TRUTH TELLERS NATIONAL NIGHT OF SISTER TO SISTER SALON CONVERSATIONS HOST TOOLKIT Tuesday, October 16, 2018 7:00 pm ET - BlackWomenVote
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
TRUTH TELLERS
NATIONAL NIGHT OF
SISTER TO SISTER SALON
CONVERSATIONS
HOST TOOLKIT
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
7:00 pm ET
1
“If the first woman
God ever made was
strong enough to
turn the world upside
down all alone, these
women together
ought to be able to
turn it back and get it
right side up again!”
-Sojourner Truth
Abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner women from across the country for a powerful
Truth’s words about the power of women’s--and in evening. With your help, we are organizing over
particular Black women’s--leadership are as relevant 100 salon conversations with the aim of elevating
today as they were when she delivered them in her Black women’s voice in the national political
seminal 1851 speech “Ain’t I a Woman?” As we move debate and ensuring strong, well-informed
rapidly into the final stretch of 2018 midterm elections, General Election turnout for early voting and at
her historic appeal continues to serve an urgent call the polls on Tuesday, November 6. The salons
for Black women to be truth tellers: for us to raise our will also help us continue building on a growing
voices, cast our ballots and flex our collective power to coalition of Black women across the country who
elect leaders who respect and support all Americans are coming together to share knowledge and
and embrace the existence and power of our diversity. make a strategic impact on the 2018 election and
As Black women, we have tremendous political capital. beyond.
Nearly 16 million of us are eligible to vote, and 73 As a salon conversation host, your gathering will be a
percent are registered. We had the highest voter part of Higher Heights’ ongoing #BlackWomenVote
turnout rates in of all groups in 2008 and 2012, and national effort to:
the second highest in 2016. Now, we need to turn
our collective capital into strategic political actions and n Increase our civic engagement and participation
investments that create the election outcomes and beyond Election Day
leadership accountability we and our communities n Explore issues that are important to Black
need.
women and our communities
Our voice, our vote and our leadership matter, and the n Create a personalized voting plans
2018 midterm elections offer a unique and increasingly for participants
critical opportunity for us to harness our political n Mobilize our networks to the polls
power and leadership potential from the voting booth
to elected representation. That is why we are asking With your help, Higher Heights can galvanize, organize
Black women across the country to host Truth Tellers: and mobilize Black women’s political power, giving
Sister to Sister Salon Conversations. them the tools to effectively engage, advocate and lead.
An assembly of guests in such a room, especially an Onward,
assembly, common during the 17th and 18th centuries,
consisting of the leaders in society, art, politics, etc.
Glynda C. Carr Kimberly Peeler-Allen
On Tuesday, October 16 at 7:00 p.m. ET, Higher Co-Founders
Heights Leadership Fund is gathering Black
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT HIGHER HEIGHTS 4
“TRUTH TELLERS: WHEN #BLACKWOMENVOTE” 5
HOSTING A TRUTH TELLERS SISTER TO SISTER SALON 6
SALON PURPOSE & GOALS 7
SALON PRE-PLANNING 8
LOGISTICS & BUDGET 9
GUEST LIST 10
INVITATION COPY 11
SALON FORMAT 12
SALON EXECUTION 13
HOST SCRIPT (WHY WE GATHER) 13
GROUP ACTIVITIES 15
PARTICIPANT THANK YOU NOTES 16
WRAP UP, REPORT BACK & POST SALON 17
3 3
ABOUT HIGHER HEIGHTS
Higher Heights, Higher Heights Leadership Fund (Higher Heights), a 501(c)3 organization, and its sister organization Higher Heights for America, a 501(c)4, is the
only national organization providing Black women with a political home exclusively dedicated to harnessing their collective political power and leadership from the
voting booth to elected office.
Black women are most powerful when they move together.
Higher Heights is mobilizing a fast-growing national network of Black women and allies by providing tools to amplify their voices, take action and organize their
networks. We are creating the environment for Black women to run, win and lead. Here is a snapshot of Black women’s political gains, activism and opportunities.
