Join students, youth, community members, and leaders as we convene at All Souls Unitarian Church for the Rise for Democracy Teach-In on January 25th! The teach-in will run from 10am to 8pm and feature organizing workshops and trainings as well as brunch, dinner, & ASL interpretation.

During the teach-in, we will explore:

• What attacks we might expect on our communities & freedoms; 
• What effectively organizing against autocracy looks like; 
• What we can learn from student/grassroots democracy movements around the world;
• How we can create mutual aid networks between students and community members for our collective wellbeing;
• And how we make people-centered democratic institutions stronger. 

We’ll pay particular attention to discussing how we can defend DC & wider American democracy from certain attack, and how we defeat threats to federal workers, elected leaders, and vulnerable communities.

Ultimately, this gathering and teach-in aims to create a loving environment for pro-democracy movements and will serve as one of the best opportunities to energize students and community members to defend democracy, protect DC autonomy, and resist Project 2025.

Who Should Attend

This is a teach-in for young people, students, and community members interested in organizing around democracy and understanding how democracy is the bedrock for advancing on climate, labor rights, immigrant rights, LGBTQ rights, etc…

Speakers Will Include

• Kelsye Adams, Executive Director of Long Live GoGo & Organizing Director of DC Vote
• Marge Baker, Executive Vice President, People For the American Way
• Brianna Cea, Executive Director and Founder, Generation Vote
• Keya Chatterjee, Executive Director, Free DC, a new organization focused on protecting DC’s autonomy
• Hiram Cortez, Executive Director, Many Languages, One Voice
• Sam Epps, President, Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO
• Lisa Gilbert, Co-President, Public Citizen
• John Paul Mejia, National Spokesperson, Sunrise Movement
• Christian Nunes, President, National Organization for Women
• Linda Sarsour, Executive Director, MPower Change
• Silvia Zenteno, Director of Movement Partnerships, Planned Parenthood
• And many more… Check out the program for the full and up to date speaker list.

Key Takeaways — We Aim To:

• Educate students and community members with experts and trainings on how to advocate under creeping autocracy for inclusive democracy and address threats to our freedoms and our rights.
• Energize students & community members to build a more inclusive movement, defending DC from federal overreach, and organizing against autocracy/Project 2025.
• Engage students & community members to take action after the teach-in with the various groups leading different aspects of the movement.

Teach-In General Info

• January 25th, 2025 from 10am to 8pm (brunch & dinner will be provided)
• All Souls Unitarian Church, 1500 Harvard St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009
• Nearest Metro Stop: Columbia Heights, Green Line (also a 20-minute walk from Woodley Park Adams Morgan Station, Red Line)
• Closest bus lines: S2, 42 and 43
  
• See the current list of workshops in the Preview Program. ASL interpretation is planned for featured sessions in the Sanctuary. Additional interpreters may be recruited and assigned based on registration, so please register at your earliest convenience.
• The Church’s Accessibility webpage provides the most complete information on site accessibility: https://all-souls.org/accessibility