Rant Trainers Collective

RANT (Root Activist Network of Trainers) RANT is a small collective that formed in February of 2001. Our primary purpose is to provide training, education, and information to local, national, and international organizations, groups, and individuals working for global peace and justice. We are consensus based, non-hierarchical and collectively oriented. Since 2001 we have provided trainings and organizing support of hundreds of projects and demonstrations for peace, global justice and environmental sustainability. Two current training programs supported by our collective are the Earth Activist Trainings (EAT) and the Radical Urban Sustainability trainings - both offering skills and training in permaculture and bioremediation projects. That work has been an evolving direction growing out of our work in the global justice movements. After Hurricane Katrinia our collective spent extensive time working there building a bioremediation program with the Common Ground Collective. That work was also a natural outgrowth of the global justice movement seeking to provide ongoing support, infrastructure and solidarity with the people of New Orleans. Our work in the global justice movement has included participation, organizing and training at . IMF/WB in Washington, DC (2000, 2001, 2002), Prague, Ottawa and Buenos Aires . FTAA Ministerial in Miami, Fl (2003) and Quebec, Canada (2001) . G8 Meetings in Genoa, Italy (2001) and Calgary, Canada (2002, Evian, France (2003)and Brunswick, GA (2004) . G20 meetings in Ottawa . World Economic Forum in New York (2002) . Inter American Development Bank (Fortaleza, Brazil) . World Agricultural Ministerial, Sacramento (2003) . World Trade Organization, Cancun, Mexico (2003) . Peace Rallies in Washington DC, New York City, San Francisco, Burlington, VT and Austin, TX for MLK Day, International Womens Day, March 8 and a week of actions at the start of the War and more. We have also done trainings for grassroots groups in Porto Alegre, San Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Tepotzlan, Mexico, Genoa and Treviso in Italy, England and Southern France. As well, we have done trainings and participated in nonviolent interventions in Palestine, and are involved in ongoing anti-war efforts in the U.S. RANT has served on the steering committee of United for Peace and Justice since its inception in 2002 working to build an anti-war movement rooted in strategic nonviolent direct action using the pillars of war as a framework for our collective work. (www.unitedforpeace.org) Our collective is made up of long-term organizers, , Lisa Fithian, Lauren Ross and Starhawk. Lisa is an organizer with experience that crosses community, labor, student and grassroots groups. Lauren has years of experience in environmental organizing and community building work. Starhawk is a well-know writer and activist who published extensively including a book on the global justice movement called "Webs of Power: Notes from the Global Uprising." Ideally, our involvement with an organization or movement group involves several phases: 1) An early meeting with organizers to identify needs, share experiences from previous mobilizations, craft trainings and plan schedules. 2) A capacity building session to train trainers and organizers. 3) On the ground training and support during the mobilization, action or events. We welcome financial support for expenses and negotiable fees based on the ability to pay. We aim to make this work sustainable and are also committed to working with those who cannot afford to pay. Our efforts have been funded by private donors and grants, and help with fundraising and your support is always appreciated. Our projects in 2007 included he Radical Encuentro Camp REC in Austin TX in, March. Supporting work around the BioJustice Mobilization in Boston, May 5-8, the G8 Summit in Germany, the U.S., the United for Peace and Justice National Assembly, Social Forum in Georgia and other movement initiatives along with permaculture and spirit in action trainings. We also worked extensively with the Students for a Democratic Society at both their national convention and summer action camp and the No War, No Warming direct actions in October, In 2008 we expect to be organizing against the Iraq war, and the growing climate crisis. We will continue our efforts to share what we have learned to this emerging generation of new young organizers, activists and leaders.

Empowered Learning We call our philosophy of training "empowered learning", which comes from Paolo Freire¹s work in popular education. Empowered learning embodies respect for all participants. We share what we know in a spirit of mutual exchange and equality and we expect to learn from the skills and life experiences of participants. We believe that people learn not from being told what to think or do, but from reflecting on their experiences. We facilitate processes in which participants gain tools, skills, and confidence. And we realize that anything we share will be adapted by participants to fit their own culture, political philosophy, and needs. Our trainings are active, involving little lecturing and many exercises, role plays, and much discussion. Although we are deeply rooted in the practice of strategic nonviolence, we have worked with groups practicing a wide diversity of tactics. We are skilled at bridging different political cultures and styles and in helping mediate between groups with diverse ideologies and needs, from respectable members of NGOs to anarcho-punks to indigenous communities. We offer trainings and preparations in all aspects of organizing and mass direct action: strategic planning, campaign building, effective action planning, tactics for actions, street health and safety, nonviolence, civil disobedience, directly democratic decision making, meeting facilitation, anti-racism and cultural sensitivity, nuts and bolts organizing, conflict resolution and training for trainers and organizers. We see ourselves as supporting the goals of the organizers and participants in an action, and we prefer to work with the organizing team to craft trainings that can meet the specific needs of each community and situation. What training and preparation can do: . Increase the safety of participants. . Build confidence in participants facing dangerous situations. . Teach the theory and practical tools of strategic nonviolence. . Help people remain calm and centered in tense situations, and able to make conscious, thoughtful choices about what to do. . Allow participants to employ sophisticated and coordinated tactics in actions. . Teach the skills of organizing, campaign building, and effective action planning . Conserve the learning that has grown from previous mobilizations. . Increase sensitivity and communication around diversity issues. . Build skills and capacity in the local community, and train trainers. . Help ensure that our actions and mobilizations are successful