GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY TRAINING & LOBBY DAY

March 7 - 8, 2010 · Washington, DC


Schedule of Events:
(may be subject to change)

Official Event Locations:

Sunday, March 7
American University
Ward Building
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016

Guapos Restaurant
4515 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20016

Monday, March 8
Capitol Hill
The Methodist Building Meeting Room
100 Maryland Avenue NE (Capitol Hill)
Washington, DC 20002

 

OFFICIAL EVENTS SCHEDULE

The following events are official Grassroots Advocacy Training and Lobby Day events. There are also affiliated events scheduled for Saturday, March 6; Monday, March 8; and Tuesday, March 9, and organized by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and CODEPINK, respectively.

Affiliated events are optional and may require separate registration. Your registration for the Grassroots Advocacy Training and Lobby Day covers only the official events of March 7 - 8. Scroll down or click here for a schedule of affiliated events on March 6, 8 and 9 and registration information.


SUNDAY, MARCH 7

Location: American University - Ward Building, Room 2
For directions to American University and a campus map click here


9:00 - 9:30 am: Registration and Welcome

9:30 – 11:15 am: Keynote Panel

US Policy and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: The First Year of an Obama Presidency

  • Noura Erakat - A Palestinian attorney, activist, and adjunct professor of international human rights law in the Middle East at Georgetown University
  • Zahir Janmohamed - Former Director of Middle East Advocacy at Amnesty International and a Senior Legislative Aide on foreign affairs for a member of Congress
  • Rebecca Vilkomerson - Executive Director of Jewish Voice for Peace and an editor of Jewish Peace News

 

11:15 – 11:30 am: Morning Break (light refreshments)

11:30 am – 1:00 pm: Introducing our Policy Asks

A chance to focus on Monday's Lobby Day, this session will introduce our shared policy asks and discuss strategies to use on Capitol Hill

  • Josh Ruebner - National Advocacy Director at the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation; additional presenters to be announced

 

1:00 - 2:00 pm: Lunch Break (lunch provided for pre-paid registrants)

Optional Participant-Led Break-Out Sessions
Participants are encouraged to convene self-organized break-out sessions on the topics of their choice during the lunch break. Participants will have the opportunity to post session topics throughout the morning (more information will be available at the training).

2:00 – 4:00 pm: Workshop Session 1

Workshop 1A: Congressional Engagement 101:Building Skills and Expanding the Congressional District Coordinator Network

  • Josh Ruebner - National Advocacy Director at the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation

Click here for more information on the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation's Congressional District Coordinator's Network

Workshop 1B: Broadening the Mainstream Discourse: Making Change in Your Local Media

  • Sam Husseini - Communications Director at the Institute for Public Accuracy
  • Jacob Pace - Communications Coordinator at Interfaith Peace-Builders

Workshop 1C: Coalition Building with Muslim Communities: Creating Stronger Partnerships

  • Naeem Baig - Vice President for Public Affairs at the Islamic Circle of North America
  • Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey - Director of the Civil and Human Rights Division at the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation

 

4:00 - 4:15 pm: Afternoon Break

4:15 – 6:15 pm: Workshop Session 2

Workshop 2A:Congressional Engagement 201: Developing Relationships  with Representatives and Staff

  • Ra'ed Jarrar - Senior Fellow on the Middle East for Peace Action
  • Gael Murphy - Co-founder of CODEPINK: Women for Peace

Workshop 2B: Speaker Training Workshop: Effectively Engage and Educate your Community about Palestine

  • Anna Baltzer - award-winning lecturer, author, and activist for Palestinian human rights

Workshop 2C: A Civil Society Response to Apartheid: Campaigning for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions

  • Katherine Fuchs - National Organizer at the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation; additional presenters to be announced

 

6:30 – 7:00 pm: Final Plenary Meeting and Details for Monday


7:30 - 9:00 pm: Social Event and Fundraiser

Guapos Restaurant
4515 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20016
Guapos is one block north of the Tenleytown/American University Metro Station. For directions from American University click here.

Free entrance for Grassroots Advocacy Training registrants
$10 - $50 for non-registrants

Join Interfaith Peace-Builders for a social event and fundraiser! An opportunity to get a bite to eat, relax and converse. Screening of IFPB mini-documentary "Looking Forward: Encounters with Interfaith Peace-Builders in Israel/Palestine", as well as raffle prizes and local entertainment to be announced.


