So you wanna be an organizer?
We want you, too.
Whether you’re a seasoned activist or only recently got involved, we’ve got you covered.
*It should go without saying, but all 50501 organizers are uncompensated volunteers. None of us are paid for organizing or being involved in the movement in any capacity, and we pay for supplies like water, signs, tables, megaphones, etc. out of our own pockets and sometimes with the help of donations from our local community.
Self-Evaluation
Before jumping in, please consider how much risk you are willing to take on. This administration is disappearing activists and organizers at a higher-than-average pace, and becoming an organizer will require you to make some changes to your life for your own safety, the safety of your loved ones, and the safety of your fellow organizers. If you’re fairly risk-averse, you can still organize and support the movement. But it’s good to know where your boundaries are.
How much time each week do you have to commit to organizing? There’s no correct number, but knowing what you actually have available will help keep you from overcommitting. Organizing can very quickly become the equivalent of a full-time or multiple full-time jobs, if you let it. So again, knowing your boundaries and what you can feasibly offer is helpful.
Determine what you actually want to spend your time doing. Do you want to lead chants at protests? Do you want to make sure protests are happening in the first place? Do you want to march, collect food donations, make phone calls, etc? Where is your heart and attention? Front line organizing requires a lot of communication with others, attention to detail, and managing people and projects. There are whole teams of folks with specialized skillsets who ensure the movement runs. Maybe you’re good at making social media videos, or you can research and compile data, or coordinate supplies and volunteers. These are all valuable organizing roles too!
Which organization(s) do you want to get involved with? Of course, we hope 50501 SC is on your mind, but there are also dozens of other great organizations out there!
If you’re new to activism and/or organizing, we recommend getting involved with one organization at a time so you are less overwhelmed while onboarding and orienting.
Organizing with 50501 South Carolina
Yay, we made your list! First things first, join our Discord.
Once you’re accepted into the Discord server and have your role(s), you’ll head over to the #main-street channel and request a call with our Vetting Team.
Why do we vet our organizers? This isn’t about gatekeeping. It’s about safety. We are a decentralized movement, but we are still aligned with the national movement. We do our best to ensure we are organizing with people who share our values and commitments and who aren’t going to put the movement or members at risk. This is also why we make every attempt to reach out to groups who are using our name but are unknown to us.After vetting, you’ll receive access to several organizer resources and schedule two primary trainings (de-escalation and OpSec) that must be completed by all 50501 organizers.
Once you’ve finished vetting and training, you’ll be a 50501 SC organizer and have access to our resources, support, and team — and our event marketing too!
Volunteering with 50501 South Carolina
Some folks don’t want to be organizers, but do want to volunteer. Great! Your first step is the same as an organizer: join our Discord and let us know you want to volunteer. We’ll take it from there!
You can also fill out our volunteer form here. We still encourage you to join our organizer Discord though. 🧑💻