[ASU] Fwd: Titus - Careers in Community Organizing for Social Justice for African Student Union members at OU!

[Titus Gwemende]

For those interested


----- Forwarded message from Hannah Wittmer <hannah at thedartcenter.org> -----
From: Hannah Wittmer <hannah at thedartcenter.org>
To: TG843808 at OHIO.EDU
Subject: Titus - Careers in Community Organizing for Social Justice for African
Student Union members at OU!
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:42:12 -0500

Dear Titus,

I hope you are doing well.  My name is Hannah Wittmer and I'm a community
organizer with the Direct Action and Research Training (DART) Center.  I noticed
on the OU student activities website that you are associated with African
Student Union, and I was hoping you may be able to help me identify students who
might be interested in learning more about a career in community organizing. We
will be visiting the OU campus on Wed., May 5 @ 7PM in the Baker University
Center, Rm 231 to talk about careers in community organizing with DART.

As you may know, the DART Center has been conducting a paid training program for
those seeking a career in grassroots community organizing for the last ten
years, and has enabled dozens of people to launch permanent salaried positions
in the field.  You may also be familiar with our Columbus, OH affiliate -- BREAD
-- and their work to substantially lower payday lending rates in Ohio. 

This is an excellent opportunity for people interested in organizing at the
local level around common issues affecting low-moderate income communities like
affordable housing, immigrant rights, access to healthcare, quality public
education, youth services, crime, etc.  Let me know if you have any direct
referrals to certain students involved with African Student Union. I would be
happy to provide a personal invitation to our Info Session by phone or email to
anyone that you know that has a particular interest in this area. Though I have
learned over the years that the personal invite seems to work the best, I was
also wondering if you could make an announcement during an upcoming meeting or
pass along an announcement to any relevant listservs.   I have provided a brief
description below and a flyer attached for the DART Center, and our efforts on
campus. Please feel free to forward this announcement to available listservs,
fellow student group leaders, interns, or to anyone you know that might be
interested in pursuing grassroots organizing as a career. 

Thank you for your help, and please let me know about certain students you could
recommend. 

(ANNOUNCEMENT BELOW)

Sincerely,

Hannah Wittmer
Community Organizing Recruiter
Direct Action and Research Training Center
(785) 841-2680
hannah at thedartcenter.org
www.thedartcenter.org

Message to forward to OU students and alums:

**************************************************
Careers in Community Organizing for Social Justice Available to OU students and
alums!

The Direct Action & Research Training (DART) Center will be on the OU campus on
Wed., May 5 @ 7PM in the Baker University Center, Rm 231 to discuss careers in
the field of community organizing with students interested in empowering their
communities and working for social change.

Please RSVP if you are interested by contacting Hannah Wittmer at
hannah at thedartcenter.org or calling 785.841.2680 with your name, phone #, email
address and school.

After years of research into best practices, experimentation, evaluation, and
refinement, the Organizers Institute has become THE elite field school in the
training of grassroots community organizers in the country. 
 
DART is now accepting applications for the 2010 DART Organizers Institute, the
paid, four-month field school for people interested in launching a career in
community organizing. Participants will undergo a combined classroom and field
training covering such topics as:

* Entering a community
* Identifying and training local leaders
* Strategic planning and issue cutting
* Relationship and community building
* Direct Action on community issues
* Fundraising

The DART Center has built coalitions throughout the country that have won
important victories on a broad set of justice issues including:

* Education reform in low-performing public schools
* Job Training
* Drugs and Violence
* Criminal Recidivism
* Living Wage
* Neighborhood Revitalization
* Predatory Lending
* Affordable Housing, etc.

The DART Organizers Institute combines a 7-day classroom orientation with 15
weeks of infield training at a DART host organization. This is a paid training
program that includes: a $7,000 living stipend, transportation to the classroom
orientation and host city, and mileage reimbursement during the infield
training. Room, board, and tuition will also be paid by DART during the 7-day
classroom training. After successful completion of the program, DART will work
to place graduates into permanent full time salaried positions ranging from
($32-35,000/year for Associate Organizers and $35-40,000 for Lead Organizers
starting salary + health & benefits). DART is a 501(c)(3) organization,
therefore, employees of the DART Network are eligible for Public Service Loan
Forgiveness under the recently enacted College Cost Reduction and Access Act. 
For more information on Public Service Loan Forgiveness, visit www.ibrinfo.org.

Graduates from the four month DART Organizers Institute have gone onto accept
Executive Director and Associate Community Organizing positions throughout the
country.

The 7-day classroom orientation and 15-week infield training start in July 2010.
Training locations will include placements in several states around the country.

Although it may be helpful, no direct experience is necessary. Organizer
Trainees (OTs) hired to participate in the DART Organizers Institute must
demonstrate a desire to pursue community organizing as a long-term professional
career. A master's degree, JD, or similar life experience is preferred though
not necessary. Candidates must have a college degree or be graduating prior to
July 2010. Also, candidates must display a workmanlike diligence, be driven to
produce sustained results, have proven capacity to build relationships of trust,
create and execute a plan, act professionally, feel comfortable working with
religious institutions, be accountable and willing to hold others accountable,
demonstrate disciplined thought and action, and work in a team setting.  OTs
must also have access to a car during their training and be flexible regarding
relocation. Fluency in Spanish/English is a plus and people of color are
encouraged to apply.

Low and moderate income communities across the country are feeling the bite of
recession on issues like healthcare, education, employment, and housing. At the
same time, the field of community organizing has obtained more legitimacy and
interest than ever before given its recent profile in the 2008 presidential
election.  Low and moderate income communities are in need of passionate and
talented individuals with the dedication and skills necessary to transform
communities.  Now is the time to stand up for social and economic justice.

To find out more about DART or to apply, we encourage you to contact: Hannah
Wittmer, DART Network, 820 New York Street Lawrence, KS 66044 or by email:
hannah at thedartcenter.org. If you have any questions, please call: (785)
841-2680. Also, you can download applications or view profiles from previous OTs
at the DART website: www.thedartcenter.org.   

----- End forwarded message -----



Titus M. Gwemende
Graduate Assistant
Department of Communication and Development
Ohio University
ATHENS,45701
Phone:740-591-5527
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