Advocates to the Front! 2024 WSCADV Conference

This workshop will focus on building narrative power in rural Washington to address gender-based violence and intersecting issues of economic justice, racial justice, and reproductive justice. Participants will learn to weave narrative strategies into campaign and initiative work, integrating community organizing and strategic communications. The session will include interactive exercises to help programs develop, distribute, and organize narrative change across key issues. Participants will also build connections across programs to use narrative change as a shared project.

Abolition Feminism 101 will offer workshop participants a chance to become familiar with the radical orientation to anti-violence work that is based on principles of abolition feminism.  It will include a review of the genealogy of the movement that has been led by Black feminists and other feminists of color and discussion of the ways that abolition feminism enables a more justice-oriented approach to ending gender violence.  Topics will include a critique of carceral feminism and examples of abolition feminist praxis, including presentation of specific analytical and organizing tools.  Participants will be invited to create and share long-term strategies that they can embrace in the work for freedom.