AN ORGANIZATION OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS,SCIENTISTS,AND PATIENTS HELPING...

ORGANIZERS’ HANDBOOK

Americans For Safe AccessAN ORGANIZATION OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, SCIENTISTS, AND PATIENTS HELPING PATIENTS

For more information, see www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org or contact the ASA office at 1-888-929-4367 or 510-251-1856.

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Americans For Safe AccessAN ORGANIZATION OF Medical Professionals, Scientists and PATIENTS HELPING PATIENTS

ORGANIZER’S HANDBOOK 101

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Getting Started with Americans for Safe Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Working with ASA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

BUILDING YOUR CHAPTER

Why an ASA Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Chapter Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Your First Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Outreach and Recruitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Volunteer Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

ORGANIZING SKILLS

Organizing Public Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Organizing Turnout at Civic Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Organizing a Demonstration or Rally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Tips on Public Speaking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Building Coalitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Working Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

RESOURCES

Allied and Potential Allied Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

ASA Online Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38


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Americans for Safe Access (ASA) isthe largest national member-basedorganization of patients, medical pro-fessionals, scientists and concerned cit-izens promoting safe and legal accessto cannabis for therapeutic uses andresearch.

ASA works in partnership with state,local and national legislators to over-come barriers and create policies thatimprove access to cannabis forpatients and researchers. We havemore than 30,000 active members withchapters and affiliates in more than 40states.

ASA provides legal training for andmedical information to patients, attor-neys, health and medical professionalsand policymakers throughout theUnited States. We also organize mediasupport for court cases, rapid responseto law enforcement raids, and capaci-ty-building for advocates.

Our successful lobbying, media andlegal campaigns have resulted inimportant court precedents, new sen-tencing standards, and more compas-sionate community guidelines

The mission of Americans for SafeAccess is to ensure safe and legalaccess to cannabis (marijuana) fortherapeutic uses and research.

ASA's stand on federal interferencewith medical cannabis state laws isone of zero-tolerance. ASA invests intraditional, battle-tested tactics such as

legislative organizing, community out-reach, phone-in days, petition drives,etc., and supports the use of non-vio-lent direct action as means of escalat-ing tactics to reach campaign goals.This is where you come in!

Mostly likely you are reading thisbecause you have decided you can nolonger sit back and watch the federalgovernment continue its campaignagainst cannabis therapies in thiscountry or because you want toengage your local government in cre-ating sane polices for patients andpatient access.

Passion is the first step to becoming agreat activist, but it is not the onlystep. This handbook has been createdto help you merge your passion withtime tested skills that will help youdirect your passion into effectiveaction!

ASA's staff is always available to helpyou through the process of becominga medical cannabis activist. We areavailable to help with trainings as wellas day-to-day support.

ASA has a plan to end the federalcampaign against cannabis therapiesonce and for all! A major part of thatplan is creating a movement that canbe ignored!

We hope this handbook provides youwith some first steps to get startedworking with us and our other 30,000members.

Preface


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Getting Started

INTRODUCTION TO ASA

ASA's Beliefs & Values

While many different issues bring people to the issueof medical cannabis, the following are the beliefs andvalues that guide our work at ASA.

· Cannabis is medicine and the truth is becomingmore widely known and recognized

· Government should guide policy on compassion,care and scientific research

· The current federal policy on medical cannabis ishypocritical, immoral and a violation of basichuman rights

· Government must be accountable to the people

· Everyone should have the right to produce, acquireand use their own medicine

ASA's Goals:

There is a variety of work to be done on the issue ofmedical cannabis. ASA's campaigns and programs allwork to meet the following goals.

· End federal raids and prosecutions of medicalcannabis patients and their providers.

· Remove federal barriers for medical and scientificcannabis research.

· Create comprehensive access plan for seriously illpatients throughout the United States.

ASA's Campaign strategies:

In order to win safe and legal access for all, we mustwork at all levels of government to generate short-term victories while working towards accomplishingour long-term goals. The ASA campaign:

· Deepens the public's understanding of cannabistherapeutics through public education, PR andoutreach campaigns

· Broadens support on Capitol Hill and in variousstates to support safe and legal access tocannabis for therapeutic uses and research

· Mobilizes an emergency response network ofactivists nationwide to respond to federal lawenforcement raids on cannabis patients andproviders through public protest and non-violentdirect action

· Builds broad coalitions with other patient supportorganizations, medical associations, and publichealth institutions to support safe access tocannabis for therapeutic use and to appropriatelyframe cannabis as a public health issue

· Creates, protects and expands safe access tomedical cannabis in states that have passedmedical cannabis laws

What you can do immediately:

· Become a ASA member:www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/Donate

· Sign up to get ASA alerts:www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/EmailLists

· Check ASA's website to find out if there is an ASAchapter or affiliate near you

· Go to ASA's website and print out all relevantorganizing materials you may need:www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org

· Call a meeting of activists, patients, and all othersconcerned with medical cannabis access.

· Collect signatures on the "Pledge of Resistance",keep a copy of the list you build for your group,and send another copy to Rebecca at ASA.([email protected])


ASA's campaigns are extremely inclusive andmay be carried out by local ASA groups, localchapters of other like-minded organizationsor by motivated individuals.

ASA Chapters — If there's not already alocal group working specifically on medicalcannabis, we encourage you to start an ASAchapter. Starting a new group can be a funand challenging exercise. ASA chapters have aunique position of being connected to anational medical cannabis campaign, whilealso maintaining the ability to work on localmedical cannabis issues.

ASA Affiliates — If you are already part ofanother like-minded group (SSDP, NORML,ACT-UP, etc.), you are welcome to work onASA campaigns and serve as an ASA affiliatefor your area. We will call on you to help withnational actions and lobbying, and you canstill do the other work your group does atregular meetings.

Groups Working on ASA Campaigns — Ifyou are a part of a group that is not an ASAaffiliate, your group can still work on nationaland local ASA campaigns. Some of our cam-paigns you can take part in include:

· Rescheduling cannabis

· Emergency response

· State campaigns for safe access

You can find out more about each of thesecampaigns and others on our website:http://www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/arti-cle.php?list=type&type=165

Individual ASA Activists — If you are notpart of a larger group, there are still severalways to plug into the ASA campaign. Someways to get involved include:

· Planning an emergency response actionafter a federal medical cannabis raid

· Circulating ASA petitions and materials inyour local community

· Joining a Medical Marijuana Patients'Union

Benefits of Working with ASA

· Start-up toolkits including an organizinghandbook, media manual, citizenlobbying handbook, medical cannabis factsheets, and a sampling of ASA literature.

· Monthly mailings from ASA includingcampaign updates, action ideas, and newliterature.

· Consultation from ASA staff on local andnational campaigns.

· Trainings lead by ASA staff on topicsincluding lobbying, media, actionplanning, civil disobedience, and strategy.

· Ability to apply for monetary grants fromthe ASA office for local ASA work.

· Ability to order ASA literature, shirts andstickers at wholesale price fordissemination and/or fundraising.

· Networking opportunities with other ASAchapters and affiliates, including amonthly national organizers' call andmembership to ASA's organizers' emaillist.

· Space on the ASA national website to postlocal activities, meetings and information.

1. BECOME AN ASA MEMBER

Becoming a member of ASA means you arenot just supporting the medical cannabismovement, you are becoming a part of it. Foras little as $35 a year you can ensure that ASAwill be here to both support medical cannabispatients across the country and to fight tochange the laws in order to achieve safeaccess. If you already believe in this work,become part of it. (Fill out the membershipform in this section or donate online atAmericansForSafeAccess.org/donate

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Working with ASA

WHY AN ASA CHAPTER?

A. What does a great chapter look like?

Launching an ASA chapter is a great way toformally bring together like-minded activistsin your community to work together towardensuring safe access to medical cannabis. ASAchapters are part of a national network ofASA activists and staff who work together ona regular basis to achieve shared goals.

A great ASA chapter brings together vibrantactivists in an environment of mutual respect,shared responsibility, and constructive politicalactivism and creates a space for new advo-cates to plug in to the movement. The idealASA chapter is networked into the largercommunity and is a constructive voice forpatients and providers of medical cannabis.

The best ASA chapters combine the art ofconversation with skilled activism. They are

considered by elected officials to be a princi-pled voice and smart resource for communityleaders who are interested in addressing thequestion of medical cannabis.

B. Focus on Medical Cannabis

ASA is solely focused on expanding safe accessto medical cannabis. This means that ASAdoes not have a position for or against legal-ization of cannabis for non-medical purposesor on related issues, such as incarceration orsentencing standards for recreational druguse.

This also means that ASA chapters are notpermitted to campaign for or against druglegalization measures or proposals. ASA andits chapters do not have a stand on cannabislegalization or laws related to other con-trolled substances.


2. APPLY TO BE AN ASA AMBASSADOR

ASA Ambassadors are a key part of thenational movement for safe access to medicalmarijuana. They are also important commu-nity representatives for ASA's campaigns.ASA relies on our Ambassadors to lobby elect-ed officials, educate peers, and alert ASA staffto important political developments. Uponbeing accepted into the program, ASAAmbassadors receive online trainings, politicalupdates, and the opportunity to regularlyinteract with other ASA Ambassadors acrossthe country.

To learn more, visit:AmericansforSafeAccess.org/ambassador

3. APPLY TO START AN ASA ACTION GROUP

ASA Action Groups are informal clusters ofactivists who work together to stand up forsafe access to medical cannabis. ASA ActionGroups work on medical cannabis issues atthe local, state, and national level. ASA ActionGroups are more informal than ASA Chapters

and they don't have the same requirementsfor elections, etc.

To learn more, visit:AmericansforSafeAccess.org/actiongroups

4. START OR JOIN AN ASA CHAPTER

In the next section, "ASA Chapters 101," youwill learn about the focus, purpose, and driveASA Chapters provide to our movement andwhy they are the best way to get involved tosecure safe access for our community.

5. ASA AFFILIATES

If you are already part of another like-mindedgroup (SSDP, NORML, ACT-UP, etc.), you arewelcome to work on ASA campaigns andserve as an ASA affiliate for your area. We willcall on you to help with national actions andlobbying and you can still do the other workyour group does at regular meetings.

To find out more, [email protected].

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BUILDING YOUR ASA CHAPTER


C. Nonpartisan

ASA and its chapters cannot endorse candi-dates for elected office. This would be a viola-tion of the organization's nonpartisan andnonprofit status. ASA and its chapters are alsonot allowed to use funds to make contribu-tions to candidates' political campaigns.

However, it is acceptable—and highly encour-aged—to seek candidates' positions on med-ical cannabis issues. It is also highlyencouraged to invite political candidates tochapter meetings or even host a meet andgreet with candidates so they can get toknow patients and ASA members in theircommunity.

In addition, it is perfectly legal for ASA chap-ters to campaign for or against ballot initia-tives, referenda, state constitutionalamendments, bond measures, or similar meas-ures. Any position that an ASA chapter takesshould be in line with the ASA organization'sfocus on expanding safe access to medicalcannabis. ASA chapters cannot take stands foror against efforts to legalize cannabis outsideof a medical scope.

