activist.

The room went something like this, if you imagine each X is a cluster of people:

Activist <----------------X-center--X-X-X-X----X---X-----> not an activist

Not a single person in the room considered themselves strongly as an activist!

The farthest identification (X) was just slightly past the center.

And this is a roomful of people that, if you asked me, fight tirelessly for positive change.

When we dissected this, there were a variety of reasons that surfaced, from not wanting to be associated with the stereotype of an angry yelling activist, to feeling like we were not doing enough.

If this whole messy soupy gatekeepy activist identity thing is a challenge for you too, a) you're not alone, and b) great news, it's exactly what we're talking about in today's LEARN module of April's Changeletter topic on how to influence and organize!

The most important takeaway: Either activists are fake OR more likely, every. single. person. who loves this planet has a place in the movement to preserve it! "Activist" or not! I hope some of the frameworks and concepts today give you some comfort, courage, and motivation to claim your identity as a changemaker.

But no labels needed babe we can keep it casual 😘

Your bite-sized action plan Reader

✅ Choose one resource to guide your learning on organizing for change

The goal of this Learn module is to show you that no matter your interests or personality style, you have a role to play in influencing and organizing. You don't need to be an extrovert. You don't need to go to a protest. You don't need to argue with your bigoted uncle.

But you DO need to do something that works for you. With consistency, courage, and ideally, community.

The resources in this Changeletter will give you options and tips on how you can show up!

• Framework: 4 R's of Social Transformation by NCCJC's Jodi Lasseter​
  In the climate movement, there's often a lot of debate on the "best" approach to creating change. The 4 R's framework (resist, reform, re-imagine, re-create) shows us that it's not about one category of solutions being better than another; it's about "a deep and practical commitment to each R--and linking between them." (Jodi also drew a circle around the whole thing when I was with her and added the R of rest. This framework is adaptable!)
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  ​One way to use it: Find your R and be proud of it! Then, find co-conspirators working within the other R's and see how you can work together.

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• Video: How to topple a dictator (tips and tricks for nonviolent struggle)
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  Srdja Popovic wrote a brilliant book Blueprint for Revolution about, well, how to do a revolution. But like in a super fun and nonviolent way. Based on his experience toppling a dictator in Serbia, he summarizes some of the principles in his TEDx talk (linked below) including unity, planning, and maintaining nonviolent discipline. (Maybe worth noting I think he is a much better author than a speaker; the book is honestly hilarious!)
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  BONUS: another TEDx talk from Erica Chenoweth showcasing the success of nonviolent civil resistence (2x likely to succeed than violent insurgencies! Also just 3.5% of the population max is needed to succeed, wowwowoowow)

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• Action pack: How to talk about climate change​
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  Many months ago, we covered this topic in our Changeletter! Creating change starts with using YOUR sphere of influence ✨

Happy internet rabbit hole-ing and see you next week to take some action.

Love,

Nivi

Upcoming Soapbox events

• SEATTLE on Tuesdays 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29 in Seattle we're connecting, learning, acting, and reflecting together on The New Economy this month. Here's the Seattle calendar!​
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• SEATTLE on 4/14 | Meet Me at the Library author talk with Shamichael Hallman supported by Soapbox Project on Monday 4/14 at 7:30 PM. RSVP here​
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• NYC on 4/17 | plant-based supper club: how to organize and influence. Get tickets here​
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• DC on 4/29 l joyful climate advocacy dinner party. Join us!​

​Our entire events calendar for ALL locations + virtual can be found here.