XR Chicago NVDA training: March 7, 2020 - Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Nonviolent Direct Action (NVDA) is at the core of all Extinction Rebellion (XR) actions, and NVDA Introductory Trainings are a great way to get involved with an Extinction Rebellion chapter.

The NVDA Introductory Trainings for XR Chicago, which are held each month, provide a historical, conceptual, and practical overview of direct action as an evolving set of tactics for activist movements. At each training we work as a group to articulate goals and identify the possibilities of direct action for supporting long-term strategies to meet those goals.

The trainings bring together people who are new to activism, people with some experience who want to learn more, and veteran activists who want to join XR. This training allows them to learn from one another and experiment with using NVDA in innovative ways.

What you will do in the NVDA Introductory Training:

• acquire basic knowledge of and experience with the different kinds of NVDA
• discover the possibilities and limitations of NVDA
• understand the individual and collaborative skills it requires
• become familiar with the roles of Affinity Groups and Working Groups in XR direct actions
• realize the personal commitments NVDA entails
• learn your rights and what to expect when arrested for NVDA
• experience how exhilarating direct action can be!
• identify the many ways that you can get involved with XR Chicago or climate action in general

The training begins with an orientation to Extinction Rebellion and XR Chicago, followed by formation into provisional Affinity Groups. Then XRC trainers guide participants through a series of activities that build to enactment of a hypothetical non-violent direct action. Next, an attorney from the National Lawyers Guild gives a presentation on knowing your rights and what to expect if arrested for NVDA. After that, working in their provisional Affinity Groups, trainees develop a proposal for a direct action with specified constraints and goals; then each Affinity Group pitches the proposal to the training group as a whole.   The session ends with 1. a discussion of Affinity Groups, a longstanding component of direct action events, and participants are encouraged to continue interacting with their provisional Affinity Groups or to form new groups; and 2. brief meetings of XR Chicago's Working Groups, so that all new trainees can begin identifying tasks on which they would like to work.

A vegan/vegetarian lunch is served at 1p.m.  Breaks with snacks and beverages are provided.