D. ASA chapters are NOT:

• One person• Groups that dispense medication• Groups that are linked to an individual

medical cannabis provider• Commercial entities or groups that make

commercial endorsements or promotions

E. ASA resources and support

ASA chapters can depend on ASA for support,guidance, and encouragement. We want toprovide you with the materials and tacticalguidance to help you succeed. We also wantto get you networked into our national com-munity of chapter leader ASA activists.

Specifically, here are some of the resourcesASA can provide as you build and maintainyour chapter:

1. Online materials and support for newlyforming chapters

2. Nationwide chapter leader conference calls

3. E-mail updates on local, state, andnational ASA issues

4. Phone-based trainings on lobbying,media, action planning, civil disobedience,and strategy

5. Materials online:Start-up toolkits including this organizinghandbook, a media manual, citizenlobbying handbook, medical cannabis factsheets, and sampling of ASA literature

6. Space on the ASA national website to postlocal contact information

7. Occasional opportunities to publicize yourchapter's efforts via e-mail to ASA's largenetwork of online activists

F. What makes a good chapter leader?

A good chapter leader sets the tone forrespectful communication, fiscal integrity, andtransparency in decisions and plans. Chaptermembers have a clear sense of how chapterfunds are spent, how chapter decisions aremade, and why they are all valued membersof a team.

In addition, a good chapter leader keeps upwith ASA alerts/actions, participates in nation-al chapter conference calls, regularly submitsnew chapter sign-ups and memberships toASA, and maintains written records of chapterincome, expenses, and assets.

I. HOW DO I GET STARTED?

A. Check to see if there is already an ASAchapter in your community

With ASA chapters all over the country, it isworth taking a look online to see if there isalready an ASA chapter in your community. Todo so, go to http://www.americansforsafeac-cess.org and click on "Community." Withinthat section is a list of all ASA chapters, affili-ates, and other regional contacts nationwide.

B. Email [email protected] toapply to start an ASA chapter.

Send us details about your region, goals, andthe people who are interested in participating.

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C. Wait for our feedback

ASA approves requests to start new chapters

based on a careful evaluation of the goals,

accomplishments, skills, and enthusiasm of

those involved. We want to make sure that

our new chapters have the best guarantee of

success, which means that we want to encour-

age committed local activists with a track

record of collaborative work to apply.

We promise to give your application full con-sideration, but we can't promise that everysingle application to start a chapter is auto-matically approved.

If you want to follow up on your application,please send an e-mail [email protected].

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Chapter Structure

II. CHAPTER REQUIREMENTS

• 10 ASA members who have made anannual membership contribution to thenational ASA organization.Standard contributions are $35 per person,and there is a sliding scale for low-incomecontributors. The minimum individualcontribution is $10.To confirm that you have met thisrequirement, [email protected].

• Chapter Coordinating Committee: At leastfive members, including the Chapter Chairand any Vice Chairs.

• A Chapter Chair, elected by the full chapter.• If needed, one or more Chapter Vice Chairs,

depending on the chapter's needs. ViceChairs are also elected by the full chapterand are part of the chapter coordinatingcommittee.

• A roster of meeting attendees. Toparticipate in annual chapter elections,one must be a "chapter member" andattend at least two chapter meetings ayear. The chapter election meeting is notincluded in this "two meetings"attendance requirement.

• Meetings that are at least monthly,publicized, and open to the public.

• A liaison between ASA and your chapter.

Ten ASA Members:

To start an ASA chapter, you need to bringtogether 10 ASA members who have made afinancial contribution to ASA. ASA wants toensure that our chapters adequately represent

groups of ASA members in the communitieswhere they are launched.

Chapter Coordinating Committee

The Chapter Coordinating Committee is thecore leadership group of your chapter. Theseare the folks who communicate betweenchapter meetings and help streamline theprocess of running a good ASA chapter. Notevery chapter member may want to deal withevery detail of running an effective ASA chap-ter. This is the group of people that makessure that chapter meetings are planned andthat nitty-gritty decisions get made.

The Chapter Coordinating Committee is elect-ed by the full chapter and must be at least fivepeople. These five people would include thechair and any vice chair positions. Some of ourbest ASA chapters organize their CoordinatingCommittee with no single leader and make alldecisions by consensus. If there is no singleleader, one of the Coordinating Committeemembers should act as the ASA liaison.

Some chapters are on the smaller side ofthings—as few as 10 members total. If youhave a small chapter, the CoordinatingCommittee can simply be the entire chapter.

Why is a Chapter Coordinating Committeeuseful? As your ASA chapter grows, you couldeventually find yourself with as many as 25,50, or more people attending your monthlymeetings. It is important to have a core groupthat can communicate with each other andhelp keep the larger chapter running smooth-ly. Responsibilities may include coordinating


local volunteer positions, creating the agenda,email alerts, announcements, reminders, etc.

Chapter Chair

The full chapter should also elect a ChapterChair who is the official coordinator of thechapter. Please note that the Chair should notmake decisions without the approval of theChapter Coordinating Committee. The Chairposition should be viewed as the spokesper-son for the group for the chapter, not a"boss."

Vice Chairs

The full chapter can also elect any Vice Chairsthat the group agrees are necessary. ViceChairs could include people focused onfundraising, chapter finances, community out-reach, or even specific campaigns. TheChapter Chair and any Vice Chairs are part ofthe coordinating committee.

Consensus-Based / No leader

Some of our best ASA chapters organize theirCoordinating Committee with no singleleader and make all decisions by consensus.We highly recommend you implement thisstructure. One of the CoordinatingCommittee members should act as the ASAliaison when using this leadership model.

Chapter Members

One must be a Chapter Member to vote inannual chapter elections. To be a votingChapter Member, one must attend at leasttwo chapter meetings in the previous year,not including the annual chapter elections.The Chapter Coordinating Committee shouldtrack chapter membership with a monthlysign-up sheet for all meeting attendees.

III. ELECTIONS

Within a year of a chapter's launch, theChapter Coordinating Committee should holdelections in which the whole ASA Chaptermembership participates. ASA Chapter elec-tions should be held for the Chair, any ViceChair positions, and remaining Chapter

Coordinating Committee seats, or for themembers of the Coordinating Committee iffollowing the No Leader Consensus model.

IV. CHAPTER DECISION-MAKING

A. Consensus:

Both the Chapter Coordinating Committeeand the full chapter should strive to makedecisions through a process of consensus.Sometimes, relying on a majority vote isinevitable. However, the healthiest andstrongest chapters arrive at their decisionsthrough a process that is inclusive of the col-lective wisdom of the membership.

B. Quorum:

For a Chapter Coordinating Committee tomake decisions, there must be a quorum pres-ent. A quorum is defined as a majority. Thatmeans that if your Chapter CoordinatingCommittee has five members, at least threemust be present to make any decisions.

C. Conflict resolution:

As a rule of thumb, conflicts are best resolvedin person. E-mail disputes rarely resolvepeacefully, primarily because it is easy to readwhatever emotion one wants into a text-based message. Only by sitting in front ofsomebody is it truly possible to emotionallyunderstand where that person is coming fromand how they are feeling.

D. Dealing with problematic individualsand leaders

Ideally, interpersonal conflicts with individualswho demonstrate problematic behavior pat-terns can be addressed through direct conver-sation, without involving the entire group.Sometimes, however, there are "problem"individuals whose behavior is repeatedly dis-ruptive to the productive functioning of anASA Chapter.

Examples of such behavior can include repeat-ed unilateral decision-making, extreme argu-mentativeness, ongoing insults, or eventhreats.

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In such cases, it may be necessary to remove achapter member from the chapter entirely.Doing so requires a vote by two thirds of theentire Chapter Coordinating Committee.Please note that the two thirds vote mustinclude all members of the ChapterCoordinating Committee. This means that afive person Chapter Coordinating Committeewould need at least four people to vote toexpel a chapter member.

When removing someone from the chapter,the Chapter Coordinating Committee shouldbe clear with the individual as to what stan-dards of behavior were violated. The ChapterCoordinating Committee should also providea written notice articulating the behaviors inquestion and why those behaviors wereunworkable.

Such a vote must not be taken over e-mail.The vote must also be documented and pro-vided to the national ASA staff:[email protected].

E. ASA Authority and Chapter disputes

ASA reserves the right to disband or other-wise intervene in ASA Chapter affairs. ASAstaff prefer not to engage in such efforts, andour goal is to support ASA chapters as bestwe can.

ASA staff intervention or disbanding of chap-ters may occur in serious situations thatinclude a breakdown of chapter leadership,irreconcilable chapter disputes, or chapteractions that violate the standards and policiesoutlined in this manual.

ASA generally commits to giving a chapteradvance warning before intervening or dis-banding the chapter. Advanced warning caninclude specific steps the chapter can take toaddress a specific problem and a timeline todo so. In extreme cases, ASA may make a uni-lateral decision without providing advancewarning.

If an ASA chapter or individual disagrees withan ASA decision or warning, the chapter orchapter leaders may request a review by theASA Associate Director or Executive Director.

Such a review may be requested by phone oremail. The decision of the Executive Director isfinal in these cases.

V. ONGOING CHAPTER REQUIREMENTS

A. Community level:

Community Responsiveness

ASA Chapters have a primary goal of support-ing medical cannabis patients and advocatingfor safe access to medical cannabis in thecommunities where they exist. This meansthat being responsive to the community isimportant.

At a minimum, ASA Chapters should maintainpublicly available contact information on theASA webpage and in any other appropriatecommunity venues.

Public Meetings

ASA Chapters are required to hold meetingsat least once a month. Meetings should bepublicly announced at least two weeks inadvance. Chapter meetings must also be heldin a publicly accessible location that is accessi-ble to those with disabilities.

ASA Chapter meetings should, if possible, notbe held at a dispensary or other commercialmedical cannabis location. This is to preventASA Chapters from being seen as explicitly orimplicitly endorsing a specific medicalcannabis related business entity. Also, wewant to ensure that supporters and familymembers are welcome at these public meet-ings, not just patients and caregivers. If it isabsolutely necessary to hold a chapter meet-ing at a dispensary location, the meetingsshould rotate among dispensaries so that it isclear that the chapter supports all of the localfacilities.

Elections

Every ASA Chapter must hold annual electionsthat are publicly announced at least onemonth in advance. ASA staff must also beincluded in this notification. The resultsshould be announced at the elections them-selves, and the results should be publicly

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announced within a week of the elections.

B. With National ASA:

ASA Chapter participation in monthly ASAconference calls: Every ASA Chapter shouldhave a least one person from the chapter par-ticipating in national ASA monthly conferencecalls for chapters and affiliates.

National ASA campaigns:

All ASA Chapters must participate in nationalASA campaigns and actions.

Check-ins:

ASA Chapters should be available for consul-tations and check-ins with national ASA staff.

Yearly reporting:

All ASA chapters must complete a yearly sum-mary of the following:

1. Goals2. Key accomplishments and challenges for

the year3. List of members4. Name and contact info for the five

Coordinating Council members andofficers, if designated

5. Simple financial statement of income,expenses, and assets

6. Goals for the coming yearThe national ASA staff will provide a reportform. Reports are to be submitted by January30th, following the close of the year.

C. FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Chapter bank accounts

If needed, ASA Chapters should store theirfunds in a bank account that has two chaptersignatories.

ASA does not provide bank accounts for ASAchapters or hold ASA chapter funds.Exceptions shall be made for one-time proj-ects of $10,000 or more, where a donorwould like to receive a tax deduction. ASAcan administer such a fund for a small admin-istrative fee.

Your chapter bank account is not a NationalASA bank account. You should speak to aqualified accountant or tax advisor about thetax liabilities that may arise from opening achapter bank account.

Fundraising

Local ASA Chapter fundraising is allowed andencouraged. When engaging in localfundraising, chapters should be clear to con-tributors that their contributions:

• are not going to the national ASAorganization.

• do not count toward ASA membership.• are not tax-deductible and do not receive

a 501(c)(3) tax write-off.

Incorporating as a Separate Entity

ASA chapters are not allowed to incorporateas separate nonprofit entities. ASA chaptersthat are interested in doing so are encour-aged to become ASA affiliates and incorpo-rate as separate, non-ASA organizationswithout the ASA brand. Alternatively, ASAChapters may ask another nonprofit to betheir fiscal sponsor. A quick google search on"fiscal sponsorship for nonprofits" will yieldimportant resources to guide you in thisprocess.

VI. PLANNING AND EXECUTING YOUR FIRSTMEETINGS

Talk to your friends and other like mindedindividuals. Even if you begin with only twoor three people, don't be discouraged. Pick ameeting spot and begin advertising yourmeeting at least two weeks before it actuallyoccurs. Hang flyers in targeted areas, calllocal papers and radio stations to get listed intheir events calendars, and don't forget to tell

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Successful Meeting Tip #1

Before the meeting plan a solid agenda, setout refreshments, learn people's names asthey arrive, and introduce them to eachother. Set out literature and a sign-in sheet.


ASA so we can publicize your meeting on ouremail lists. You can't do too much outreach.

Use Roving Facilitators

There are several ways to share leadershipwithin a group, but one effective method isusing roving facilitators. At each meeting, twopeople should volunteer or be chosen to facil-iate the next meeting (It's often fun workingwith others as faciliators, and in case one per-son cannot make it to the following meeting,the other will be there to facilitate). Thesepeople will be responsible for:

• Helping to promote the meeting.• Creating an agenda for the meeting.• Moderating the meeting to ensure it runs

smoothly.The facilitators should rotate in order to giveseveral people the chance to be involved.Encourage new activists to co-facilitate withsomeone who's been involved for a longtime. Challenge facilitators to come up withcreative activities or presentations for themeetings. Have fun with this!

Setting Meeting Rules

At the beginning of each ASA meeting, thefacilitators should set ground rules for themeetings. Here are some basic rules that helpmeetings run smoothly:

• Do not interrupt others while they speak• Raise your hand to speak• Assume best intentions• Be respectful when disagreeing• Do not repeat others

In addition to these rules, faciliators shouldask the rest of the group to provide groundrules for the meeting.

SAMPLE AGENDA

**It is most important to do two things dur-ing this first meeting: collect contact informa-tion and set the next meeting time andplace.**

1. Pick a facilitator or two and a note taker. Itis the responsibility of the facilitator tokeep a meeting moving along on time,and to make sure the meeting sticks tothe agenda so that everyone who wantsto speak gets an opportunity. It importantthe facilitator not "police" the meetingbut guide it.

2. Read meeting ground rules and get aconsensus from the group that they willbe respected. The group may decide toadd rules as well. It will be up to thefacilitator to gently remind people of theground rules if they are broken to keepthe meeting running smoothly.

3. Introduce the agenda and ask for anyadditions. It is a good rule of thumb tohave "announcements" as the last agendaitem. This gives members the opportunityto talk about other items without filling

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REMEMBER: The #1 reason people do notreturn to meetings is because they run ontoo long. The #2 reason people do notreturn to meetings is because of lack ofacton items coming from meetings.


During the meeting sit in a circle and beginby stating why you wanted to start an ASAgroup, and what the ASA campaign is cur-rently working on. Then go in a circle andask each person to say why they are interest-ed, and what they think they'd like to do.Try to make everyone feel like they arebeing listened to and that their ideas arebeing considered.


Before the meeting post the following meet-ing ground rules where people can seethem:

1. Do not interupt

2. Raise your hand to speak

3. Assume best intentions

4. Do not repeat others

5. Be respectful when disagreeing


up meeting time to do so. Then gothrough each item and give a roughestimate of how long you want to spendon each item. It will then be thefacilitator's duty to remind the group ifthey are going over time. If an item istaking more time than allotted, thefacilitator should ask the group if theywant to agree to add more time to theitem or move on.

4. Do a go-around of introductions, includingname, affiliation, and interest in the issue(be sure to specify that each intro shouldbe limited to 2 minutes or this could takeup your entire meeting). Pass around asign-up sheet and collect numbers, emailaddresses, etc.

5. Read ASA's mission and goals to the groupto make sure that everyone is on the samepage from day one!

6. Review ASA campaigns, how they apply toyour group and what other challengesyour community faces. Check with ASAstaff before your meeting to get a list ofmost recent campaigns. Pass aroundPledge of Resistance cards & collect signedones later in the meeting to send to theASA office.

7. Review upcoming events and actions thatboth ASA national are planning as well aslocal events such as city council meetings,court hearings, etc.

8. Brainstorm a list of tasks and steps thatyou need to accomplish for the items

discussed in item #7 and get volunteers totake on items. Some examples of suchtasks might be:

Media: Do you need a press release? Doyou need media talking points forparticipants?

Outreach: Contacting other like mindedgroups to join you in your efforts, makingflyers to ensure greater turnout, etc.

Art and visuals: Do you need signs,banners, t-shirts, or other visuals for theevent?

Materials: Do you need something to handout at the event to educate targetaudience?

9. Is everyone on e-mail? Do you need alistserv to stay in touch? Should you havea phone tree?

10. Dispatch: Review who is going to do eachthing, including send out the notes and alist of contacts, and pass the hat for costs.Don't forget to set the next meeting dateand place! Close your meeting, thank thefacilitators and participants.

11. Announcements: This is a time to allowthose who want to share items that maybe outside the realm of the agenda

12. Socialize afterward!

VII BEYOND THE FIRST MEETING

Before your second meeting, you shouldphone everyone in the group to remind themof the next meeting and try to get people topersonally commit to attending. At the sec-ond meeting, decide on some action items toget started. You may want to host a benefitor other type of event to get your feet wet.This also empowers your membership to goon to bigger things. Look through the cam-paign strategy and the event options in thisbooklet and discuss them with your group;

13


If people are interested in going out after-wards be sure to encourage that. An organi-zation that socializes together will be thatmuch more committed when people feelstressed by deadlines.


Take notes and distribute to everyone soonafterwards. Start an email listserve to facili-tate future organizing.


Pass the hat at meetings to cover minorcopying costs and materials for actions. Smalldonatons can go a long way!


settle on one, develop an action plan, and fol-low through on it.

If your group is working well together, agood way to keep people committed andengaged may be to create committees orworking groups to tackle major items. Youcan have break outs at these meetings forthese groups to meet and report back to themain group. Some examples of workinggroups you may choose include:

• Media working group • Outreach working group: Everyone should

do this, but a group can schedule tablingand leafleting opportunities. Setting up atable is a great way to get free admissioninto events!

• Art in action working group: People whocan put the time into making props,puppets, planning street theatre, music,etc.

• Alliance-building working group: Unlikeoutreach, this involves going to otherexisting groups, offering your group's

support, and soliciting theirs. These arethe ambassadors—a very important andoften-neglected role.

• Fundraising working group: Planning funevents that can support your work.

• Education working group: May planforums, curriculum, develop leaflets, etc.

The working groups depend on the interestsand abilities of your membership. Make sureone person is the primary contact for eachworkgroup and that that person's contactinfo is included in the notes and available toall chapter members and the national office.

Remember to network with the national ASAoffice so we know what local groups haveformed and can facillitate communicationamong groups. Please make copies of yourparticipant lists and send them to us so thatwe can add the names to our national list.Copy the "Pledge of Resistance" and collectsignatures, and send copies of that to thenational office as well.

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Movements are not created overnight andthey do not last without a constant flow ofnew participants and members. Outreachand recruitment is the most vital part ofmovement building. While one or two com-mitted people can be effective in their advo-cacy, the struggle for safe and legal accessrequires diverse community input andincludes several stages.

Don't be intimidated; this issue carries 80%support nation-wide. That means that a largeportion of people you will encounter alreadyagree with you. It is your responsibility as anadvocate to tell them how they can put theirsupport into action! Remember, you are notbegging for support, you are offering individ-uals an opportunity to participate in a move-ment that they already believe in!

Outreach and recruitment is often overlookedduring intensive campaigns so make sure thatyou include components in all of your cam-

paigns that will draw in new members andgive them a way to participate. Solid outreachstrategies will add new strengths and talentsto your efforts and will ensure longevity.

Make it fun! While our work is serious and attimes heart-breaking, outreach and recruit-ment is a way for you to meet new people,see new parts of your community, and spendtime together. This section offers a few ideasfor outreach and recruitment…

A. USING THE INERNET FOR OUTREACH ANDORGANIZING

The Internet creates endless tools and oppor-tunities for community outreach. Below are alist of Internet based opportunities to commu-nicate with your members, supporters, volun-teers, and the media.

EMAIL

1. Using your regular email software. The

Outreach and Recruitment


15

simplest way to create and use email lists is touse your regular email software. This is agood choice for individual activists and fororganizations in which the staff has little tech-

nical expertise and if yourlist has only a couple hun-dred subscribers.

For example, if you wantto send out press releases,set up a personalizedaddress book labeled

"Media" that includes the email addresses ofall the interested reporters you know. To senda press release to your "Media" list, put yourown email address in the "To" field, and type"Media" in the "Bcc" field of the messageheader. That way, all of the reporters willreceive the message, but only your emailaddress will be disclosed.

ALWAYS use the "Bcc" (blind carbon copy)field if you are creating an email list in youraddress book so that the email addresses arehidden to your recipients to uphold patientconfidentially.

2. Activist E-mail Account and ListProviders. There are organizations that offerfree mailing lists to activists like Rise Up(www.riseup.net) and TAO (www.tao.ca).These organizations are far more trustworthyand sympathetic to activists than capitalist E-mail services but they have limited resources.Americans for Safe Access provides announce-ment-only email lists to active chapters acrossthe country.

Types of email lists

Announcement-only email lists: This con-figuration provides one-way communicationfrom the list owner to the list subscribers. Thisconfiguration is good for distributing elec-tronic newsletters, action alerts, etc. Whenyou configure a list for announcements only,you need a password in order to post mes-sages so that you can determine who can postmessages to the list. This type of list is bestfor a general alert list. People will unsubscribeto your list if their inbox fills up with emails.

