Southern Beyond Survival Fellowship

Apply with your squad to be Highlander Southern Beyond Survival Fellows.

 Get paid to strengthen your solidarity organizing.

 Connect with Highlander and other squads in the South.

 2022 Theme — Resist + Build + Heal:
Transforming Culture, Economy, and Governance

Highlander‘s Economics and Governance and Cultural Organizing programs will select fellows from up to six communities. The Fellowship runs May 17th through October 2nd, with the possibility to extend through December 11, 2022. Fellows will join a cohort to deepen their cultural organizing, community governance, and solidarity economy work. Deadline to apply: April 10, 2022.

The application window is now closed.

UPDATES

We will post regular updates here about the status and availability of squadship slots and other useful information for applicants!

• 3/22/22 - Some small edits made to make it clear that each fellow receives $4,200 for the May 18-Oct 2 period.

SUMMARY

Please read the full Call for Applications before submitting your application. We encourage you to work on the application with your squad. HOWEVER, please submit one application per individual fellow.

Highlander‘s Economics and Governance and Cultural Organizing programs are selecting fellows from up to six communities (three to four fellows from each community) now through Highlander's 90th Homecoming (Sept 30 - Oct 2, 2022), with the possibility of extending through December 11, 2022. The purpose of the “Solidarity Squadship” is to support teams organizing in communities and organizations in TN, KY, VA, NC, SC, GA, AL, FL, AR, MS, LA, TX, or WV to maintain, deepen, expand, and/or strengthen their organizing to resist, build and heal while connecting with Highlander and other communities in the region. We are excited to work with fellows and squads focusing on solidarity economy work, experimenting at the intersection of culture, governance, and economy.

When we say solidarity economy organizing, we mean a plurality of approaches across the resist and build and heal spectrum: community governance (people’s assemblies, participatory budgeting), cultural organizing, care work, mutual aid, cooperatives, land justice, eviction defense, housing cooperatives and land trusts, people's assemblies, police accountability and/or defund police campaigns, study groups, participatory budgeting, tool libraries, savings pools, transformative and/or restorative justice, relational organizing, place-based organizing, etc.

Communities can choose to send teams of at least three and up to four fellows, who will each be compensated $4,200 for 20 weeks (based on $21 per hour for an expected maximum average of ten hours per week). In addition, fellow squads will have access to a small budget to support a community action. Apply by email before April 10th (see questions below). Don’t wait! Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, as they are received.

PURPOSE

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the injustices of racial capitalism in catastrophic ways, but local responses have strengthened the localization of economies, created opportunities for cultural transformation, and encouraged autonomous forms of community governance. Sharing resources, caring for our neighbors, respecting nature, developing collaborative relationships, and broadening our solidarity networks are all things that have reduced our reliance and dependence on racial capitalism and its economy of domination. How can we continue to nurture cultures and grassroots organizations of resistance, healing, and care?

The purpose of this fellowship is to support groups of folks organizing in communities to resist, build and heal, folks who are combining or are interested in combining cultural organizing, community governance, and solidarity economy organizing.

The fellowship will help squads maintain, deepen, expand, and/or strengthen their solidarity economy infrastructure, while connecting with Highlander and other communities in the region.

When we say solidarity economy organizing, we mean a plurality of approaches across the resist and build and heal spectrum: care work, mutual aid, cooperatives, eviction defense, people's assemblies, police accountability and/or defund police campaigns, study groups, participatory budgeting, tool libraries, savings pools, transformative and/or restorative justice, relational organizing, place-based organizing, etc. (Check out our Beautiful Solutions cards for other inspiring examples).

It is our intention with this squadship for the work and lessons that are being learned on the ground to inform Highlander‘s approach, the tools we offer, and our programmatic interventions moving forward.

WHO IS THIS FOR / WHO IS THIS NOT FOR

This opportunity is for groups of three to four people organizing in communities and organizations in the South – TN, KY, VA, NC, SC, GA, AL, FL, AR, MS, LA, TX, or WV – to continue, strengthen, and deepen their grassroots solidarity economy, community governance, and cultural organizing practice and infrastructure with some company and support. This squadship does not make sense for brand new organizing initiatives or projects that lack some existing community support. Longstanding and well-established groups are welcome to apply for organizing efforts at the intersection of community governance, cultural transformation, and solidarity economies.

