Affinity Group members spell out Campaign Nonviolence on a recent zoom meeting

Campaign Nonviolence Affinity Groups

To Affinity and Beyond!
w/ Rivera Sun and Ken Butigan

Let’s do something wonderful during the Campaign Nonviolence Action Days and throughout the year! Let’s be methodical, thoughtful, spiritual, and strategic. The Campaign Nonviolence Affinity Groups are a way to get training, bounce ideas around, take action, make friends, and mainstream nonviolence.

The Campaign Nonviolence Affinity Groups meet twice monthly online. Organized by affinity (i.e. faith, region, issue, arts, educators, etc.), these groups of 5-15 people provide support, connection, community, and creativity as we strategize actions to build a culture of active nonviolence. Being in an affinity group can be a great way to strengthen whatever group or movement you’re already in.

An affinity group is an organizing model with a long history. Instead of a thousand people all doing the same thing—or not—imagine 200 groups of 5 people planning, strategizing, and taking action together for a shared goal. Affinity groups helped stop nuclear testing, prevented nuclear power plants from being built, challenged globalization, stood up for environmental justice, and much more. We’re bringing them into Campaign Nonviolence to unleash our potential for making change.

Join us if you:

Want to mainstream nonviolence
Are looking for passionate friends
Long for connection around nonviolence
Seek skills and knowledge for making change
Are excited to take the next step in transforming our culture

We are building affinity groups around:

Faith (any faith, and interfaith)
Arts (get creative together)
Nonviolence education
Local and regional areas
Age, race, gender, etc.
Peace, environment, anti-racism, economic justice
Got ideas? Propose an affinity group.

Each month, we’ll explore how we can take action in our local communities to mainstream nonviolence.

All CNV Affinity Groups work to advance the long-term vision of Campaign Nonviolence, building a culture of peace and active nonviolence, free from war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction. Our work is tangible and achievable. We work in connection with other movements and also in solidarity with the Campaign Nonviolence Youth Collective.

The Campaign Nonviolence Affinity Groups are a safe space where everyone’s voices can be heard. We will share ideas for action and offer feedback to one another. In addition to brainstorming, the Affinity Groups will take action together toward the vision of a culture of active nonviolence. At our meetings, we will debrief our experiences, learning and growing together along the way.

As a part of the CNV Affinity Groups, you will:

Join the two monthly meetings (date/time TBD)
Learn consensus
Hear stories of different affinity groups
Strategize and design actions
Join the Campaign Nonviolence Days of Action, September 21-October 2, 2024
Take creative, bold, and exciting action throughout the year
Have access to platforms and resources for blog postings and publication in movement journals, social media posts, videos, and more.

Looking to Join an Affinity Group? Here are Some Options!

Please choose one affinity group, not a dozen. An affinity group is a deep and meaningful connection and commitment. Choosing one gives us all focus and time.

Mitigating Racism & Building Community Affinity Group
The pervasive impact of racism is increasingly evident, underscoring the need for proactive measures to mitigate its harmful effects. We intend to implement an approach that addresses both the systemic and interpersonal dimensions of racism. Together, we will Build Bridges toward greater Unity, toward the Beloved Community. This group provides a brave place for our online community to understand the consequences of racism and our personal biases through deep listening and sharing. We will support each other to take actions, small or large, to heal ourselves and our communities from generations of trauma caused by racism. We will build trust, have respectful conversations where everyone can speak their truth without being attacked, and provide a language to discuss racism. We ask everyone to have an open mind and be willing to change. We will educate each other about racism and ways to build community. We are all in this together. This group will meet once a month for about an hour. Coordinated by Mark Klym, hassan clement, and Frank Thompson. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfSr_cS5crcgNiMtW-ULkvR1kxF7AsPzUeADarMHzpNFtK1Qw/viewform

Spirituality, Meditation & Nonviolence Affinity Group
This group of 5-15 people will meet monthly to support each other in exploring the spirituality of nonviolence and how meditation can help us embody nonviolence in our daily lives. This group might explore specific meditation practices, how various spiritualities approach or view nonviolence, and how these skills can support us in living the Nonviolent Life. This group will be multi-faith and inclusive. All are welcome. https://forms.gle/V3cS56NDRGXT51Ft6