Moderated email lists: A moderated emaillist allows for controlled two-way communica-tion. Any subscriber can post a message to thelist, but the list owner decides whether or notto post it. This gives the list owner nearly asmuch control over the content as the ownerof an announcement-only list. The main dis-advantage is that you'll have to read everyreply you get from list subscribers in order todecide whether or not to post them.

Unmoderated email lists: In an unmoder-ated list, any subscriber can post a message tothe list for everyone to see. This configurationgives subscribers the most freedom to com-municate and requires very low maintenance,but it also gives the list owner the leastamount of control over the content. This typeof list is usually best for small groups likeworkgroups or committees.

Open subscription process (anyone canparticipate): An open subscription list allowsanyone who is interested to subscribe withoutapproval from the list owner.

Membership-only lists (subscriptionapproval, password-protected Web sites):When you set up a list to require subscriptionapproval, all subscription requests are for-warded to the list owner who will choosewhether or not to approve them.

[Adapted from "The Virtual Activist" http://www.netac-

tion.org/training/v-training.html by Shawn Ewald]

SOCIAL NETWORKING

1. FACEBOOK Facebook is a great socialnetworking tool that allows communitymembers to connect with each other andshare information.

Creating Groups on Facebook Chaptersand affiliates are able to create medicalcannabis based groups for local patient advo-cates and chapters to engage in the onlinemedical cannabis community. Members ofthe group are able to post events, articles,and information related to the medicalcannabis community that other people canshare among their friends. Proper outreachcan become virtually unlimited.


16

Creating Events on Facebook Facebookallows people to create events to notify oth-ers of meetings, hearings, opportunites forcourt support, and other forms of acitivism.In turn, other memebers of the facebookgroup or community can share these eventswith their friends. Facebook allows for con-tinual engagement with potential activistswho might not otherwise be engaged.

2. YouTube The idea that one can "broad-cast" themselves across the Internet providesendless opprtunities for organizers. Chaptersand groups can provide virtual updates or"broadcasts" about what is going on in theirarea. These area specific broadcasts can thenbe shared among the youtube community,email, Facebook, and other internet network-ing tools for all to see. Many local news sta-tions also employ the use of YouTube orother social networking tools during newsbroadcasts.

B. PUBLIC OR EVENT OUTREACH: TABLING

Why Table? Setting up a literature and mer-chandise table at pertinent events providesoutreach opportunities for your group, pro-vides activities for members looking for some-thing to do, and makes money. All of thesebenefits are essential for building your groupand keeping it strong.

Where to set up a table—All of the follow-ing events and locations are useful and bene-ficial to some degree. The following is a list ofopportunities, in order of political impact,that provide various benefits to coalition

building: A. Big political events, demonstra-tions, and marches; B. Events of your own; C.Small events; D. Specific locations in your com-munity. It is best to start with no more thanone event or tabling effort per month andbuild up your momentum.

Supplies you will need—In order to success-fully table and accommodate your volunteers,you should obtain the following (lightweight,durable materials are the best):

• Portable Tables (if none are available, atarp laid out on flat ground will work)

• Folding Chairs• Milk Crates (for transport; can double as

chairs) • Rubber Bands (wind is always a nuisance)• A Cash Box and $20 in Small Bills for

change (round your prices off to thedollar; it's much easier). The cash boxshould also contain pens, pencils, tape,scratch paper, etc. As the day goes on, ifyou are accumulating a considerableamount of money in the cash box, takeout all cash except what you need tomake change and put it in a safe place.Keep careful records of financialtransactions while tabling, with separatecolumns for donations, memberships,sales, and sales tax.

• Clipboards (for pledges of resistance andcontact sheets)

• Literature Racks (not essential, but highlyuseful, especiallyif space is limited)

• Tarps and Rope(in wet climates)

• A durable handtruck with strapsfor transport isessential.

Presentation—Be sure that the name ofyour group appears on a sign or bannerprominently displayed and visible from a dis-tance. Make the table display as attractive aspossible. A tablecloth and a variety of colorfulbooks, shirts, eye-catching signs, posters, etc.will draw people to your table. Straighten lit-


17

erature periodically. For outdoor events, havewith you a plastic sheet of some kind for aquick cover if it rains and a bunch of cleanrocks (or rubber bands) you can use to keeppamphlets from blowing away. Take an up-to-date price list of all merchandise. All itemsshould be marked with the price, wheneverpossible.

Outreach—The most important reason totable is to outreach and ORGANIZE! As peo-ple approach the table, stand up and engagethem in friendly conversation. Talk about theissues and let them know how they can helporganize or participate. Have cards with yournext meeting date and location available.Always provide a sign-up sheet that offers fur-ther contact.

[Adapted from "Guidelines for Tabling"www.ivu.org/vuna/guide/guidelinest.html and from

Steve Ongerth, East Bay IWW by Shawn Ewald]

C. PUBLIC PETITIONING

A great way to do public outreach is throughpetition gathering. Petitioning is a simple andeffective alternative to tabling, especially forindividuals or small groups. Here are somequick tips for successful petitioning:

• Choose high traffic areas to petition suchas concerts, political events, collegecampuses or busy areas in yourcommunity.

• Print out several copies of a petition. Youcan use a petition found on the ASAwebsite or one of your own.

• Rubber-band the petitions to pieces ofcardboard. These handmade clipboardsare often easier to handle than storebought clipboards.

• Make sure to have several extra pens onhand in case a pen is lost or runs out of ink.

• Greet people with a catchy line such as,"Help protect medical marijuanapatients!"

• Be friendly and outgoing.• Have fun!

D. APPROACHING OTHER GROUPS

Doing outreach to like-minded groups isessential to getting a new group off theground or to expanding an existing group.When approaching other groups, always thinkabout how you would like to be approached.Do research into their beliefs, goals and cam-paigns and try to seehow your group'swork fits into those.Attend one of theirmeetings and intro-duce yourself. Ask ifthey would be will-ing to co-sponsor anevent.

MEDIA OUTREACH

Think about utilizing local media not just as atool for public education, but also as a toolfor community outreach about your specificgroup. Write letters to the editor in responseto medical cannabis stories and make sure toaffiliate yourself with your group. Ask friendlyjournalists to write about your group before ameeting or event to publicize the eventbeyond your circle of activists. Send out pressreleases about your group's activities and postthe press releases on Facebook and othersocial networking sites to get the communityexcited about what you are doing.

Community Awards

A great way to recognize members publiclyis to give out awards. Give awards to out-standing volunteers, accomplished leaders,etc. Name awards after past leaders or giveawards creative names.


18

Chapter members and volunteers are the life-blood of ASA. It is important to rememberthat people come to ASA at different levels,and each type of member may have differentneeds. For example, new members can oftenfeel overwhelmed and lost at meetings, whileveteran members may feel bored or discon-nected. Here are some tips on how to developand retain effective volunteers:

Cultivating New Members

· Always begin meetings with introductions.Introduce the campaign and a have a go-around for chapter introductions.

· Create an open environment gearedtowards education. Encourage questionsand offer explanations.

· Give new members responsibility. Peopleoften will not continue activity with anorganization unless they feel they areneeded. Ask members to prepare a newssummary for a meeting, create flyers, dophone banking, etc.

· Call new members to invite them to thenext meeting. Since they have not yetmade ASA part of their routine, they mayforget.

Keeping Members Interested

· Focus meetings on action. While meetingscan be educational and fun, always planor execute some type of action. This willhelp members feel that they are involvedin a campaign and not just hanging outwith like-minded individuals.

· Ask for input from all members. A fewvocal individuals can easily dominate ameeting. Make sure that all membersknow that their input is welcome isneeded. Designate a facilitator to ensurethat nobody dominates and that all voicesare heard.

· Recognize members for their efforts,publicly and privately. While you knowhow talented and committed yourmembers are, they need to here this. Givecredit when someone has excelled on aproject or committed energy towardsASA.

· Encourage members to socialize. Peoplecome to activist organizations for thepolitics, but they stay because its fun. Hostsocial events after meetings or on theweekends. Go to movies or sportingevents. Be creative and have fun!

Developing Leaders

· Find out about members' skills, interests,and connections. You will never knowuntil you ask. Someone might have mediaexperience. Another member could like totalk on the phone. Maybe a member hasa connection to a local politician. Find outand make use of these skills.

· Create distinct positions andresponsibilities. This will help fosteraccountability. Some ideas arecoordinators for media, fundraising, eventplanning, and recruitment.

Volunteer Development


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Successful advoca-cy work requiresa strong publiceducation compo-nent. Public edu-cation campaignshelp to enhancethe broader com-munity's under-

standing of the issues and facts at hand andinfluence policies and practices concerningsafe access. Public education can happen avariety of ways, but a good event will dosome or all of the following: project yourgroup's political power, strengthen yourgroup's cohesiveness, promote activism, gainnew members, raise consciousness, and raisemoney.

Teach-ins can be held virtually anywhere andrely mostly on local talent. A teach-in has twoparts: a learning or information sharing sec-tion and an interactive section to put theinformation into action (e.g., letterwriting orplanning future actions). An interesting andfun agenda will draw a larger audience.

Panel discussions involve the public in yourevent. Experts on your issue each give a verybrief presentation, and then answer questionsfrom the audience. A successful panel discus-sion takes a lot of planning, but tends todraw new people to an issue.

Debates are similar to panel discussionsexcept that they present opposing sides of asingle issue. Opponents can be drawn fromlaw enforcement, academia, politics, or crimi-nal law. Be sure your side is both qualifiedand prepared on the issue. Practice role play-ing the debates. Don't be afraid to play themoral high card; behind those statistics arejailed medical patients, first time non-violentoffenders, broken families, and other collater-al damage of the ill fought war on drugs.

Skillbuilding Workshops can help to

enchance the quality of volunteers engagedin your chapter or affiliate. Successful advoca-cy stems from a strong foundation of knowl-edge acquired by constantly learning newinformation, ideas, and people. Skill buildinghelps to increase credibility and is a great wayto improve the confidence of your volunteers.When advocates are confident in theiractivism, there is no limit to their potential forsuccess!

Townhalls are small and well-organizedevents designed to focus on a specific topic orsingular issue affectingyour local medicalcannabis community.Town hall forums gener-ally featuring a panel oflegal, medical, or com-munity leaders, educa-tors, and/or professionalsassembled before anaudience to discuss prob-lems and solutions concerning the forum'stopic of choice. Well organized and highlyattended town hall forums can provide sup-

port for the advocacycampaigns with whichyou are engaged, mayprovide a platform forhighlighting interestingscientific development,an opportunity to high-light injustice, and torally the support neces-sary to advance safeand legal access.

ORGANIZING PUBLIC EVENTS

MEDICAL CANNABIS UNIVERSITY

Host a teach-in with classes on legal issues,medical issues and political issues. Use doc-tors, lawyers and professors to teach class-es. Give certificates to those who attend.