Only squads who submit all of their member’s applications will be considered. Only folks who apply by the deadline will be considered for the fellowship - a squad cannot add new members once accepted. People who are currently participating or who have recently participated in Highlander accompaniment programs are ineligible and should support other members of their communities and organizations to apply.

COMMITMENT

Fellowship terms begin at the on-site gathering at the Highlander Center in New Market, TN May 18-22, 2022 continue through the end of Highlander’s 90th Homecoming, also on-site at Highlander, September 30 - October 2, 2022. Fellows may have the possibility to extend their term through December 11, 2022.

Highlander commits to

• Compensating fellows at $4,200 each for 20 weeks (based on $21 per hour for an expected maximum of 10 hours per week). Three payments will be made within 15 business days of the dates provided here:

• The first upon completion of the First Gathering, May 23rd
• The second in mid-July
• The third in early September;

• Provide complimentary room and board and a travel stipend for in-person gatherings at the Highlander Center in New Market, TN May 18-22, 2022 and September 29 - October 2, 2022;
• Providing a small action budget to support fellow squads’ organizing actions and experiments in the range of $2,000-10,000 per squad;
• Convening fellows regularly to develop relationships and support peer learning;
• Offering workshops and training;
• Working with your squad to plan a visit to interact with your squad in your community;
• Creating opportunities for fellows to provide meaningful feedback and contributions to co-create the program and inform future programs.

Fellows and squads make a commitment to:

• Have attended or watching recordings of previous Threads workshops (Southern Beyond Survival and Methodologies)
• In Part 1 of the Program (May 18 - Oct 2) - Required deliverables:

• Attend First Gathering May 18-22, 2022 @ Highlander Center in New Market, TN (up to five days, four nights, complimentary room and board)
• Host a Highlander staff site visit (June - August)
• Lead and plan a Popular Education workshop in your community (June - August)
• Host a Peoples’ Movement Assembly (July - Sept)
• Attend Highlander’s 90th Homecoming and Squadship pre-party, September 29 - October 2, 2022 at Highlander Center in New Market, TN (up to four days, three nights, complimentary room and board)

• In Part 2 of the Program (Oct 3 - Dec 11) - Required deliverables:

• Organize a community action (September - November)
• Develop an organization vision, strategy and plan for the future, next year
• Demonstrate tangible steps to strengthen grassroots organizational capacity in three ways
• Attend the Final Gathering in December 2022 at Highlander Center in New Market, TN (four days, three nights, complimentary room and board)

• Attend bi-weekly, 2-hour check-ins with Highlander staff and consultants

• Ten check-ins during part 1, six during part 2, 16 total over the entire program
• Check-ins can occur Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoon or evening, and Saturday morning.

• Attend knowledge and skill building workshops (twice monthly, see timeline) on various topics and incorporate these into your squad’s People’s Movement Assembly, popular education workshop, and/or community action. Possible topics:

• Highlander Methodologies (Popular Education, Cultural Organizing, Intergenerational Organizing, Language Justice, Participatory Action Research, Land Legacy and Place)
• Storytelling, Documentation, & Narrative Strategy
• Basebuilding, Campaigns & Action Planning
• Peoples’ Movement Assemblies
• Power of Online Space
• Healing Justice and Ritual

• Share openly with Highlander and fellow groups about organizing efforts on the ground, how resources are being used, challenges met, and lessons learned;
• Document efforts with photos, stories, videos, etc.;
• Offer honest reflections and evaluations for the curriculum, gatherings, and support.

Optional, but encouraged:

• Attend the 10th Southern Movement Assembly, SMA10 in October 2022

• Highlander and/or SMA will provide travel stipends or reimburse travel expenses

• Participate in the Thriving Groups Series to strengthen organizations (four workshops, date and time to be determined)

• Leaderful Groups
• Glorious Meetings
• Navigating Conflict
• Decision-making

• Apply to participate in Party at the Polls, creative interventions for joy and safety at polling sites with funding from Highlander.
• Other in-person and virtual gatherings to be announced

• Host other fellows in your community for in-person exchanges;
• Attend or travel to join fellow communities for exchanges.