Black women are increasingly running and winning
n 20 Black women—the most ever—are serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.
n The 2nd Black woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate is currently serving.
n 13 more Black women are holding seats in state legislatures since 2016.
n 7 Black women are serving as mayors of the 100 most populous U.S. cities compare to just 1 in 2014.
Black women show up and show support
n 16 million Black women are eligible to vote, and 73% are registered.
n They had the highest voter turnout rate (70%) of all groups in 2008 and 2012, and the second highest (64%) in 2016 despite voter suppression laws
that had significant impact on Black voter turnout.
n Black women made up 17% of voters who cast ballots in the recent U.S. Senate special election in Alabama, but they account for less than 14%
of the state’s population.
But, there is still much work to do
n Black women are 7% of the population, yet they account for just 4% of all members of the House and 1% of the Senate.
n Only 3 Black women currently hold a statewide office.
n No Black woman has ever served as governor in our country’s 242-year history.
4
Black women are most powerful when they move together. Truth Tellers: When #BlackWomenVote The 2018 #BlackWomenVote campaign is a nonpartisan voter-activism campaign powered by Higher Heights that has become the leading, independent and trusted voice for Black women leading up to and beyond Election Day. In addition to providing election-related information, the campaign provides Black women with news, commentary and tools that help them vote and and empower them to activate their networks to action leading up to and beyond Election Day. The program reaches Black women across the country--from teens who will be voting age in 2020 to college students to seniors-- and equips them to raise their voices, cast their votes and flex their collective electoral power. As a part the 2018 #BlackWomenVote campaign, Higher Heights is staging Truth Tellers: A National Night of Sister to Sister Salon Conversations on Tuesday, October 16. During these events, Black women will gather in rooms and homes across the country to share their truths about the issues affecting them, their families and their communities; strategize how they can best to use their political power to address these concerns; and explore Black women’s leadership potential. 5
SO YOU ARE HOSTING A
TRUTH TELLERS
SISTER TO SISTER SALON?
#BLACKWOMENVOTE
6
SALON PURPOSE & GOALS
We are excited that you will be gathering your network for a Truth Tellers: A National Night of Sister to Sister Salon Conversations event on Tuesday, October
16th. This toolkit provides step-by-step instructions for everything you will need to organize and host what promises to be a powerful evening. Our goal with these
salons is threefold:
n To get participants committed to voting in the forthcoming 2018 general election and beyond;
n To encourage Black women to see themselves as civic-engagement influencers who can motivate and help members of their networks become
informed, consistent voters; and
n To glean information from participants that will help us increase investment in Black women’s political engagement and leadership.
By the end of your salon conversation, your participants should have identified a set of issues and potential solutions that they would want elected officials to
address and consider. Each participant should also have the tools and resources needed to talk with their network about the power of voting and mobilize them to
the polls. Finally, each of your guests will be asked to complete a short survey and include it with their RSVP.
Information from the survey and the worksheets completed during the salon will be included in Higher Heights’ post-election report outlining themes from
the salon conversations and providing insight into participants’ subsequent Election Day participation. Those themes and the improved understanding of salon
participants’ civic engagement will help inform and reiterate the need for greater, more strategic investment in Black women’s voter engagement and leadership.
Your guests will also receive a #BlackWomenVote toolkit, which provides information on voting and tips for activating their networks through face-to-face
interactions and social media.
7
SALON PRE-PLANNING
Included in this toolkit are the resources you need to organize and host your b. Follow the simple instructions
salon conversation. We can only do this work with partners like you, and we
4) Once you’ve successfully created a group, set up a “mixr”
thank you for joining our efforts.
for the Sister Salon you’re hosting.