20

Documentary Film Viewings

Documentary films that focus on some aspectof the medical cannabis movement can be aneffective way to enhance the public's under-

standing of about the use ofcannabis for therapeutic pur-poses and breakthrough nega-tive stereotypes. Medicalmarijuana advocacy is a dynam-ic and interesting subject mat-ter -- and documentaryfilmmakers are taking note.For example, Jed Riffe's award

winning film "Waiting to Inhale" has beenfeatured at events across the country and pro-vides an excellent introduction to the issue.All that is required is a space which accommo-dates some basic audio/visual technology. Togo the extra mile, you might consider invitingspeakers to discuss relevant ideas highlightedby the film.

GENERAL TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL EVENTS

• Be inclusive. Think of ways to appeal tothe interests of like-minded groups.Encourage participation by a range ofcommunity leaders, including patients,physicians, supportive lawmakers, andcoalition partners.

• Ask for action. Always include a politicalaction in your event, even if it is primarilya social or educational event. Pass aroundpetitions, generate letters to lawmakers orto the editor of your local newspaper.

• Promote, promote, promote. The mostcommon mistake made in advocacy is tospend too much time planning anexcellent event and leaving little time tospread the word. A well planned event isonly successful if people show up. Try tospend asmuch energypromotingan event asyou do onplanning it.

PUBLIC EVENT CHECKLIST

1. Determine topic

2. Determine target audience

3. Determine what kind of educationevent you want to hold to effec-tively convey your message?

a. Teach-inb Panel Discussionc. Debated. Skill building Workshope. Town hallf. Documentary or Film viewing

4. Create a Meeting Agenda

5. Define the action you want takenby the community at the publicevent.

6. Determine time date and locationfor event (keep in mind findinghandicapped accessible location,and be respectful of people'sschedules)

7. Determine what experts or speak-ers are needed if necessary

8. Assign roles and tasks, for example:

a. Community outreachcoordinator

b. Event Promotion c. Logistics coordinator (location,

AV equipment) d. Speaker or expert coordinatore. Welcome or tabling volunteer

9. Get the word out!

a. Emailsb. Social Networkingc. Posters and Fliers

10. Compile all materials for event

a. A booth or table (if necessary)b. Educational handoutsc. Sign up sheets


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Civic meetings are an important venue formedical cannabis advocacy. We do a lot ofwork out of the public spotlight, but publicmeetings are a chance to articulate our mes-sage to elected officials and the community atlarge. Whether you are raising the issue on itsown or chiming in on a legislative proposal, itis always a good idea to have a respectableshowing at civicmeetings. Turningout a crowd at CityCouncil, Boards ofSupervisors, or otherpublic meetings isone of the mostimportant strategiesa grassroots organiz-er can use.

Public shows of sup-port at civic meet-ings do not justhappen sponta-neously. If you have ever seen labor unionmembers, parents, or housing advocates enmasse at a meeting of the City Council orState Legislature, you can be sure that some-one worked hard to make that happen.Grassroots organizers try to turn out crowdsbecause it makes an impact. Elected officialsand the media are more likely to take an issueseriously if they understand that a large num-ber of community members care enough tocome to a public meeting. This can have adramatic impact on the decisions they make.

As a medical cannabis advocate, you willalmost certainly need to organize or partici-pate in turning out a crowd for a civic meet-ing at some point. It can be hard. Even thosewho believe in safe access have other priori-ties, including work and family obligations.You will also find that some potential sup-porters are reluctant to participate in publicmeetings because they fear reprisals.Sometimes you will change their minds. But

even if you do not, there are many peoplewho are able and willing to be part of acrowd supporting medical cannabis.

There are some basic steps you can take toturn out a crowd for civic meetings. Howmany people you can motivate depends onthe lead time you have, the number of sup-porters, and how easy you make it to partici-

pate in a meaningfulway. The mostimportant thing youcan do to mobilize acrowd is to build acommunity of sup-porters. You mayfind kindred spirits inyour friends, neigh-bors, church mem-bers, or social groups.You may also net-work with potentialsupporters by organ-

izing or participating in grassroots politicalgroups, especially local ASA chapters. Andfinally, you may turn to traditional and onlinemedia, including an array of social network-ing sites, to find people like you who willshow up for public meetings.

When you are ready to mobilize a crowd tomake a difference, follow these simple steps:

1. Find out when and where. Check theagenda of your City Council, Board ofSupervisors, State Legislators or otherbody to find out exactly when and wherethe meeting is happening. Participants willbe discouraged if they have to dig for thetime, date, and address themselves.Always clearly say what, when, and wherein announcements about civic meetings.Think about special parking issues orother things people will need to know.

2. Determine exactly what is happening.Medical cannabis may be a general topicof conversation at a civic meeting, or

ORGANIZING TURNOUT AT CIVIC MEETINGS


there may be a specific question or votebefore the group. Ask meeting organizersor staff if there is a specific agenda. Arethey voting on a resolution,recommendation, policy, or ordinance? Ifso, get a copy of any printed materials soyou can be clear if you support, oppose,or have general comments. Always speakto the specific issue being discussed at themeeting. Getting off topic wastes yourtime and frustrates listeners.

3. Make an announcement or invitationfor supporters. Write a short and clearevent announcement. Be sure to includethe specific what, when, and whereinformation, and also be sure to tell thoseyou are inviting why the event isimportant and what you want them toask. Be ready with printedannouncements to pass out in person anda digital version you can email and postonline.

4.Publicize the event. Distributeannouncements at medical cannabisfacilities or other appropriate locations,post the information online, send emails,and use social networking sites topromote the event. Don't forget topublish the event in community calendarsin local print and online media. And ofcourse, recruit your like-minded friends tospread the word. Nothing is moreeffective than a face-to-face invite.

5.Meet early. Ask your supporters to meetearly to plan the event—maybe even aday or two before the meeting. You canuse this advance time to agree on talkingpoints and messages. You may also wantto discuss and prepare for other strategies.Will you all dress in the same color, wearribbons, or carry signs? Be sure everyone ison the same page for maximum effect.Check with the organizers or staff inadvance if you plan to take signs or anyother visual aids to a public meeting.These are sometimes prohibited ingovernment meetings.

6. Bring handouts: Many advocates mayshow up without a clear idea of what is

on the agenda. Bring a handout that hasinformation about what is on the agenda,sample talking points, and next steps(date and location of next ASA chaptermeeting) .

7.Arrive early. It is important that you arethere to organize and greet yoursupporters if you are part of the teamorganizing a turn out. Leave plenty oftime for parking and finding the rightroom.

8.Be friendly and respectful. Others maydisagree with you. Always be friendly andrespectful to those with differing opinionsand be careful to follow the meetingrules. You will alienate potentialsupporters if you are rude or disruptive.That is the opposite of what you aretrying to accomplish!

9.Collect contact information. Have asign-in sheet for those who support yourposition on medical cannabis. This willmake follow up for future meetingseasier. Get names, emails, addresses, andtelephone numbers. Time permitting, youmay also want to send a note or emailthanking participants. This makes peoplefeel good about their decision toparticipate and builds rapport amongcommunity members. Share thisinformation with ASA so that we can helpyou build a strong local base of support.

You may have the opportunity to bringexperts to your civic meetings. These couldinclude doctors, scientists, legal experts, andother community leaders who may offer aunique and authoritative perspective on thetopic being discussed. If you don't knowexperts, use online resources or coalitionbuilding tools to make these contacts. Youshould talk to these experts before the meet-ing to make sure they are on the same pageas advocates. You may need to provide themwith background materials in advance.

Do not be discouraged if turn out at your firstcivic meetings is not as big as you hoped. Ittakes time to build a grassroots base. Otherswill see your early efforts and jump on board

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for futureevents. Electedofficials and oth-ers at civic meet-ings will notice,too. The voice ofan individualadvocate is valuable, but decision makers areoften more easily influenced by many voices.They know that ten people at a civic meetingrepresent a much larger base of support thatis not present. Imagine what they think whenyou turn out 100 supporters!

Turning out a crowd is a great step in advo-cating for medical cannabis, but rememberthat follow up is just as important. You canuse the attention your group gets to suggestsolutions for medical cannabis and build sup-port in the community. Do not be afraid totalk with the media at and after a civic meet-ing or to engage community members whohave questions or concerns. The goal is toinfluence people after all. You can use civicmeetings as an important part of your localmedical cannabis campaign.

Resources for Promoting a Civic Meeting:

• Talk to friends, loved ones, churchmembers, etc.

• Distribute invitations at medical cannabisfacilities, etc.

• Join or start a local ASA chapter• Use the ASA Discussion Forums—

www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/punbb• Facebook.com, Twitter.com, MySpace.com,

and other social networking sites• Free calendars online or in newspapers• Email your friends and ask them to spread

the word• Put up posters (with permission, of course)• Call in to talk radio shows• Pass out flyers in public places (get

permission on private property)• Ask to set up an information table at

public events• Use paid advertising, if possible• Contact ASA at [email protected]

or toll free (888) 929-4367

23


24

The people's right to peaceably assemble andto "petition the government for a redress ofgrievances" is one of the most important free-doms guaranteed by theConstitution's Bill of Rights.The right to freedom of asso-ciation is a bedrock require-ment of a functioningdemocracy. Without thisright, the people lose one ofthe best tools for makingtheir views known to thosewho hold power. Marching inthe streets, holding demonstrations, stagingprotests-these are some of the most effectiveways of at once showing support for a cause,drawing new people to that cause, andattracting the attention of those in positionsof power.

The street march and the corner demonstra-tion have a proud place in US history and inthe history of social movements around theworld. The abolitionist movement, thewomen's suffrage movement, the labormovement, Gandhi's anti-imperialist move-ment, the civil rights movement, and themovement against the Vietnam War all madegood use of marches and demonstrations.Today, that tradition is alive and well, fromthe streets of Seattle to the avenues ofWashington, DC.

A. SOME TYPES OF DEMONSTRATIONS:

• Vigil. Candelight vigils are a well-knownway to remember lost lives orcommemorate other kinds of victims. Theyare generally solemn and reflective andintended as a way to honor a person or agroup of persons. Community membersand media feel a natural kinship andsympathy for these events.

• Picket Line. This type of demonstrationconsists largely of a group of peopleholding signs and chanting and marching

outside a building or office. If you haveever seen workers on strike, you haveprobably witnessed a picket line. Some

picketers try to physicallyprevent others fromentering the targetedfacility, while others simplytry to persuade them not todo so. Regardless of yourtactic, ASA always advocatesfor peaceful picketing. Youmay be engaging inpeaceful civil disobedience

(breaking the law) if you block a sidewalkor entrance. Read more in "How to usethe Tools in Your Toolbox."

• March. A march is much like a picket line-people hold signs and shout chants-exceptthat the crowd is walking from onedesignated point to an agreed upondestination. Marches are usually a goodidea when you are expecting a particularlylarge crowd or when you want to conveya message in the selection of your routeor your destination. An example of amarch is any of those that occur on theNational Mall in Washington, DC such asthe Million Man March.