 

MONDAY, MARCH 8

Locations:
Capitol Hill and Downtown DC

Optional Meet-up Location:
The Methodist Building Meeting Room
100 Maryland Avenue NE (Capitol Hill)
Washington, DC 20002

Between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM the Meeting Room at The Methodist Building will be available for registrants to use for meeting, resting, and storing bags.

The Methodist Building is accessible by Metrorail from Union Station (Red Line). Click here for a map of location and here for directions to/from Union Station.

9:00 – 11:00 am: Practice your congressional meetings

The Methodist Building Meeting Room
Union Station Metro (Red Line)
Click here for a map of location and here for directions to/from Union Station.

A chance to practice meeting congressional offices. if possible, experts and presenters will be on hand to answer questions and provide advice

10:00 am – 5:00 pm: Meetings on Capitol Hill

Click here for information on scheduling a meeting with your member of congress

Download background readings and information on your representatives' voting records here.

3:30 pm– 5:30 pm: Evaluation Session

The Methodist Building Meeting Room
Union Station Metro (Red Line)
Click here for a map of location and here for directions to/from Union Station.

A review and evaluation of the lobby day focused on tangible achievements and avenues for growth and success. Moderated by Joe Groves - Senior Fellow at Interfaith Peace-Builders.


AFFILIATED EVENTS SCHEDULE

The following affiliated events are organized by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and CODEPINK: Women for Peace, respectively, and are optional.

Your registration for the Grassroots Advocacy Training and Lobby Day covers only the official events of March 7 - 8 detailed above. Separate registration is required for some of the following affiliated events.

 

SATURDAY, MARCH 6

10:00 am - 4:00 pm: Boycott and Divestment Training Day (separate registration required)

(Location TBA) The Boycott and Divestment Training Day is organized by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and focus on providing skills for students and other grassroots activists to implement boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigns in their community.

You must register with the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation to attend this event. Click here to register for the Saturday workshops.

 

MONDAY, MARCH 8

5:30 pm: Boycott AHAVA Action at a beauty store in DC

Meet at the Methodist Building and walk from Capitol Hill to local DC store marketing AHAVA products. Join CODEPINK's Stolen Beauty campaign calling for a boycott of the Israeli cosmetic's line. Click here for more information on the campaign.

8:00 – 10:00 pm: Peace x Peace and CODEPINK co-host a special International Women’s Day evening event focused on Israeli and Palestinian peace-builders

Location:
Busboys and Poets Restaurant
2021 14th Street NW
Washington, DC
Click here for directions to Busboys and Poets

Join Israeli and Palestinian women peace-builders in launching the new book by Peace x Peace at DC's favorite progressive venue. Click here for information about the book.

 

TUESDAY, MARCH 9

Times TBA: CODEPINK Actions at State Department and White House (separate registration required)

(Locations TBA) Stay in DC Tuesday and get your hands dirty with CODEPINK raising awareness about what is occurring in Palestine/Israel and demanding justice in the region.  Actions are likely to occur at the State Department and the White House.

You must sign-up with CODEPINK to participate in these actions and receive updates about plans, meeting times, and other information. Click here to sign-up for Tuesday actions!

 

AFFILIATED EVENTS:

NOTE: Affiliated events are scheduled for Saturday, March 6; Monday, March 8; and Tuesday, March 9. These events and are being organized by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and CODEPINK, respectively, and are optional.

Your registration for the Grassroots Advocacy Training and Lobby Day covers only the official events of March 7 - 8. Click here for a schedule of affiliated events on March 6, 8 and 9 and registration information.

 

REGISTER TODAY TO GAIN IMPORTANT SKILLS FOR YOUR ACTIVISM AND MAKE AN IMPACT IN CONGRESS!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

DOWNLOAD AND DISTRIBUTE THE FLYER!

This event is sponsored by:
Interfaith Peace-Builders and the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation

Endorsed by:
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, The American Friends Service Committee - Chicago, CODEPINK: Women for Peace, the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Holy Land Trust, the Islamic Circle of North America, ICNA Council for Social Justice, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions - USA, Jewish Voice for Peace, the Middle East Research and Information Project, the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, Progressive Democrats of America, the Washington Peace Center.

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Click here to watch video from the 2009 Grassroots Advocacy Training and Lobby Day