“Grassroots organisations do not have an end date. They do not close shop until the next presidential election. Local, grassroots organisations work year-round to build power within the communities they serve.”

So says Karla Basta, director of donor organising at Movement 2016, a platform that helps large and small donors to improve the long-term social impact of their financial donations. Already, Basta and her colleagues have steered more than $2.5m to grassroots organisations in 16 ‘battleground’ states, and they want to boost this further by the time the dust settles on tomorrow: the day either Donald Trump of Hillary Clinton will take to the White House.

Rather than helping fund a presidential candidate, with donations being absorbed into a huge pot, Movement 2016 encourages people to give directly to grassroots organisations instead. It is these projects, working on the ground on the issues that really matter to people, that will have more impact, they believe.

Author Rebecca Solnit describes the presidential elections as a “form of madness” revisited once every four years. She writes: “They fit the great-man or -woman narrative of history, seducing us into forgetting how powerful we are. They erase our memory of grassroots power, direct democracy and civil society. Leaders beget followers; people pin their hopes on one person, and with that they seem to shed responsibility for anything beyond getting that one person into office.”

Our model is about supporting work that takes place 365 days a year, no matter what election cycle we may be in

While the sums of money involved are vast – Hillary Clinton’s campaign is thought to have spent $9.9m between 18-30 October and Trump’s $7.8m – much of this goes on the likes of TV advertisements. Though this sort of spending can seem all-important as election anticipation reaches fever pitch, it does little to build long-term social change, argues Basta.

The groups that Movement 2016 select to work with fit a strict social impact criteria, working in various ways toward a ‘movement of movements’ that might help underpin more fundamental social change.

“Our model is about supporting work that takes place 365 days a year, no matter what election cycle we may be in,” she says. “Movement 2016 groups are locally-driven and work on a range of social, economic and racial justice issues. During election season, these groups also register voters and make sure they get to the polls on election day. At the same time, they understand that real change happens over the long term, begins at the local level and that local victories create trends that influence federal policy.”

So how did Basta and her team choose which projects to work with?

Independent research helped narrow down the field, as did consulting with national networks of community-based organisations. “We were able to find groups in every state that work year-round on social, economic, immigrant, racial, and LGBTQ justice issues and have a proven track record of successful voter engagement and voter mobilisation,” says Basta. This year, Movement 2016 prioritised groups in certain key states – the likes of Florida and North Carolina – and those with open seats in the US Senate.

All manifestations of systemic oppression are in one way or another connected

Unlike the presidential candidates [Trump is worth around $3.7bn and Clinton estimated to be worth around $31m], grassroots groups often face day-to-day budgetary gaps. So what is the wider context of this project? How does Basta define what Canadian author, filmmaker and social activist Naomi Klein calls the ‘movement of movements’?

“It is the idea that all manifestations of systemic oppression are in one way or another connected,” Basta tells Positive News. “For example the treatment of undocumented immigrants is connected to the prison industrial complex, workers’ rights are connected to women’s equality, and so on. We aim to strengthen the movement of movements by strengthening the grassroots organisations empowering marginalised communities to fight against systems of oppression.”

And she notes several causes for optimism around this year’s election. “We are absolutely thrilled with the amount of early voting taking place. For example, there has been a huge spike in early voting by Hispanic people in Florida – one of the most critical battleground states,” says Basta.

“Overall, we’re excited that there have been lots of conversations about voting, not just in this election, but also during the mid-term elections. People seem to be catching on that we cannot ignore ballot races and pivotal battles being fought at the local level.”

Image: Gage Skidmore

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A crowd of 10,000 peace protesters rallied in Tel Aviv, Israel on 16 August amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and Egyptian-mediated talks. The rally, organised by the leading Israeli peace pressure group Peace Now, was the largest since the start of the Israel-Gaza conflict, which has claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people since early July, the majority of them Palestinians.

Under banners calling for peace through dialogue, Israeli peace activists demanded fruitful negotiations with the Palestinians. This is in spite of a climate of fear cultivated by right-wing Israelis, who have physically and verbally assaulted those who march for peace.

Itamar Feigenbaum, Israeli coordinator of Combatants for Peace – a Palestinian-Israeli movement of former Israeli soldiers and Palestinians who were part of the violent struggle for Palestinian freedom – has attended several rallies during the conflict and is no stranger to intimidation. He describes one July peace rally: “It was a strange feeling walking with my Combatants for Peace T-shirt, and we were talking that maybe my wife should go on the other side [of the road]. There was a gang of motorbike riders, with Israeli flags close to their backs, surrounding the square, making noise with their bikes.”

He continues to attend peace rallies because “it’s the right thing to do,” he says. “It’s also useful for people from the peace camp to see each other, and to draw hope. Even this is enough.”

“This is a time to show that there is a different voice; that there are Israelis who are concerned.”

Another Tel Aviv rally in July, in Habima Square in the centre of the city, saw a group of veteran Israeli soldiers share their experience of the reality of serving in the Palestinian territories. It was organised by Breaking the Silence, an organisation that collects and publishes soldiers’ testimonies.