• Sit-ins and Other Types of CivilDisobedience. When an injusticebecomes so great that people ofconscience can no longer tolerate it, non-violent civil disobedience can be a crucialtactic. Pioneered byAmerican authorHenry DavidThoreau and madepopular by Gandhiand Dr. MartinLuther King Jr., non-violent civildisobedience offersa way of takingdirect action withoutresorting to force.

ORGANIZING a DEMONSTRATION or RALLY


25

Probably the most well-known type of civil dis-obedience is the sit-in. Typically, protestersoccupy the space of a decisionmaker-a corpo-rate executive, a university president, or anelected official- make a demand, and refuse toleave until the demand is met or negotiated.

In recent years, civil disobedience has becomemore creative. Sometimes protesters chainthemselves together to block an intersectionor lock themselves to a building's entrance.Sometimes protesters scale down buildings tounfurl giant banners.

Important note: Civil disobedience is by defi-nition unlawful. If you plan to organize a sit-in or similar demonstration, we encourageyou to obtain legal advice in advance. Wesuggest the American Civil Liberties Union orthe National Lawyers Guild.

B. ORGANIZING A DEMONSTRATION OR RALLY

Identify why you are having an event is themost important step: An effective protest orrally must have a clear target and message(see the worksheet in this section). A cleartarget and message will help with the follow-ing steps:

o Identify and reach out to supporters/Createa coalition: As with organizing any event-whether a house party, teach-in, or protest-it isessential to bring together a key group ofpeople who are committed to the project. It isalso useful to reach out to other groups to seeif they would like to contribute to the demon-

stration. Campaigns work best when they areanchored by a coalition of groups and individ-uals. Who else might be interested in helpingto plan the demonstration? What naturalallies do you have in the community? Try tofind coalition partners sooner rather thanlater. Coalitions work best when everyone isinvolved in the process from the beginning.

Building coalitions among different con-stituencies is not only key to organizing a bigdemonstration, it is also essential to formingan energetic and broad-based grassrootsmovement.

• Assign tasks and determine roles. It isuseful to make sure everyone knows theirassigned tasks. When organizing ademonstration, you probably want oneperson responsible for MCing the protestitself; one person in charge of getting therequired permits and, if necessary, beingin contact with the police; one personresponsible for working with the media;and one responsible for signs, art, andchants. Everyone should be responsible forspreading the word to the general public.

• Location-location-location. Permits andofficials: You want to hold yourdemonstration where there is a lot oftraffic-auto traffic, pedestrians, or both.Because you want to connect with asmany people as possible, visibility is thekey. A lousy location can undermine eventhe most well organized demonstration.

It is important that you know your rightsregarding the use of space, whether you areorganizing a demonstration on a college cam-pus or along a public street. Many townsrequire permits for demonstrations, especiallyif you will be using amplified sound such asbullhorns. Permits are almost always requiredfor marches since they may disrupt traffic.Talk to the campus or community policeabout your demonstration and determinewhat permits you will need. You may notneed a permit for a protest of rally on publicland, but there may be other laws that impactyour assembly. It is almost always illegal to


26

trespass on private property, block entrancesto buildings, or impede traffic on a sidewalkor street.

If you are planning to risk arrest, you shouldmake extra arrangements. It is a wise idea tohave trained legal observers on hand to takenotes and document the event. The NationalLawyers Guild can provide suggestions onfinding legal observers: www.nlg.org or 212-679-5100. Never engage in violence (verbal orphysical) or vandalism. This will upstage yourmessage and complicate your legal situation.

• Get the word out: Turnout is crucial.Having a large number of people at yourprotest demonstrates broad publicsupport for your cause. Both the mediaand the decisionmakers you are trying toinfluence will be looking closely at thenumber of people at your protest to see ifyou have real community backing.Develop a specific strategy for outreachand publicity and set a goal for thenumber of people you want at thedemonstration. Then create a plan forreaching out to 10 to 100 times as manypeople as you hope will be there. Assumethat only a fraction of the people youcontact will actually show up.

Key to a successful outreach strategy is theproduction of materials like event fliers, directmail invitations, email invitations, and publicservice announcements. Distribute the fliers asmuch as possible among friends and col-leagues to be disseminated publicly at coffeeshops, community centers, bulletin boards,cultural centers, other events, churches,schools, universities, etc. In this day and age,you should also be using web pages, socialnetworking sites, and email to promote yourevent.

You can use the press as a tool to get theword out. Write a press release and send it tocampus and local media to get the media tocover the event. Send a flier or public serviceannouncement to radio stations and commu-nity newspapers to get the event announcedon the air or in the events section of the

newspaper. The sooner you have materialsready, the better, especially in regard tomedia.

• Speakers and Schedule: Whether you'reholding a solemn vigil or a loud march,you will want speakers at your event.Gather a group of people representing awide range of constituencies-youngpeople, old people, people of color,working class people, professionals, etc.Just as a large number of attendeesillustrates support for your cause, so doesa diverse range of speakers. Decide on theorder in which you want your speakers toaddress the crowd. Give each speakerabout two or three minutes and ask themto keep it short. Remember that this is ademonstration, not a teach-in.

Also, always make sure you have an emceewho is in charge of the speakers' order. It'sthis person'sresponsibility tobring a bullhornor amplifier andto keep the pro-gram movingsmoothly. Lettingan uninvitedspeaker addressthe crowd is risky.You never knowwhat an un-vet-ted speaker maysay. Try not to letstrangers, sartorialnonconformists,or malcontents get control of the microphoneunless you have given the matter very carefulconsideration.

• Slogans and Chanting: Don't assumethat you will suddenly think up chants inthe heat of the protest. This won'thappen, so you need to prepare chantsbeforehand. A few days before thedemonstration, set aside some time tobrainstorm catchy slogans that can belearned quickly by a crowd. Be as creativeas you can. Even if you're working on a


27

very serious issue, it's always a good ideato come up with a chant that might makepeople smile. Keep in mind that thepassersby are people you want toeducate, not alienate. Do not useprofanity or otherwise offensivelanguage.

Make copies of the chants to give out to fel-low demonstrators. If you are notan extrovert, have someone incharge of leading people in thechants.

• Signs and other materials:Colorful signs are essential forcapturing people's attention.Make signs that have boldletters and clear messages-thefewer words, the better. Youcan paint your signs by hand orenlarge photos that illustrateyour issue. Make sure your signs arelegible from far away and make for goodphoto-ops. As with chants, the use ofsarcasm or a play on words can be aneffective way of communicating (see Artand action section below).

• Puppets and other props. Life-sizepuppets offer a fantastic way todramatize your issue, and they make agreat visual for television cameras. Otherkinds of props like giant banners will alsoenliven your demonstration. Making art acentral part of your protest will help youattract more attention. Art will also make

your demonstration more fun for thoseinvolved. Plan ahead to make art andvisual aids before the event (see Art andaction section below).

• Creative actions, skits and songs: It'salways a good idea to think of new waysto express your point of view. Maybe youdon't want to have another protest with

people chanting and shouting.Perhaps you want something moreoriginal.

Skits and other kinds of performanceprovide an excellent way to grabpeople's interest. Write and performa short play that explores your issue.For example, anti-sweatshop activistshave organized "sweatshop fashionshows" to show people who the realfashion victims are. A song anddance performance is another fun

way to attract attention and get your pointacross.

• Literature and handouts. A bright,colorful sign may catch someone'sattention, but then what? Most peoplewon't have the time to stop and chatabout your cause. That's why it'simportant that you bring educationalmaterials to hand out-some sort ofpostcard, fact sheet, or flier that discussesyour issue. The average person on theirlunch break may not be able to hang outand learn about the issue, but if you givethem something to stick in their backpocket, chances are that they will read itlater.

• Invite the media/prepare presspackets: A well-organized demonstrationon a busy street corner can communicatewith hundreds of people. But if the mediacovers your demonstration, you can reach1,000 times as many. Make sure youdesignate someone to be responsible fordoing outreach to the media. For detailson how to do effective media outreach,see the Media How To in this guide.

On the day of the demonstration, make sureyou have plenty of press packets prepared. A


28

press packet should have all the backgroundmaterial a reporter would need to cover yourstory. Include your original press release aboutthe event (which should explain why you areprotesting) and also any fact sheets or othercampaign materials you may have. At leastone person should be responsible for handingout press packets to reporters and also get-ting the reporters' names so you can contactthem about future events.

(excerpted from Global Exchange "how to organize a demonstration"www.globalexchange.org/war_peace_democracy/oil/howtodemo.pdf)

C. UNDERSTANDING CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

Make sure you understand the differencebetween non-arrestable actions and civil dis-obedience. Civil disobedience is any actionthat involves breaking a law in order tochange the law. Protesting in public is notcivil disobedience. However, forming a human

blockade todisruptentrance andexit from agovernmentbuilding is.Specifically,civil disobe-dience con-stitutes

incommoding, disorderly conduct, or trespass-ing. Civil disobedience has a long and some-times controversial history in the UnitedStates-- a tactic used frequently during theCivil Rights Movement, anti-war activism,global justice and HIV/AIDS advocacy.

Let's be clear on one point—any individual inpossession of a state medical marijuanalicense that authorizes the use, acquisition,cultivation or distribution of marijuana iscommitting an act of federal civil disobedi-ence. Under the right circumstances andwhen it is appropriate, ASA encouragespeaceful and non-violent acts of civil disobedi-ence. ASA does not endorse or engage in anyacts of violence or vandalism.

Any tool you use—direct or symbolic—can belawful activism or civil disobedience. It isimportant that you are clear on which tool

you are using, when, and why. Direct actionincorporating civil disobedience is a relativelyconfrontational approach to activism. You canbe cited, arrested, even go to jail for engag-ing in civil disobedience. Some activists neveruse these tools because they do not fit withtheir values or comfort levels. And, that is OK.

Organizing a DemonstrationCHECKLIST

1. Fill out action planning work-sheet

2. Identify other groups whomay want to co-sponsor

3. Determine roles and assigntasks.

a. MC

b. Logistics coordinator:(Permits, water, bull-horns)

c. Police Liaison

d. Art committee

e. Outreach and promotioncommittee

f. Media liaison

4. Prepare a press kit and whywe are here flyers for theevent

5. Get the word out

a. Emails

b. Social Networking

c. Posters and fliers

d. Press advisory

6. Compile day of demonstra-tion materials (Leaflets, sign-in sheets, copies of slogansand chants, signs, props, andbanners)

7. Have fun!


29

1. Action Targets

a.____________________________________________________________________________________

b.____________________________________________________________________________________

c.____________________________________________________________________________________

d.____________________________________________________________________________________

2. Key Messages

a.____________________________________________________________________________________

b.____________________________________________________________________________________

c._____________________________________________________________________________________

d.____________________________________________________________________________________

3. Action Themes

a.____________________________________________________________________________________

b.____________________________________________________________________________________

c.____________________________________________________________________________________

d.____________________________________________________________________________________

4. WHEN AND WHERE:

Location:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Date and time: ____________________________

5. Visuals (Signs, Banners, Puppets, etc.)

a.____________________________________________________________________________________

b._________________________________________

___________________________________________

c.__________________________________________

___________________________________________

d._________________________________________

___________________________________________

6. Slogans

a._________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

b._________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

7. Chants

a._________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

_________________________________________

b._________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

_________________________________________

c.__________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

D. ACTION PLANNING WORKSHEET


30

E. CREATING ART FOR ACTIONS

1. Art Should Communicate YourMessage…Not Blur It.

When organizing an action, make sure thatyour politcal message will be understood inevery possible photograph that can be takenof your action. Make sure that signs, leaflets,banners, and t-shirts are all on message.