WHO TO INVITE?
a. Include the date, time and location, as well as any special instructions
To develop your invite list, consider gathering your girlfriends, sorority sisters,
for the event.
chapter sisters, neighbors, church members, work colleagues, your hairdresser,
cousins, mom, grandmother, aunts, sisters and other women in your network. 5) Invite your guests – you can use email or share on social media
Depending on your venue, the optimal number of attendees is 25 guests and 6) Your Salon guests will remain connected in your MixR group – so you can
should be no more than 50. Your invitation list should be a little larger than your continue the conversation, share information, and even organize future activities
target to account for last-minute cancellations. with them. They can also suggest ideas for events.
CONSIDER A CO-HOST The MixR team is available to help you at any time with questions – email
You can host the salon on your own or you can share the planning marina@mixr.net or angela.gyetvan@mixr.net
responsibility by asking someone to co-host. Having a friend to work with
allows you to split up the planning responsibilities and expand your invitation SALON FORMAT
list. As you plan your salon, it is important to keep in mind that the format is
designed to create an environment in which attendees feel comfortable,
CHOOSE A VENUE engaged and ready to work together.
Salon conversations have been held in homes, small apartments, church
basements, conference rooms and hair salons. The venue should be a private DO’S & DON’TS
space that is comfortable, provides for large and breakout group discussions,
and allows for attendees to mingle. Do:
n Invite a variety of people to foster a dynamic conversation;
BUDGET & LOGISTICS
n Allow time for your guests to mingle before beginning the program; and
Hosting a salon does not require a large financial commitment.
n Task someone ahead of time with collecting each participant’s
The costs associated include light refreshments you plan to provide, printing worksheet for safekeeping.
or copying of materials and name badges should you desire. Your expenses n Encourage your guests to “Check their titles at the door”.
will vary depending on how many guests you are hosting, but remember the
Every Black woman’s story and experience is extremely valuable
food and beverages are intended as a means to the conversation, so don’t
overspend. to this process.
n Contact salons@higherheightsforamerica.org should you have
If possible, please have access to a laptop, tablet or smart tv to log in and watch questions or need clarity about information in the toolkit
the opening but if you do not have access to that technology in the space you
or executing the salon.
will be in, please have access to a telephone with a speaker so you can dial into
the webinar and hear the opening remarks.
To help organize and support community building across salons we are using Don’t:
Mixr.net, a platform that allows hosts to invite guests to their salon through n Overspend on refreshments and venue
social media and email as well as message to them easily before and after the
n #BlackWomenVote, surveys, toolkits and content herein
salon as well as provide a uniform way for us to collect and track the number
are trademarked and copyrighted by Higher Heights and are to only
of participants in all of the salons.
be used as part of the national night of Sister to Sister Salon
To create your group and Mixr, go to www.BlackWomenVote.com/salon and conversations
click on the widget to get started.
1) Click the picture in the MixR widget to join the “Truth Tellers Salon Hosts” REPORT BACK TO HIGHER HEIGHTS
group on MixR Higher Heights will be drawing from the worksheets and survey responses
as we speak to the media and stake holders leading up to and immediately
2) Register to join the group:
following Election Day. We ask that all salon worksheets be sent to the office
a. When entering your interests, include Politics, Voting by Friday, October 19th. They can be emailed to
and African American Women salons@higherheightsforamerica.org in .pdf, .jpeg, .png or .tif format.
b. Don’t forget to upload a profile photo! All of the themes from the salon conversations and the engagement of salon
3) Now it’s time to create your own group for your Sister Salon participants will be compiled in a post-election report which will reiterate the
need to invest deeply in Black women votes as early as possible to continue to
a. Click the “Create a Group/Start a mixr” button expand their already impressive performance at the polls.