Nonviolence Almanac Affinity Group
This Campaign Nonviolence affinity group will meet monthly to work on creating a 365-day Nonviolence Almanac that celebrates historic campaigns, nonviolence heroes, and much more. We will research dates, write the short blurbs for each item, and help design the final formats. This will be a fun and creative way to both learn more about nonviolence and contribute to mainstreaming nonviolence. Let us know you're interested by filling out this form. Coordinated by Pace e Bene/Campaign Nonviolence staff member Rivera Sun. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17NjlQjsP8Mc-yo69Xv684YwsQyTc62FWQ2mRNVGroPQ/edit?pli=1

CNV Earth Action Team
In this time of climate crisis, we will meet virtually to plan monthly actions to take in our local communities. The Earth Action Team may join with nationwide/international calls from other groups, or co-create our own nonviolent actions to protect the earth, push for a climate transition, and foster our love & care of the environment. We will support each other, brainstorm ideas, and share our creativity and wisdom. No action too small, no moment like now! Everyone is welcome. This group will also participate in the Campaign Nonviolence Action Days, Sept 21-Oct 2nd. We will meet on the second Tuesday of the month at 4-5pm ET. Coordinated by Rivera Sun.
https://docs.google.com/forms/u/1/d/1mnQEByftXFbX9-X50C9lCgHtOCs66myHdGl3EvX3gSI/edit?usp=forms_home&ths=true

Tax Resistance Group

“If you want to end the war then instead of sending guns, send books. Instead of sending tanks, send pens. Instead of sending soldiers, send teachers.” —Malala Yousafzai

What else is possible to do with the thousands of dollars we give to war each year, via our federal taxes? Could tax resistance serve as a vehicle for reparations for both domestic and foreign policy that has caused and causes harm? We will meet once or twice monthly (TBD) online to learn about historic and current forms of tax resistance, and related topics based on interest. Group members will support one another to discern how/whether to engage in tax resistance. Convened by Kit and Dave Miller.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1C1Z0EzxWaH5NYnh6GjV9mtaGVVMDqvOE0oUmjv8M6fA/edit

Our Experiments With Truth Affinity Group
Change begins with each of us, and the subtitle of Gandhi's autobiography describes his outlook on life. Starting in January 2023, the goal of this group is to experiment in our own lives by changing a behavior or two during a 30 day time period, and reflecting (individually and together) on what we observe. Some of Gandhi's experiments included vegetarianism, sobriety, days of silence, fasting, wearing simple clothes, daily walks, a variety of dietary restrictions, giving up the use of a car, celibacy, frugality, early rising, punctuality, taking part in others' religious ceremonies, questioning traditions, and minimalism; the 21st century offers new challenges as well. As we walk the path of self-improvement, what will our experiments reveal? This group will meet 1-2 times each month. Coordinated by Brian Winters
https://forms.gle/odUqdG9JWbsBfLQk9

Culture Jamming Team
In collaboration with World BEYOND War, Campaign Nonviolence is launching an affinity group that meets monthly to brainstorm ways to build peace culture, and creatively disrupt the standard fare of war and militarism in movies, books, sports games, recruitment ads, digital spaces, and more. Some of us like to hold peace culture events, such as open mics or curated peace art displays on social media. Others like to do direct action to disrupt the war culture such as sticking peace/anti-war signs in the war toys department during the holidays. We keep our actions simple (everyone should be able to do them) and immediate (we can do them today) and lively (no boring petitions). Coordinated by Rivera Sun and World BEYOND War. Let us know you're interested here or here:
https://forms.gle/9JzCNLGPJ3pQo9NZ6

Writing Nonviolence
From Rivera Sun: “This affinity group is for people who want to write about nonviolence. Op-eds, letters to editors, fiction, articles, blogs, research papers—it's all fair game. In this group, we'll support each other in lifting "the pen that is mightier than the sword" to bring all things nonviolence to readers near and far.” https://docs.google.com/forms/d/19TYc1z1cWIlCgyhK_MaaJR6LJTkAIPRdI5mauMkgXoA/edit

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