Issue: Organizational Development

Communities of color have long been at the forefront of environmental and climate justice movements—yet their voices are too often marginalized within larger advocacy spaces. This session is designed to center and uplift BIPOC advocates by exploring strategies to amplify their leadership, create inclusive organizing structures, and build durable, supportive networks within the climate movement.

This session is designed to center and uplift BIPOC advocates by exploring strategies to amplify their leadership, create inclusive organizing structures, and build durable, supportive networks within the climate movement.

To build effective, powerful campaigns capable of winning, we must understand what power our movement and communities have, and what power our opponents have. Join us for an hour training to dive into power mapping 101 – identifying who has power in our constituency, and using power mapping tools to determine what will move decision makers.

To build effective, powerful campaigns capable of winning, we must understand what power our movement and communities have, and what power our opponents have. Join us for an hour training to dive into power mapping 101 – identifying who has power in our constituency, and using power mapping tools to determine what will move decision makers.

The coalition cohort comes out of the learnings from the Blueprint for a Multiracial, Cross-Class Movement, a report on what works – and what doesn’t – in coalition work. The Lab’s indepth guide to building stronger, more equitable coalitions that support coalitions in winning bold climate policy. Drawing from case studies, organizers interviews, the Blueprint Report identified key practices that help coalitions thrive, like shared decision making, mutual accountability and healthy conflict resolutions. It included research backed report and a hands on workbook to support colations navigating internal dynamics across power, race and class.
This spring, the findings from the Blueprint report didn’t just sit on paper, they sparked action. In response to overwhelming interest from the ground, the LAB launched the Coalitions Training Cohort, a 5 month intensive program designed to put the Blueprint into practice. This cohort included leaders from nearly two dozen environmental justice coalitions, clean energy campaigns, local climate tables, and transit equity fights.
From the very beginning, the cohort surfaced the real, often unspoken challenges facing today’s colations. How do we share power without replicating the systems we’re trying to dismantle? How do we move beyond report-outs and disengagement and instead spark meaningful participation? How do we speak honestly, especially when the truth might cause tension? Coalition leaders named what many have felt but rarely had space to share: decision-making processes are often murky, conflict feels risky, and burnout is quietly draining our movement’s capacity. Most striking of all was the collective realization that many coalitions haven’t paused to reflect on how we’re making decisions or why. These questions weren’t just theoretical, they were live challenges shaping coalition life every day. In this newsletter, we’re sharing some of the powerful learnings and reflections we took away from the Coalition cohort.

Power mapping supports organizers in understanding the stakeholders within their campaign. This resource offers step by step instructions and tips for power mapping your campaign.

This comprehensive session covers essential security practices for the three core areas where climate advocates are most vulnerable to digital attacks.

SKDK, a national public affairs firm, will lead a discussion on communications best practices for navigating the changing landscape while protecting your organization.