For example:

• If we are asking for compassion, does itmake sense to have a sign that says "F***the DEA"?

• If we are saying that medical cannabis is aseparate issue from legalization, shouldwe wear shirts that say "legalize pot"?

It is helpful to 'think backwards'—imaginewhat the picture is you most want to see onthe front page of the paper the next day andtailor your message toward that end. Acceptit: You're not going to be able to communicateall the points and shades of gray about theissue you'd like to. Figure out the most impor-tant point and how to convey it concisely.

Examples of Effective Messages:

• Hands off our medicine!• Safe access: It's the law• We are Patients, Not Criminals

2. Types of Action Art

a. Leaflets

One of the most important tasks that is oftenoverlooked is leafleting the public duringdemonstrations and actions. Activists toooften end up leafleting other activists aboutother issues of possible interest, instead ofconcentrating on communicating to the as-yet-unconvinced or not yet organized. A goodleaflet should include a number of elements:

1. Visual appeal. Make it pretty and legibleand people will want to read it.

2. Explain clearly what the demonstration isabout, in as few words as possible. Peopleeither read a leaflet immediately uponreceiving it, or not at all. Try and make itas 'catchy' as possible. If more explanationis desired, put that on the back or include

a web address, and those that are drawnin will read the details.

3. Include what our arguments are to ouropponents; give information and factsthat they can use themselves.

4. Include your group's contact informationand any action that allies could take: i.e.,your next meeting time and place, namesand numbers of representatives thatshould be called, etc. Use leaflets as a toolto organize, not only to inform!

b. Signs

There are a variety of ways to make signs.Here are some possibilities:

1. Choose your canvas. Poster board workswell, but cardboard cut from old boxescan be just as useful and is much morecost effective. Not all signs have to besquare; think about shapes that canfurther your message, like stop signs, a pillbottle etc.

2. Lettering. Use paints or thick markers.Choose bold colors (red, black, darkgreen) or bright colors (yellow, orange,pink) outlined in black.

3. Messaging. Keep it simple and short! Youraudience will lose interest if you write anovel.

4. Images. These can add to or take awayfrom your message. Again, simplicity isoften more effective. Use images that areobvious, such as a marijuana leaf with ared cross or a picture of a well-recognizedpublic official.

c. Making Protest Banners

1. Choose strong material. Paint drop clothworks great. You can usually pick this upat a hardware store for about $20, whichbuys you a 9’x12’ canvass.

2. Cut the 9’x12’ canvass in half and tie (orsew) together the pieces to form a longer4.5’x24’ long banner.

3. Attach grommets, which are also availableat a hardware store. It's best to place thegrommets about 3 feet apart from oneanother along the top of banner.

4. If the banner is to be hung, use rope orzip-ties.


31

5. Remember, it is illegal in some places toaffix timber or metal poles to protestbanners or signs in street marches. Thiscan be overcome by using the cardboardtubes from rolls of cloth.

6. Paint your lettering! Keep it simple andshort so that it can be seen from longdistances. Black or red on whitebackground is the easiest to see.

7. If the banner is to be out in the weatherfor some weeks, then it is advisable topaint all the material with a coat of paintbefore adding the text to prevent mildew.

8. Weights: You want to attach weights tothe banner to prevent it from flapping orblowing in the wind. The cheapestsolution is to attach plastic bags filled withsome rice or sand to the bottom of thebanner. WARNING: Make sure theseweights are securely attached. It is afelony to drop or throw something froman overpass into moving traffic.

9. If you are making several banners at thesame time, it may be advantageous tomake a stencil and use a small paint roller.Banners made using a stencil usually lookbetter but it still takes time to make astencil and then touch up the bannerwhere the paint has run under the stencil.

d. T-shirts

Labor Unions have used matching t-shirts foryears as a way to highlight their numbers in acrowd and give participants a sense of soli-darity. Matching t-shirts make good actionvisuals because they identify each individualas a part of a large group and provide anoth-er opportunity to display messages. You canhave t-shirts made, but if cost is an issue, youcan also just write on plain t-shirts with mark-ers or use paint and stencils.

e. 2D Effigies: Making giant puppet-headlikenesses of specific people

by David Solnit

Instructions for making a two-sided flat headwith cardboard hands, a standard frame, andbasic tunic costume.

1. Find & clip a photo of person you want topuppetize. A head-on shot that is black &white and clear is best.

2. Enlarge image at copy shop with oversizeprinters. Enlarge repeatedly on regularmachine until you fill the space of an 11 x17 sheet.

3. Then enlarge this sheet on an oversizeprinter to the desired size. For a ten totwelve foot puppet we usually enlargethe head as big as will fit on a 36 inchwide paper. Make two.

4. Cut the image out. Round out the hair.Trace around the edge of the face onto 2sheets of cardboard without folds. Cut outwith sharp utility knife.

5. Wheatpaste the face onto the cardboard,trying to avoid wrinkles.

6. Make a cardboard tube to fit the puppetframe. Glue &staple or tapethe tubevertically onthe back ofyour face,wheatpastedto cardboardonce it is dry.Now glue & staple or tape your secondpiece of cardboard onto the back, staplingand gluing around the edges.

7. Paint, like paint by numbers, usingwatered down latex or acrylic paints.Highlight the light areas and darken theshadows. Leave the texture of thephotocopy visible through the paint.

Puppetry & Street Theatre Resources

The Puppeteers Cooperativewww.gis.net/%7Epuppetco/index.htmlThis web page has tons of sketches showinghow to make various kinds of puppets.

Wise Fool Puppet Interventionwww.zeitgeist.net/wfca/wisefool.htmWise Fool Puppet Intervention make beautifulpuppets, as well as masks, stilts, and otherstreet theatre props. A handbook is availablethrough the website.


32

Giving speeches and presentations is one ofthe most basic ways that an activist can com-municate ideas. Every activist should have atleast a little experience with public speaking,whether it is at a public meeting, chaptermeeting, community group or elsewhere.Public speaking is not the same as casual con-

versation—although it isalways OK tobe yourself.Public speak-ing in thecontext ofadvocacy isspecificallyintended toinform,motivate,and per-suade. Butdo not think

you have to be a great orator to be an effec-tive speaker. Just use these tips and keep prac-ticing. For most of us, it is an acquired skill.

The key to being more comfortable with pub-lic speaking is to keep practicing. No onestarts off as an expert. You just have to keepdoing it until you feel relatively comfortablespeaking in front of others. Don't feel bad ifyou're nervous. Even the best and most expe-rienced public speakers feel butterflies in theirstomach when they step up to the podium.The famous writer and lecturer Mark Twainonce said, "There are two types of speakers:those that are nervous and those that areliars." Feeling some nervousness before givinga speech is natural and healthy. It shows youcare about doing well.

SPEAKING TIPS

Here's how you can control your nervousnessand make effective, memorable presentations:

1. Know the room. Be familiar with the place

in which you will speak. Arrive early, walkaround the speaking area and trypracticing using the microphone and anyvisual aids.

2. Know the audience. Greet some of theaudience as they arrive. It's easier to speakto a group of friends than to a group ofstrangers.

3. Know your material. If you're not familiarwith your material or are uncomfortablewith it, your nervousness will increase.Practice your speech and revise it ifnecessary.

4. Relax. Ease tension by going for a walk,doing some basic stretching, chatting withcolleagues.

5. Realize that people want you to succeed.Audiences want you to be interesting,stimulating, and informative. They don'twant you to fail.

6. Don't apologize. If you mention yournervousness or apologize for anyproblems you think you have with yourspeech, you may be calling the audience'sattention to something they hadn'tnoticed. Avoid pointing out your ownimagined inadequacies; your audience hasa higher opinion of you than you think.

7. Concentrate on the message -- not themedium. Focus your attention away fromyour own anxieties, and outwardlytoward your message and your audience.Your nervousness will dissipate.

8. Turn nervousness into positive energy.Harness your nervous energy andtransform it into vitality and enthusiasm.

9. Gain experience. Experience buildsconfidence, which is the key to effectivespeaking.

[Adapted from "10 Tips for Successful Public Speaking"

www.toastmasters.org/tips.htm.]

TIPS FOR HANDLING Q & A

• If you don't hear the question or

PUBLIC SPEAKING


33

understand it, ask the questioner torepeat it.

• Try to keep calm, even if your audience ishostile or upset.

• Always respect the questioner, even if youdo not like the question or the manner inwhich it is posed.

• Don't feel offended if someone asks you aquestion that you feel you alreadyanswered in your presentation or aprevious question. They may not haveheard or understood the informationpreviously presented.

• Honesty is the best policy. If you don'tknow the answer to something, admit it—you can always offer to contact the personlater with an answer.

[From "Handling Q & A" www.ecn.ab.ca/toast/qa.html]

There are also some very basic precautionsyou can take when you have to speak:

• Plan your comments in advance and takenotes with you, even if you don't needthem.

• Practice in front of a mirror, on tape, orwith friends in advance.

• Offer eye contact with the audience, butdon't get fixated on any one individual.

• Smile when you speak. Listeners can"hear" a smile.

• Go slow, pause when needed, andremember to breathe deeply.

• Do not panic if you mess up. Just startagain as if nothing happened. Mostlisteners will not remember.

WHAT IS A COALITION?

A coalition is a group of organizations andindividuals working together for a commonpurpose. There are two types of coalitions:

1) "One issue" or event coalitions where all ofthe participants have agreed on one particu-lar issue. The coalition is dissolved when theparticular issue at hand has been solved orthe event has been coordinated.

2) "Multi issue" coalitions have related issues.This more permanent type of coalition recog-nizes the value of mobilizing together foraction over a longer time frame. To be effec-tive, the "multi issue" coalition should have adate or multiple dates set for work to be com-pleted. The coalition can always be reorgan-ized and reconfigured if there is still a needfor movement.

THE VALUE OF COALITIONS

Coalition building is needed when one organ-ization recognizes it alone does not have the

technical capability or people power to have areal impact on an issue.

Coalitions assist in:

• Setting priorities for action• Helping to identify specific data and the

informational needs from other groupsand agencies

• Sharing resources and expertise• Broadening the development of new

audiences• Improving the chances that the issue (or

issues) will get coverage in the media

ANALYZE YOUR OWN ORGANIZATIONBEFORE YOU BEGIN

The self-interests of your own organizationshould be analyzed before asking othergroups to join a coalition. Ask yourselvesthese questions:

• What can be gained from joining withothers?

• Will the advantages outweigh the

BUILDING COALITIONS


34

disadvantages? • How can we best communicate the

demands of other groups to ourmembers?