Yehuda Shaul, a former soldier and one of the founders of Breaking the Silence, estimates that 500 to 600 people came to the rally; far more than he was expecting, he says, when the vast majority of Israelis across the political spectrum are not criticising Israel’s role in the conflict, especially as many have relatives currently serving and risking their lives.

But Shaul also estimates that there were 80 people who had attended in order to verbally or physically assault protesters. For him, this was one of the most important reasons to hold the rally. “We just felt that we cannot abandon the streets to a group of bandits who would just go and beat up people. This is a time to show that there is a different voice; that there are Israelis who are concerned.”

Other organisations have been holding regular, small rallies since the conflict began. Dr Esther Rapoport, a board member of Coalition of Women for Peace told Positive News: “Many people, including those on the left, don’t dare to speak out. [They] feel paralysed; they’re not sure what they believe.” In particular, Rapoport blames the Israeli media, which she feels overwhelmingly supports the war.

But away from the spotlight, in poorly-attended rallies and in peace vigils, peace activists have been holding firm. The Parents Circle Families Forum, a Palestinian-Israeli grassroots organisation of bereaved families has been holding a daily vigil for peace in the courtyard of the Tel Aviv Cinematheque, underneath banners which read: “It won’t stop until we talk.”

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Israeli spokesperson, Robi Damelin, whose son, David, was killed by a Palestinian sniper, explained why she stands there, day after day welcoming passers-by: “People need to be re-energised by hearing stories, especially from bereaved people.

“If Palestinians don’t know Israelis and vice versa, and we don’t know each other’s stories, it just creates fear and hatred of the unknown. When you hear two people who are bereaved, talking in the same voice, then it’s a very inspiring thing. I think that there is much anger and much fear on both sides now, and it will take time to calm down, but at the Parents Circle, we don’t allow the situation to affect who we are.”

Speaking to Positive News from Ramallah, Parents Circle Palestinian spokesperson, Bassam Aramin, whose ten-year-old daughter was shot by the Israeli border police and later died in hospital, said he can find it difficult to spread a message of peace in the West Bank.

“We need to continue working and even to try and raise our voice, especially at this moment. But unfortunately, it makes our messages more difficult and the voice of hatred is louder.”

“It’s very important for us to share these personal stories, so that we can learn from each other. And we can appreciate dialogue and reconciliation, and we can continue fighting in order to put an end to this blood, because we don’t want more bereaved families.”

Lior Amihai, the deputy director of Settlement Watch at Peace Now, believes we need peace activists who still have the courage and vision to see a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. “It doesn’t have to be like this and, more than anything, it happened two years ago. Where is this going to lead us to? How is it going to end? Will people finally understand that it is not about managing a conflict; it is about resolving a conflict?”

The post ‘It won’t stop until we talk’: peace movement perseveres in Israel appeared first on Positive News.

Faran Rafi is a 23-year-old recent graduate of Lahore University of Management Sciences. On seeing the protests he started sharing the idea of cleaning up the mess left behind by the protesters, using Facebook and Twitter. Within a day Rafi had more than 5,000 people registered on his Facebook page and a wealth of support on Twitter.

The following day in Islamabad over 100 people turned up to help – they were from all walks of life, and different ages. “We had retired army officers, teachers, journalists, young entrepreneurs, film-makers, students, between the age of 6 to 60,” says Rafi. Armed with brooms and rubbish bags, the group set about picking up spent teargas shells and broken glass, sweeping the streets and repainting walls. Some carried placards with messages of peace. Simultaneous clean-ups also happened in the cities of Lahore and Karachi, where there had been other riots.

When asked what motivated him, Rafi said: “It was evident that the image of Pakistan that was being projected outside the country was going to be of nothing other than violence and rage. However, the situation on the ground is much different.

“Armed with brooms and rubbish bags, the group set about picking up spent teargas shells and broken glass”

“What the western and other media portrayed Pakistan as seemed more like a country filled with angry, violent extremists who would only do harm to the society. This was done to prove to the world that the image they have of our country and religion is wrong. Most Pakistanis are not like that. We are promising young individuals who want peace and harmony in the world. We are the people who want to develop our nation and take it forward. We believe in inter-faith harmony and justice. Although, yes, we do condemn the blasphemous film, it does not mean that our only resort is to create havoc. We believe that as individuals it is our responsibility to set a positive image of the country and the religion, to show the world that we are just like them. Thus, this Project Cleanup for Peace was initiated to gather masses and help them do something productive.”

During the clean-up the police were praised for providing the group with impromptu security and transport, and the Government of Punjab awarded certificates to participants in Lahore.

Rafi was concerned that some cynics thought he and his friends were funded from outside Pakistan, but explained: “All the money used in the project was from our own pockets. I know students told me that they spent their savings and pocket money to get paint and other materials.”

The experience has had a huge impact on the group. They plan to conduct a clean-up drive in underprivileged schools across Pakistan – going to schools which lack basic sanitation facilities to provide a more permanent solution to hygiene, decorate class rooms, fix furniture and make other repairs as necessary.