8
LOGISTICS & BUDGET PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING TO HELP PLAN YOUR SALON. Salon Location: ____________________________ Salon Host(s): _____________________________ Do you have access to a laptop, tablet, smart TV or telephone with speaker that will enable you to connect to salon welcome segment? Additional needs: SALON BUDGET Food & Beverage $ ___________ Printing (sign-in sheets and other materials) $ ___________ General Supplies (name badges, pens, notepads, etc) $ ___________ Misc. $ ___________ TOTAL $ ___________ # of People Invited: __________ # of People RSVP’d: __________ # of People Attended: _________ 9
GUEST LIST NAME EMAIL ADDRESS PHONE NUMBER(S) 10
INVITATION COPY SUBJECT: Join me on Tuesday, October 16th for Truth Tellers: A National Night of Sister to Sister Salon Conversations exploring Black women’s political power Sojourner Truth once said, “If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back and get it right side up again!” Did you know that Black women represent a growing economic and voter base? We vote in higher numbers than our male counterparts. We influence how 85 cents to every dollar is spent in our community. We volunteer and donate our time and money to community organizations and our churches. Yet, according to a study from the University of California, the U.S. political system ignores Black women’s voices in political decisions more than any other group. By showing our power at the polls to support issues we care about we will help make sure Black women’s voices, votes and leadership matter. At this pivotal time in our nation’s history, Higher Heights is convening Truth Tellers National Night of Sister to Sister Salon Conversations on Tuesday, October 16th at 7:00 p.m. ET to, in Sojourner’s words, “turn the world right side up again.” The Truth Tellers National Night of Sister to Salon Conversations will convene 100 conversations simultaneously to discuss the challenges and opportunities to increase our civic engagement and mobilize our networks to the polls this November and in future elections. I have joined Higher Heights’ efforts to engage and mobilize Black women just like us by hosting a salon on October 16th, and I want to make sure we are a part of this national effort and conversation to elevate Black women’s voices in the national political debate. Join me at ________________________________________ at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, October 16th for this urgent conversation in our community. After you RSVP, please complete the short survey found at bit.ly/BWV_PreSalon to help us create a baseline for the level of civic engagement of our participants. I hope you will join me for this timely and important conversation. Please let me know if you can attend by (INSERT DATE). Sincerely, (YOUR NAME) 11
SALON FORMAT
Truth Tellers National Night of Sister to Sister Salon Conversations being held on Tuesday, October 16th will be a two-hour event opened by welcome remarks by
the Higher Heights co-founders and special guests to frame this special evening. The opening conversation will be broadcast on AnyMeeting.com and through a
dial in conference call number. After the introduction presentation, the conversations will be turned over to our hosts to facilitate the small group work. Remem-
ber that at the end of the salon your group should have identified a set of issues and solutions that you will submit to Higher Heights.
Here is a sample schedule for a salon conversation.
Guests Arrive: As guests arrive have them sign in and mingle with other arriving guests. You can have the refreshments served
or give instructions for guests to self-serve. (15 Minutes)
Welcome and Introductions: The national welcome will begin at 7:20 pm ET. The welcome will be broadcast on AnyMeeting.com,
an internet based webinar platform that does not require any downloads. It can be logged into on a laptop,
tablet or smart TV by going to https://www.anymeeting.com/743-469-643
The webinar can also be accessed by phone if you are not able to login by dialing 863-208-0120
access code: 415-5567#.
Higher Heights co-founders and special guests will provide a welcome and framing for the evening.
(20 Minutes)
Small Group Instructions: A host/facilitator will read the instructions for the small group work. (3 Minutes)
Group Activity: Attendees should be split into groups of 4-6 people, depending on the total number of attendees.
The groups should be given 20-25 minutes to complete the group activity. Instruct the groups that they should
pick a scribe (someone to capture the group responses); a reporter (someone who will present the summary
of the groups responses); and a timekeeper (someone to keep the group on track and moving through
the exercise). (25 Minutes)
Report Back: Reconvene the larger group and have the reporter from each group present their group responses.
(20 Minutes)
After all of the groups have presented, identify a scribe to take down the larger group discussion.
The facilitator/host should then lead the larger group in prioritizing the issues and solutions presented.
(20 Minutes)
Offer GOTV Tools: Provide your guests with information on the Higher Heights BlackWomenVote.com website, where they
can link to local voter registration resources and find out where and the deadlines for registration.
They also in most cases can see sample ballots and find out about ballot initiatives and candidates.
