Develop Leadership Skills & Work for a Cause You Care About:

In today’s political climate, community organizing is more important than ever. With increasing threats to democracy, racial and economic injustice, and climate crises, now is the time to build power and take action. This course is designed for students who are passionate about social justice and want to develop the skills to create lasting change.

Participants will gain hands-on experience in organizing, leadership development, and strategic action planning. Whether your focus is racial justice, labor rights, LGBTQ+ rights, economic equity, or environmental advocacy, this course will equip you with the tools to build power in your community and make a meaningful impact.

Over two weekends, September 5-7 and September 19-21, students will gain foundational skills in community organizing and relational leadership. By the end of the course, participants will have formed teams and developed a plan for a mini-community organizing campaign, rooted in the resources of their own communities, to build power and drive social change.

This course offers an opportunity to collaborate with fellow students passionate about social justice while equipping them with the tools to create sustainable strategies for impactful change.

Course Overview:

Dates: September 5-7 & September 19-21, 2025
Location: City College, Room TBD
Units: 3 (Undergraduate)
Instruction Mode: Hybrid Synchronous
Instructor: Anjali Rodrigues (arodrigues1@ccny.cuny.edu)

Course Breakdown:

The course meets in person for two weekends;

Weekend 1 (Sept 5-7)  - Foundations of Leadership & Organizing

• Identifying your personal motivation and how it connects to broader social movements

• Understanding the power of relational organizing and movement building

• Analyzing power structures and identifying key challenges

• Developing leadership skills and forming organizing teams

Weekend 2 (Sept 19-21) - Strategy & Action Planning

• Creating a strategic framework for organizing campaigns

• Designing mini-campaigns focused on building collective power towards a strategic goal

• Action planning for community-driven social change

• One-on-one coaching sessions with teaching fellows to refine campaign strategies

Following the in-person sessions, students will complete 2-3 individual coaching sessions (30 minutes each) with a teaching fellow to receive mentorship and support in executing their campaigns. Two virtual lectures will also be held on October 30 and December 4 from 5:30-7:00 PM to provide additional insights and guidance.

How to Enroll:

To register for this course, students must first complete the pre-course survey. Once submitted, you will need to get approval from your academic advisor before officially enrolling. Start by filling out the pre-course survey to begin the process.

If you are not a CCNY student, you must go through the ePermit process and adhere to all the guidelines and deadlines to successfully register for the course. Please check with your advisors and financial aid offices how the course can count towards your degree. Each campus has different requirements per major.

The Movement needs YOU! See how the Social Change Fellowship can help.

Students who complete this course may be eligible to apply for the Social Change Fellowship, a leadership program providing additional training, professional development, mentorship, stipends, and paid internships. This opportunity is designed for students looking to deepen their organizing skills and gain real-world experience in social justice movements.