Uncharitable Events
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How do we resist? Strategies for NGOs to meet the moment
Martha Awojobi and Natasha Adams discuss how NGOs can build strategies and coalitions to resist the rise of authoritarianism.
Hannah Spencer's victory in Gorton and Denton is a much needed reminder of how powerful people are when they come together and say no to politics of greed, individualism and extractivism.
We are witnessing the collapse of empire, the shrinking of our civic spaces, a rejection of truth in favour of neoliberal smokes and mirrors, a mass gaslighting operation by our political and media class. We are seeing the rise of authoritarianism worldwide, the erosion of our hard won rights, and the devastating impacts for marginalised people and on our planet.
Business as usual just ain't going to cut it, and it wasn't really an effective strategy in the first place. We need to completely reimagine the role of charities and funders in the political moment.
Joining Martha Awojobi (CEO of JMB Consulting and creator of Uncharitable) is Natasha Adams, movement strategist and researcher, and co-author of Meeting the moment: How the UK social change sector can respond to the rise of authoritarianism and the far right.
Their analysis is clear:
'The social change sector isn’t responding at the speed, scale, or ambition needed. We’re stuck in ways of operating that are no longer fit for purpose, predicated as they are on the assumption of a simpler media landscape and a liberal democracy, which is rapidly being eroded. The picture is bleak. And turning things around won’t be easy. But we can learn from other countries how to effectively push back'.
A lot of organisations simply don't know where to begin when it comes to navigating the political climate, let alone resisting. Luckily for us, Natasha has done all of the research so you don't have to. The report proposes five key strategies to meet the moment:
Investing in movement and solidarity work
Addressing narrative dysfunction
Influencing politics
Addressing threats
Re-orienting strategy and resources
We will be delving into these five strategies at our next Uncharitable event on 8th April at 10am. For those who are looking at practical ways that their organisation can be part of the movement to resist the rise in fascism and authoritarianism, this one is for you.
Power, Justice & Accountability: Antiracist Leadership Part 2
Pari Dhillon and Martha Awojobi discuss what is needed from anti-racist leadership in this current political moment.
Anti-racist leadership is needed now more than ever
Our last Power, Justice and Accountability event was extremely popular and we didn't have anywhere near enough time to get through all of the questions from our audience so we are hosting a part two where we delve in to your questions and more!
Our civic spaces are shrinking, protest is being criminalised, our government is implicated in a genocide. Things are serious. They always have been.
For so long our systems have rewarded denial over truth. But the truth is now impossible to ignore. The charity model does not deliver justice, in fact its very foundations are rooted in imperialism. So what do we do now?
We have an opportunity! The old systems are failing, and new ones are trying to be born. It’s time to shake things up; we cannot let our future be dictated by people who think empathy is a personality flaw. What is the social sector's role in facilitating the birth of transformative systems? And what is needed from our leaders?
Sometimes it is stepping up, sometimes it is stepping out of the way. But it is never doing nothing.
We need leaders who are equipped to face down systems of oppression with courage, strength and integrity. We should be mobilising, building power and alliances, taking risks and transforming our systems. Instead, leaders are holding on to 'the way things have always been done' for dear life.
Join Pari Dhillon, Director of Social Justice Collective and Martha Awojobi, CEO of JMB Consulting and creator of Uncharitable as they reflect on the state of leadership in the social sector, and what is needed to face rising authoritarianism and the shrinking of our civic space. They will be offering a sneak peak at their leadership programme, Power, Justice and Accountability, and speaking with past cohort member Caron Bradshaw about what they learned from the course and how they have translated their learning into practice.
The Power of Remembering
The End of Times is a series of Uncharitable Events exploring Earth Justice with Natalie Armitage, Earth Justice Consultant at JMB Consulting. Expect to rethink everything you thought you knew about climate justice, anti-racism, sustainability and regeneration!
Welcome to the first Earth Justice Event!
One of the most sinister ways that colonisation and white supremacy have scammed us all is by disconnecting us from ourselves, each other and the land. The Power of Remembering is, quite literally, crucial to dismantling the coloniser within by remembering how we can eat, build, live, grow and heal together.
From Jamaica to North London, community buildings, assets, sanctuaries, movement hubs, solidarity economies are reemerging in resistance to capitalist imperialism. This is the Power of Remembering who we are, harnessing the wisdom that is, and has always been within us. Remembering brings past skills - denigrated by imperialists, forgotten through forced assimilation - into today's world. We are talking about building with materials from the natural environment, food sovereignty, healing justice for the land, Black farming, regenerative systems design. And we are not stopping there.
Somatic memory is not all about trauma. It is also knowledge about plants, fruits, herbs, medicines and more. There are practical skills that are within most of us; our bodies are yearning to reconnect with them. We can remember how we used to build, heal, grow and live on, and with, the land. Earth is our biggest teacher, when we touch soil and grass our memories are activated - taking us back, beyond even our own consciousness. The land is also our most reliable provider, it is where we can learn how abundance really works. There is so much history between ourselves and land that has been stolen from us. Disaster is a constant call to return.
If you thought we could confront The End of Times with ‘innovations’ in green tech and ‘sustainability’, think again. We need is something older, an ancient wisdom within us all that is yearning to be remembered.
On July 15th at 5pm, Natalie Armitage will be joined by:
Beckah Williams - Earth Child Remedies
Afia Walking Tree - Solidarity Yaad International
George Massoud - Material Cultures
Paulette Henry - Black Rootz
This event will be on Zoom, with captions. All ticket holders will have access to the recording for three months following the event. See you there!