Learning Delegations
Central to the work of The Action Lab’s overall mission is providing organizers and others on the movement’s frontlines opportunities to take a step back from the immediacy of their critical day-to-day work. Our thoughtfully designed learning delegations offer participants new perspectives by inviting them to engage with social justice leaders outside their own communities, and to explore different tactics and organizing principles that drive social change in their contexts. We work closely with both participants and co-coordinators in host locations to ensure that our itineraries are mutually beneficial to delegates and hosts alike.
“Our delegation to Brazil was nothing short of transformational. I came home inspired, full of new ideas and ready to put what we learned into practice!”
Gonzalo Mercado-Cisterna, Director of Transnational Programs, National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON)
Highlights
Brazil
In September 2023, The Action Lab, in partnership with the Defend Democracy in Brazil Committee, organized our third learning delegation, following successful trips to Chile and Vienna in 2022. We brought 35 community leaders and organizers from New York, California, Florida, Texas, and Puerto Rico, and our goal was to learn from Brazil’s dynamic social movements. We immersed ourselves in strategies against authoritarianism, emergent modes of organizing, and power-shifting policy ideas. Engaging with movements like the Landless Workers Movement (MST) and the São Paulo Downtown Homeless Movement (MSTC), we explored Brazil's intricate socio-political landscape. Despite stark inequalities, our delegation found inspiration in Brazil's resilience and innovative approaches to building power. The experience prompted crucial questions and interactions with diverse leaders, contributing to our ongoing mission of providing organizers with global perspectives and fostering fellowship within our community of partners in the US and Puerto Rico.
Read more about our Brazil Delegation and explore the final report
Vienna
Teaming up with the Housing Justice for All coalition, The Action Lab organized a delegation of close to 50 organizers, tenant leaders and elected officials to Vienna from October 16-23, 2022. Over 60% of Vienna's population resides in social housing, making it a world leader of stable, affordable, excellent housing. During the visit, we explored Vienna's social housing program, interacting with tenant councils, organizers, and city officials involved in planning and financing. The experience provided invaluable insights for addressing the housing crisis in New York City and State. Vienna's success in public provision, cooperative models, and regulated private sector housing showcased a paradigm shift needed to tackle New York's challenges. Inspired by Vienna's approach, we are now working for the creation of a public housing option, utilizing a social housing agency to acquire and retrofit properties, addressing the diverse housing needs of all New Yorkers.
Read more about our Vienna Delegation from one of our delegates
Chile
In March 2022, The Action Lab spearheaded a transformative learning delegation, uniting dynamic community and labor organizers from the US and Puerto Rico with left and base organizations in Chile. This marked the beginning of a series of initiatives by The Action Lab to forge relationships and solidarity with global partners sharing our vision of dismantling neoliberalism for a world grounded in human dignity and liberation. The delegation, which included close to 50 individuals deeply rooted in Chile's social movements and major community and labor leaders in the US and Puerto Rico, immersed itself in strategies and tactics to spark change using the transformative mix of mass mobilization, direct action, and democratic engagement.
Our Other Impact and Innovation Programming
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