Sadly, the story of Project Cleanup for Peace and the demonstration of ‘Muslim love’, which has been reported briefly in The Daily Beast and Radio Liberty, has so far been missed by the mainstream media.

The post Riot clean-up in Pakistan appeared first on Positive News.

The riots raging across England in August 2011 were a dark moment for the whole country. Like many, I stood in slack-jawed shock as the destruction of towns and cities spiralled out of control. Would it be possible to look back on those days of fire and violence and say that something good had come of it?

At the time, there was much talk about the blitz mentality of the thousands of Londoners who came out to help clean up the wreckage on the streets. People came together in ways that were entirely unexpected. And now, out of the blackened ashes of UK businesses, homes and communities, a greater spirit of collaboration and connection is emerging.

Future Clean Up, London

As Dan Thompson, 37, from Wokingham, sat watching his television while the riots flared up from street to street, borough to borough, he felt something had to be done. “There was a feeling of terror and powerless spreading everywhere; a sense of not having any control or being able to do anything. I thought, ‘we have to do something about this.’” Dan headed out into the streets of London, recruiting residents as he braved the manmade barricades, to literally sweep the streets clean. “I said, ‘let’s get a broom, let’s tidy up and let’s get London working again.’”

This defiant act has led to the creation of Dan’s post-riot brainchild, Future Clean Up, a website aiming to put power back into the hands of local people by helping them create community projects they feel are best suited to benefit the areas they live in. The initiative has drawn £100,000 in funding from Nesta, a charity set up to ‘help bring great ideas to life,’ and national youth volunteering organisation, Be Inspired.

Dan Thompson of Future Clean Up. Photo: © Dan Thompson

“The money is being used to create a new kind of software to build the Future Clean Up website, which will be launched on the 6 August, the first anniversary of the riots,” says Dan. “We are trying to build something really simple that is easy to use and can quickly organise groups who want to get on and create positive community projects.

“Society as a whole has a big problem to face up to but there are a lot of people starting to organise themselves,” he continues. “It will be for any kind of community event including street parties, fêtes, anything they want to help improve their areas and get people working together. The funding will also provide project support kits to give groups the basic tools they need to set up events including high-visibility jackets, megaphones, bin bags and t-shirts.”

Dan, who says he is an anarchist by nature, wants to put the initiative firmly in the hands of communities. “With Future Clean Up no one is in overall charge. It will belong to anyone who wants to use it. My job is to set it up and co-ordinate the early stages.”

But could the site be used to organise further riots? “There will be a team of carefully selected community volunteers overseeing the projects created through the website,” explains Dan. His intention is to avoid barriers to communities taking action, especially to encourage youth involvement and minimise issues such as health and safety that could stall progress. “We are not a charity or a community interest company so that frees us from the straitjacket of paperwork and red tape,” he says. “We basically say to anyone getting involved, ‘if you don’t want to do it or don’t feel safe, don’t do it.’ We treat them as adults and get them to take responsibility for themselves.

“This is a practical hands-on approach, it’s not arty, it’s simple practical stuff. I’m hoping it will take on a life of its own. London has always adapted and changed and soaked up whatever’s been chucked at it. I’m proud to be a Londoner,” concludes Dan.

Following pilot events to test the site in July, the initiative will then be spread around the country.

Holding Hands Around St Ann’s, Nottingham

“We have to work together to help individuals and groups who feel they are not part of society to move forward for the common good”

Maxine Cockett, who used to be a senior youth worker, is part of Nottingham’s ongoing Holding Hands Around St Ann’s project, which aims to generate community cohesion by helping groups to create original songs and perform them live to the wider community. When the riots struck she went on to the streets to speak to young trouble-makers.

“They respect me and listen to me because I’m there for them,” she says. “I told them they didn’t have to do this. We got talking and since that time I’ve been involved in helping them get into work, find work. A lot of them were involved in crime to get basic survival money, so I helped them fill out benefit forms and helped them start to get themselves together and feel better about themselves. So in a way the riots helped a lot of them move away from the crime they were involved in. I’ve seen real changes.”

Nishkam Centre, Birmingham

“There are more opportunities now. What it did to my area was to create a paradigm shift,” claims Amrick Singh Ubhi, director of The Nishkam Centre, which works to support people’s wellbeing, promote interfaith and intercultural dialogue and champion social justice and inclusion.

Amrick saw people become more responsive when collaboration was needed. “These weren’t issues marginalised to certain areas of society and we realised we needed to work differently,” he says. “People can’t afford to be islands. During the riots, Sikhs and Muslims were protecting each other’s temples. It has brought the two faith communities together in new ways. There is always some good that comes out of disaster, history shows us this.”

There is a power in different groups coming together, believes Amrick. “We have to make sure as communities we can work together to help individuals and groups who feel they are not part of society to move forward for the common good,” he says. “This mother Earth has been created as a haven. We have to break down some of these perceived barriers and work towards the common good of all, and this is definitely happening in Birmingham today. The riots have become part of this shift.”

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