DATE: August 30 1:00 PM TO 5:00 PM
Location: Virtual
Because of the Delta and Delta Plus COVID-19 variants, the National Justice Roundtable Inaugural Session will be virtual-only.
The Dream March on Washington for DC Statehood, Green Earth, and Justice Planning Committee would like to invite you to participate in a "Dream March on Washington" to commemorate the anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1963 March on Washington.
The Dream March on Washington For D.C. Statehood, Green Earth, and Justice – the Three-Issue Alliance – is organized to commemorate the 1963 “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.” March participants will include elected officials, individuals, and sponsoring organizations that support the three issues. All participants are asked to commit to pursuing a unified agenda that prioritizes D.C. statehood, a Green Earth, and Justice for all. The commemorative weekend will feature three days of events and a Virtual March.
More details and information on how to participate is listed below. Scroll down for the latest developments and organizing tool kits.
Because of the Delta and Delta Plus COVID-19 variants, this event will be virtual only.
DATE: August 28, 8:30 AM ET to 11.00 AM
Staging Location:
The “Dream March for D.C. Statehood, Green Jobs, & Justice” is a THREE-ISSUE-ALLIANCE (the “Alliance”) designed to:
1.) End taxation without representation by making Washington D.C. America’s 51st state.
2.) Save the earth,
3.) Demand equal justice.
Participating organizations and individuals will be asked to commit to supporting the “Dream March.” They will also be asked to support the three issues and assist with developing and implementing an overall plan to get the message out about why people should commemorate the 1963 "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom."
Political leaders and organizations in every state will play an important role in the march organizing campaign. Each organizer should make a list of the organizations and companies in each jurisdiction that could be supportive; think not only of officially registered groups but also "activist organizations" such as ad-hoc committees and working groups. Colleges and universities should be at the top of your list! Identify all possible support groups. Cultivation of support organizations should be done immediately. Letters should be written to organizations to ask for support.
Simply announcing that an organization supports the three-issue-alliance will be a boost to the March. Ask all supporting organizations to register and authorize us to use the organization's name and logo, if any, on this site and printed materials. This support will be particularly effective if the organization is well known and respected.
Ask organizations willing to support the March to go to ADD YOUR ORGANIZATION. Once the commitment is made, ask the group to contact their supporters either by phone or through a mailing or newsletter to announce their support for the March or the Virtual March. Recruit volunteers for concrete campaign tasks such as fundraising, event organizing, etc. If every sponsor agrees to identify at least five other organizations willing to lend their support, this will create a geometric progression that will grow support for the March exponentially in a very short period of time.
We want to design campaign materials for a coordinated national message. We need to immediately contract with a single printer and vendor to produce all or much of the materials, thus gaining savings in the price for all march organizers. Local and state groups may be able to use the logos and images posted on this site. Simply add the local organization’s name, logo, and local information to the designs that will be posted on this site. Button and flyer designs will be posted on the site for your convenience, however your own designs are welcome.
The DCCI will provide posters, leaflets, and platforms at the D.C. March events. State and Local hosts will be responsible for producing their own materials.
Each host group should establish a Planning Committee. The planning committee will craft a consistent message, draft press releases, letters, articles, etc. to let the public and march participants know about the March. All outside communications should be vetted through a Communications Committee and sent to info@douglasscommonwealth.us so we can have it on file. Platforms will include, but not be limited to, social media, public relations, publicist affairs, etc. Each supporting organization's written or recorded support statement would be valuable to post online to get public and press attention.
Letters, interviews, and videos by well-known leaders and celebrities can draw attention to the march, however, this should not be your only strategy. The local march organizers will have to make sure the events have a good turnout of supporters and press. Make sure that the visit does not cost the march too much in time, money and people. All of the benefits of a visit can be squandered if it pulls the march off schedule or uses too many non-budgeted resources. For all events with national organization leaders, local leaderships should be on the dais and introduced during the event. These are also good opportunities to collect names and phone numbers of potential supporters of the organizing efforts supporting DC Statehood, Green Earth, Justice after the March. Weekend.
Our first responsibility is to develop and maintain the budget. Each committee will develop its own
budget.
A Committee budget planning template comprises the following information:
Fundraising for the Dream March will consist of, but not be limited to the following:
(All sponsors will have the right to be listed on participating websites with logos, brands, etc.)
The event planner will be hiring any outside vendors that can provide the service required for the event. When selecting the vendor, you want to be sure it is a reliable company or organization.
Another job for all event planners is to create a guest list and schedule any guest speakers and entertainment for the March events. You will need to come up with multiple options, prior to making the arrangements in case your first selection is not available..
You want to get the meeting notes sent out as soon as they are transcribed and ready. Delegate tasks and set deadlines for the completion of action items as soon possible, record virtual meetings, and keep a copy of the meeting notes in a cloud location to prevent loss and make them easily referenced. Record and post your Virtual March events on social media and report looks and likes to this site.
A prayer vigil can be a communal lament, an act of solidarity, or a time to bring light to brokenness in society. As an act of public witness, it offers the community a space to connect with God so that God’s vision for love and justice can be carried out through us.
Believers understand prayer vigils to be grounded in the power of the Holy Spirit to change people’s hearts and minds and to strengthen us in our work and witness.
Here are some things to consider when you are organizing a prayer vigil as an act of public witness:
As your begin planning your prayer vigil, have your team define the goals and key message. Speakers should reflect this vision in their prayers, songs, remarks, etc.
Are there speakers who are directly impacted that can share their experience? Are there faith leaders who will capture the attention of your decision maker?
The location of your event is sometimes just as important as the message you share. Think about a place that will offer great visibility to the public and to your decision maker.
If your event is ecumenical and/or interfaith, encourage leaders to offer prayers or rituals from their faith tradition. It is a meaningful witness when we come together to lift up shared values and messages while recognizing the distinctiveness of each tradition. Including a diverse representation of leaders emphasizes the breadth of commitment to the issue and demonstrates the power of the collective voice.
Our faith traditions and rituals offer powerful and creative ways to express our values. During a prayer vigil, consider including religious texts, symbols, and rituals (e.g. clerical vestments, candlelit processions, foot washings, and hymns). If your vigil is ecumenical and/or interfaith, be respectful and welcoming of all faiths present and keep from elevating any one tradition over another.
Make visuals that succinctly convey your message. Don’t be afraid to visually call upon decision makers by including their names in your signage.
Livestream your prayer vigil on social media and invite local journalists to attend.
Below is a checklist which assumes up to 6 weeks to plan a prayer vigil. If you are planning a prayer vigil on a tighter schedule, you can adapt the timeline as needed.