IF YOU JOIN A COALITION, WHAT ARE YOUPROMISING?

Continual assessment of your position as itrelates to the position of others in your coali-

tion is essential to creating an effective move-ment. Successful coalition building is contin-gent upon the following rules ofcommitment. These rules should help keep allgroups on the same track.

• Each organization must be committed tothe problem.

• Each organization must be committed tocoordinate to solve the problem, not justgain public recognition.

• Each organization must be committed tothe belief that every other organizationhas the right to be involved.

• Each organization must be committed toopen communication.

• Each organization must be committed tocoalition recognition, not individualrecognition.

In order to build a non-discriminatory world,we suggest the following principles and prac-tices in our lives and in our work.

Working together: anti-oppression principles and practices

PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES

Power and privilege play out in our groupdynamics and we must continually challengewhen and how power and privilege play outin our practice.

We can only identify how power and privilegeplay out when we are conscious and commit-ted to understanding how white supremacy,patriarchy, heterosexism and all other systemsof oppression affect each one of us.

Developing an anti-oppression practice is life-long work and requires a lifelong commit-ment. No single workshop is sufficient forlearning to change one's behaviors.

Dialogue and discussion are necessary and weneed to learn how to listen non-defensivelyand communicate respectfully if we are goingto have effective anti-oppression practice.

Personal Practices

• Challenge yourself to be honest and openand take risks to address racism, sexism,

and homophobia head on.• When you witness or experience an abuse

of power or oppression, interrupt thebehavior and address it on the spot orlater, either one on one or with a fewallies; this is about ways to addressoppressive behavior that will encouragechange.

• When challenging people's behavior, try tobe sensitive to promote open dialogue.

• Don't generalize feelings, thoughts,behaviors, etc. to a whole group.

• Don't make people "prove" theirexperience of oppression by challenging,calling them divisive or diminishing whatthey say. Give people the benefit of thedoubt and don't make assumptions.

• Challenge "macho bravado" and "ruggedindividualism" in yourself, your friends,and in activism.

• Take on the "grunt" work of cooking,cleaning, set up, clean up, phone calls, e-mail, taking notes, doing support work,sending mailings. Take active


35

responsibility for initiating, volunteeringfor and following through on this work.

• Understand that you will feel discomfortand pain as you face your part inoppression and realize that this is anecessary part of the process of liberationand growth. We must support eachother and be gentle with each other inthis process.

• Don't feel guilty, feel motivated. Beingpart of the problem doesn't mean youcan't be an active part of the solution.

• Maintain these practices and contributeequal time and energy to building healthyrelationships, both personal and political.

Organizational Practices

• Commit time for organizational discussionson discrimination and oppression

• Set anti-oppression goals and continuallyevaluate whether you are meeting them

• Promote an anti-racist and anti-sexistmessage and analysis in everything we do,in and outside of activist space

• Remember, these are complex issues andthey need adequate time and space

• Create opportunities for people to developskills to communicate about oppression

• Respect different styles of leadership andcommunication

• Don't push people of color to do thingsbecause of their race (tokenism); base iton their work, experience, and skills

• Make a collective commitment to holdpeople accountable for their behavior sothat the organization can be a safe andnurturing place for all

Meeting Practices

• It is the role of the facilitator to make thespace safe and welcoming for everyone

• Become a good listener• Don't interrupt people who are speaking• Be conscious of how your use of language

may perpetuate racism, sexism,homophobia or ageism

• Try not to call people out because they arenot speaking

• Be conscious of how much space you takeup or how much you speak in a group

• Be careful of not hogging the show,speaking on every subject, speaking incapital letters, restating what others say orspeaking for others

• Respect different views and opinions• Balance race, gender and age participation• People who haven't yet spoken get priority• Racist, sexist, ageist, homophobic remarks

must not be tolerated

{Adapted from the "Anti-Racism Principles andPractices" by RiseUp DAN-LA, Overcoming MasculineOppression by Bill Moyers and the FEMMAFESTO by the

women of Philadelphia. 9/9/01 by Lisa Fithian]

D. GETTING STARTED WITH A PLAN

Coalitions must plan to carry out certain tasks,regardless of the type, in order for them tofunction efficiently. These tasks include:

• Naming a facilitator or coordinator• Obtaining commitment from members• Assessing needs, gathering background

data• Writing a mission statement• Determining short or long-term objectives• Evaluating the work as the coalition

progresses• Exploring opportunities for additional

funding• Carrying out the plan• Determining ways to orient new members

[Excerpted from "A Process for Building Coalitions" by

Dr. Georgia L. Stevens)


36

AARPwww.aarp.org/

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membershiporganization for people aged 50 and over.AARP is dedicated to enhancing quality of lifefor all as we age. They lead positive socialchange and deliver value to membersthrough information, advocacy, and service.

American Academy of HIV Medicinewww.aahivm.org/

The American Academy of HIV Medicine is anindependent organization of AAHIVM HIVSpecialistsTM and others dedicated to pro-moting excellence in HIV/AIDS care. Throughadvocacy and education, the Academy is com-mitted to supporting health care providers inHIV medicine and to ensuring better care forthose living with AIDS and HIV .

American Civil Liberties Unionwww.aclu.org/

The ACLU works daily in courts, legislaturesand communities to defend and preserve theindividual rights and liberties guaranteed toevery person in this country by theConstitution and laws of the United States.Their job is to conserve America's original civicvalues: the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

American Public Health Associationwww.apha.org

The American Public Health Association(APHA) is the oldest and largest organizationof public health professionals in the world,representing more than 50,000 members fromover 50 occupations of public health. APHAbrings together researchers, health serviceproviders, administrators, teachers, and otherhealth workers in a unique, multidisciplinaryenvironment of professional exchange, study,and action.

Drug Policy Alliancewww.drugpolicy.org

The Alliance is a high profile organizationworking to end the war on drugs. The organi-

zation envisions new drug policies based onscience, compassion, health and human rightsand a just society in which the fears, preju-dices and punitive prohibitions of today areno more.

Interfaith Drug Policy Initiativewww.idpi.us/index.htm

The Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative was estab-lished in November 2003 to mobilize peopleof faith and religious groups behind morecompassionate and less coercive alternativesto the war on drugs.

International Association for Cannabis asMedicinewww.cannabis-med.org

The International Association for Cannabis asMedicine (IACM) is a scientific society advocat-ing the improvement of the legal situation forthe use of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa L.)and its pharmacologically most importantactive compounds, the cannabinoids, for ther-apeutic applications through promotion ofresearch and dissemination of information.The IACM declares that it is the right of doc-tors to be able to discuss the medicinal use ofcannabis with their patients.

International Cannabis Research Societywww.cannabinoidsociety.org

The ICRS is dedicated to research in all fieldsof the cannabinoids, ranging from biochemi-cal, chemical, and physiological studies of theendogenous cannabinoid system to studies ofthe abuse potential of recreational cannabis.In addition to acting as a source for impartialinformation on cannabis and the cannabi-noids, the main role of the ICRS is to providea forum for researchers to meet and discusstheir results.

Lymphoma Foundation of Americawww.lymphomahelp.org/

Lymphoma Foundation of America is thenational organization devoted solely to help-ing lymphoma patients and their families.

Allied and Potential Allied Organizations


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They are dedicated to helping you find thebest care available for your type of lym-phoma. They offer support, experience,advice, and a helping hand. All programs andservices are free.

Multidisciplinary Association forPsychedelic Studieswww.maps.org

The Multidisciplinary Association forPsychedelic Studies (MAPS) is a membership-based non-profit research and educationalorganization. They assist scientists to design,obtain approval for, fund, conduct, and reporton research into the healing and spiritualpotentials of psychedelics and cannabis.

National Association of People with AIDSwww.napwa.org

The National Association of People with AIDSis a non-profit membership organization thatadvocates on behalf of all people living withHIV and AIDS in order to end the pandemicand the human suffering caused by HIV/AIDS.

National Multiple Sclerosis Societywww.nmss.org

The mission of the National Multiple SclerosisSociety is to end the devastating effects ofMS. The Society and its network of chaptersnationwide promote research, educate, advo-cate on critical issues, and organize a widerange of programs- including support for thenewly diagnosed and those living with MSover time.

The November Coalitionwww.november.org

The November Coalition is a non-profit organ-ization of grassroots volunteers educating thepublic about the destructive increase in prisonpopulation in the United States due to ourcurrent drug laws. They alert their fellow citi-zens, particularly those who are complacentor naive, about the present and impendingdangers of an overly powerful federal author-ity acting far beyond its constitutional con-straints.

Patients Out of Timewww.medicalcannabis.com

The mission of Patients out of Time is the edu-cation of health care professionals and thepublic about the therapeutic use of cannabis.Their leadership is composed of medical andnursing professionals with expertise in theclinical applications of cannabis and five ofthe seven patients (two wish to remainanonymous) who receive their medicalcannabis from the US government.

Students for Sensible Drug Policywww.ssdp.org

Students for Sensible Drug Policy is committedto providing education on harms caused by theWar on Drugs, working to involve youth in thepolitical process, and promoting an open, hon-est, and rational discussion of alternative solu-tions to our nation's drug problems.

© Copyright 2011 Americans for Safe Access. All rights reserved.

POLITICAL

Resources for Organizerswww.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/Resources

Everything you need to be an effectiveactivist: handbooks, outreach materials,graphics and more.

Online Action Centerwww.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/OnlineAction

Online action items to make our voices heard.Identify your representative and send a freemessage.

10 Ways to Get Involvedwww.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/10Ways

Ten ways you can get active in the campaignfor medical cannabis patients' rights.

Campaignswww.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/Campaigns

Here are the different strategic campaigns weuse to achieve our goals of safe and legalaccess.

MEDICAL

Join a Patients' Union!www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/PatientsUnion

ASA is working with patients to form MedicalCannabis Patients' Unions based on shareddiagnosis. Condition-based groups are nowforming across the U.S. Patients' Unions are asupport network for patients and caregiversfighting for the use of cannabis as medicineas well as a vehicle for lobbying and publiceducation.

Condition-based Bookletswww.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/ConditionBooklets

We have produced a number of highlyinformative booklets on the use of cannabisto treat specific conditions. You can downloadfree PDFs of booklets on HIV/AIDS, MultipleSclerosis, Aging, Arthritis, Gastro-IntestinalDisorders, Movement Disorders, Cancer andChronic Pain.

LEGAL

Upcoming Court Dateswww.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/UpcomingCourtDates

Here is a list of upcoming court dates of med-ical cannabis patients, caregivers, or doctors.Please support these members of your com-munity.

Write to Medical Cannabis Prisonerswww.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/WriteToPrisoners

Show solidarity and support for incarceratedmedical cannabis patients by writing to peo-ple on our list of Medical Cannabis Prisoners.

MEDIA

Media Resources for GrassrootsOrganizerswww.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/GrassrootsMedia

Helping local ASA affiliates get the messageout is part of how we keep the issue beforethe public, with guidance on writing pressreleases, OpEds and letters to the editor, aswell as getting media to events.

ASA Online Resources

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