The impacts of climate change coupled with the continued economic deterioration of our communities pose urgent challenges for grassroots community organizing. New systems rooted in justice and new economic models are needed to empower our communities and pave the road to a new energy economy.

One such challenge is to close the cultural divide and knowledge gap between grassroots community organizations and new economy advocates. Many community organizations build political power fighting defensive battles; while new economy alternatives lack a base and political power. We will create a space for community organizations, environmental justice groups, and new economy groups to engage with one another to close this gap. This network gathering will be an opportunity to share experiences and challenges in combining community organizing models with just, sustainable economic development.

The goals of the network gathering are to:

• Support the mobilization of grassroots communities to engage in organizing for new alternatives, new programs, and new energy economy development.
• Shared dialogue and knowledge of community expertise and technical knowledge with advocates, intermediaries and catalyzers
• Shared perspectives and takeaways on how to organize and build community power for development of the new energy economy.
• Build relationships and trust and support pathways for collaboration among community organizers, catalysts, developers, policy advocates 
• Shared narrative on organizing power for the new energy economy.

This is a closed gathering, but if you are interested in attending please contact: Jordan Estevao at National People’s Action at jordan [at] npa-us.org