You may also want to provide information on any voter ID laws, voter eligibility requirements
(such as whether formerly incarcerated individuals can vote in your state) and discuss a plan to help those
who may need it get to the polls.
Wrap-Up: Using the “Staying Engaged” sheet as a guide, (page 17), the host/facilitator will discuss next steps.
12SALON EXECUTION
HOST SCRIPT (WHY WE GATHER)
Black women are known for being reliable voters. Nearly 16 million are eligible largest U.S. cities. 2
to vote, and 73 percent of us from that group are registered. We had the Did you know? Black women die during pregnancy and childbirth at three to
highest voter turnout rate of all groups in 2008 and 2012, and the second four times the rate for white women--and that we’re twice as likely to die from
highest in 2016 despite voter registration laws that prevented many of us from cervical cancer as our white counterparts with the disease. 3
going to the polls in places like North Carolina, Wisconsin and Florida.
These numbers are telling and shocking. Black women are fully engaging in the
In spite of efforts to dilute our voting power, recent elections underscore economic system, yet we’re woefully underpaid for our labor. We’re turning up
not only how strong it is, but also how critical our on-the-ground strategy is
and delivering political wins, but our power at the polls isn’t translating as readily
to bringing home wins for candidates. For example, we played a pivotal role as it should into policies that improve our situations and resulting in more of us
in helping Doug Jones win Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat. We delivered holding elected office. This evening Higher Heights is convening Black women
progressive governors to Virginia and New Jersey in 2017. And, of course, we from across the country for a national conversation and call to action. Truth
helped Barack Obama win the White House twice.
Tellers: A National Night of Sister to Sister Salon Conversations will allow us to
explore and strategize how we can begin to change this dynamic.
But before we begin tonight’s conversation, let’s take a moment to consider
whether we are getting a fair return on our investment in the form of political- This is our work for the evening. Higher Heights wants to hear from Black
leadership parity and policies that address our concerns. women just like us. What are the issues that affect our families, communities,
and nation? What are our thoughts on the best way to address these issues?
Did you know? Black women’s spending power is estimated at over What are the challenges to exercising your right to vote and mobilizing your
$565 billion. Yet, we earn just 64 cents for every dollar earned by a white man1
network to the polls? What are strategies or messages that Black women
This directly and negatively impacts our wealth. can use to organize our networks to the polls? What can Black women do
collectively/individually to make sure #BlackWomenVote in 2018 and beyond?
Did you know? That although we’ve surpassed or matched all other racial and
gender subgroups in voter turnout, only three Black women are currently There are no right or wrong answers, just honest ones. We want you to
elected to statewide executive office. Twenty Black women are serving in U.S. imagine an America in which Black women are full participants in making the
House of Representatives, and only one is serving in the U.S. Senate. There decisions that affect our lives, communities, and nation.
are just seven Black woman currently serving as the mayor of one of our 100
13As you know, Higher Heights requested that each participant complete a We are going to start by taking some time individually to write down our
survey about their feelings about voting and previous voting experiences prior thoughts and then break into small groups to discuss. Each group will work
to coming to this salon. In addition to gathering discussions from this evening’s together to determine what are the strongest themes emerging from your
salons, you will be surveyed again after the salon and after Election Day to discussion that you will report back to the entire group.
ascertain the impact tonight’s conversation on your engagement in the election.
We will reconvene as a full group to discuss and prioritize a set of top issues
This information will be compiled salon by salon and will be highlighted in a and barriers, opportunities, and solutions that this salon will report back to
report describing the recurring themes from the salon conversations as well as Higher Heights.
the sentiments and engagement of salon participants in the November election.