Note: Highlander encourages everyone to be safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, including practicing safe physical distancing of six feet or more, meeting outdoors, and wearing masks that cover the mouth and nose when meeting in person. Virtual meetings and workshops are encouraged as a great way to drastically reduce the risk of becoming infected or infecting others with COVID-19.

TIMELINE

MARCH

3/14        Squadship 2022 Program Announcement, Application Opens

3/31        Southern Beyond Survival - From Racial Capitalism to Solidarity Economy Public Workshop

TBD        Party at the Polls Application Round 1 Opens

APRIL

4/10         Squadship 2022 Application Deadline

4/20         Southern Beyond Survival - Community Governance Public Workshop

4/22-27         Interviews for Squadship Fellowship Finalists

4/29         Fellows Announced

4/30        People Practicing Power Session for WV, KY, AL, GA, AR

TBD        Party at the Polls Deadline

May

5/18-22        Squadship 2022 First Gathering at Highlander Center in New Market, TN

• ASATT live production happens at First Gathering at HL

5/28 - People Practicing Power Session for NC, MS, SC, VA, OK

TBD        Southern Beyond Survival - Thriving Groups Public Workshop

TBD        Party at the Polls - Announce Grantees

June

6/11-12                Southern Movement Assembly Organizing Intensive

6/13        Squadship 2022 Workshop - Misc. Topics

6/27        Squadship 2022 Workshop - Misc. Topics

Squads Site Visits

July

7/11        Squadship 2022 Workshop - Misc. Topics

7/25        Squadship 2022 Workshop - Misc. Topics

Squads Site Visits

TBD        People Practicing Power Session for MO, TN, FL

Aug

8/8        Squadship 2022 Workshop - Misc. Topics

8/22        Squadship 2022 Workshop - Misc. Topics

Squads Site Visits

Deliverable Deadline: PMA

TBD        Party at the Polls Application Round 2 Opens

Sept

9/29-10/2        Highlander Homecoming

• Squadship 2022 Pre-party Gathering (arrive 9/29)
• SE in the South Gathering

TBD        Party at the Polls Skill Up

Oct

TBD        Party at the Polls - Announce Grantees

Nov

CG EJP, Party at Polls

Deliverable Deadline: Action, Facilitate Workshop

Dec

TBD        Squadship 2022 and PPP Debrief, Evaluation, Final Gathering

HOW TO APPLY

Please read the entire application before applying. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, as they are received.

1. Join the Solidarity Economy in the South online community by setting up an account and profile on Mighty Networks.

AND

2. Complete your application any time before 11:59pm on April 10th. We encourage you to work on the application with your squad and submit it as soon as you can! Either way, we need the information in the google form for each fellow applicant.

Complete this google form to submit your application. Please submit one application per individual fellow.

Optional, but encouraged:

• Creative Addendum: Attach a video introduction, photo essay, or any other creative expression of the organizing your squad is doing to the application form using the “attachments” question.
• Support Survey: Complete this survey about the kind of support that would be most useful for your organization.

Application Extension: If you need an extension, please send an email before 11:59pm on April 10th to economicsandgovernance@highlandercenter.org with “Squadship Application Extension” for a three-day extension to April 13th. Requests for an extension made using any other avenue will not be considered.

Next Steps for Finalists - Interview & Action Budget: Twelve squads (“finalists”) will be invited to interviews. If we decide to consider your squad’s application, we will reach out by April 15th to schedule a virtual interview with y’all sometime between April 22nd-27th. Please hold those dates open as much as possible. We will provide finalist squads with an action budget template for $2,000-10,000 in action funding and will ask your squad to complete and submit it at least one day before your interview.

CONTACT

For questions, email  economicsandgovernance@highlandercenter.org with “Squadship Questions” in the subject line and someone on the E&G team will get back with you as soon as possible. Or reach out to (text or call) April at 865-201-7586 or David at 865-742-4514.