Higher Heights is working to prove that when Black women understand the
Higher Heights will compile our responses from tonight and the surveys we will power that they have to influence elections and are provided the tools to
complete over the next several weeks to help illustrate how Black women can mobilize their networks to the polls, our Democracy thrives.
raise their collective voice at the voting booth and hold their elected leaders
accountable at every level of government when there is deep investment in
educating and mobilizing Black women.
n n n
1. Data from National Women’s Law Center. www.nwlc.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/equal_pay_for_afam_women_2.pdf; July2014
2. Data from the Center for American Women and Politics, Eagleton Institute for Politics,Rutgers University. www.cawp.rutgers.edu/fast_facts/women_of_color/FastFacts_AfricanAmericanWomeninOffice.php
3.R.A. Williams,“Cardiovascular disease in African American women: a healthcare disparities issue,” 2009 in Journal of National Medical Association 101(6):536-40. Pub Med, PMID:19585921.
14GROUP ACTIVITIES
Break up into groups of 4-6 people, depending on the total number of attendees and work together to answer the following set of questions.
Groups have 20-25 minutes to complete the group activity. Each group should identify a scribe (someone to write down the group responses) and a reporter
(someone who will present the summary of the groups responses).
1). What are the top three 2). Have you talked to Black women about
issues facing our community? voting in the upcoming election?
Were they receptive? Why or why not?
3). What are strategies or messages 4). What can Black women do collectively/
that Black women can use to individually to make sure #BlackWomenVote
organize our networks to the polls? in 2018 and beyond?
15PARTICIPANT THANK YOU NOTES Thank You! I think you would agree that our Truth Tellers: A National Night of Sister to Sister Salon Conversations was powerful! Your participation was greatly appreciated and extrememly valuable. This conversation clearly reinforced the need to not only harness Black women’s collective political power to address the inequities that exist in our communities, but also the need to continuously educate Black women and provide them with the tools they need to mobilize their networks to the polls in each and every election to hold our elected officials accountable to the priorities of our communities. Please take a moment to complete the survey found here to help Higher Heights measure the impact of our conversation and best support civic engagement. I hope you will join me in supporting Higher Heights and the #BlackWomenVote initiative by making a contribution at www.BlackWomenVote.com/donate or hosting your own salon conversation with your extended network in the months to come. Thank you. (YOUR NAME) 16
POST SALON & STAYING ENGAGED
WRAP UP
Be sure to thank your hosts and attendees for their participation.
We also ask that you send your guests our post salon survey so that we can accurately record participants feelings about the salon and voting. The link can be
found here and it has also been added to the sample thank you note on the next page. Please feel free to customize the note to your liking.
REPORT BACK
Share the details and information from your salon with Higher Heights and add to the voices of thousands of Black women across the country. We ask that you
share the following:
n Completed Salon Logistics Sheet (page 9)
n Copies of Salon Sign-In Sheets
n Copies of each groups’ scribe salon worksheets
Please share all requested information with Higher Heights team by Friday, October 19th.
SUBMIT YOUR INFORMATION TO HIGHER HEIGHTS
VIA EMAIL: Attach copies of the items listed above and email them to salons@higherheightsforamerica.org
BY MAIL: Mail copies of the items listed above to:
Higher Heights
147 Prince Street, Suite 34
Brooklyn, NY 11201
LEADING UP TO ELECTION DAY
Higher Heights will be providing weekly actions for salon participants to engage in leading up to Election Day. The actions will be disseminated via email and social
media and encourage conversation and actions to mobilize as many in the participants networks as possible to the polls.
#BlackWomenVote #TruthTeller Salon participants will be encouraged to watch and participate in our Pre-Election Day virtual Sunday Brunch which will be
broadcast on Facebook Live on Sunday, October 28th.
AFTER ELECTION DAY
Higher Heights wants to know how we did. In the days after the election, Truth Teller National Night of Salon participants will be sent a short survey to measure
their participation in voting, the participation of their network and their feelings about participating. Participants will also be encouraged to connect with local
partner organizations and take steps in the weeks and months to come to continue their civic engagement.
17Follow the Campaign
#BlackWomenVote
HigherHeights
HigherHeights4
HigherHeights4
BlackWomenVote.com
Ph. (646) 494•9620
Higher Heights
147 Prince Street, Suite 34
Brooklyn, NY 11201
18You can also read
