WAYS OF MAKING CHANGE

Adapted from Gene Sharp, The Methods of Nonviolent Action, Boston 1973

Nonviolently protesting, convincing, not working together and getting involved

• Writing your opinions – What is the problem?
• Speaking about what matters to you to other people [public speeches]
• Writing letters against or in agreement with an idea
• Having people sign petitions, which are letters many people sign to show they agree with something
• Using banners and posters to get your message out
• Writing brochures or pamphlets, which are like little books that tell your opinions about an idea
• Making newspapers or magazines

Group Work

• Doing group lobbying, which means talking to people like your local Congressperson or mayor about issues that matter to the group
• Picketing, which means holding up signs, marching, or yelling about your issue next to a business or office that is your enemy on the issue
• Holding public rallies where many people can gather to show they agree or disagree with an issue
• Hold a meeting/training to teach people about your issue
• Holding vigils, where a group of people meet at an important place, stay for a long time [usually at night with candles] to show they think an issue is important
• Having public mournings, where people show their sadness if someone important has died or something bad has happened
• Holding a march where a group of people walk in their town to show their opinion about something
• Creating a parade to celebrate your issues
• Having a pilgrimage where many people walk a long way such as across towns or states to show the importance of their issue

Symbolic Acts, which are events that make people think of a bigger issue

• Giving mock or fake awards that can be funny and get people to think about the issue
• Having mock or fake elections where people vote to protest how an issue or election is being handled
• Doing a mock or fake funerals where people go to show that they believe something important has ended
• Showing respect where important people are buried
• Wearing symbols like pins, hats, and clothes to show your opinion about an issue
• Giving things or items to important people that mean something about your issue
• Taking off clothes to bring attention to your issue
• Fasting or not eating to force people to pay attention to your issue

Drama and Music

• Performing skits, plays, poetry, or music in places where lots of people are around
• Singing songs that tell about your issue

Not Accepting the Situation

• A “Walk Out” is done by a big group leaving a place they should be, all at once, because they believe something is wrong with the place. Like lots of students leaving school one day because they disagree with the dress code
• Using silence lets people show their disagreement on an issue because it makes them stand out from the crowd that is always talking about the issue.
• Not accepting an award or honor from a group can show people you disagree with what that group on an issue

Not Working Together and Meaning it

• A big group, like a city or a state, not having sports' games or parties to show they are angry about an issue
• Boycotting, not being a part of things, like parties or dances because you disagree with something about them
• Having a student strike. This is when students do not go to class because they disagree with something the school has done
• Not going to places you disagree with something about like a club or church

Economic Boycotts are when people don't buy certain thing to make a point

• Boycotting businesses happens when a group of people disagree with a business about an issue and decide not to buy anything from there
• Going to only certain stores to buy things because you agree with them on issues
• Having a stay-in strike means that a group of people stay in a store or business refusing to leave to show their opinion on an issue
• Giving stuff away and not buying stuff you don't need
• Not paying rent on your house
• Not putting money in certain banks that you disagree with
• Not paying money you owe to people or certain places because you disagree with them on certain issue

Ways People who Work Protest

• A protest strike happens people who work at a certain place all stop working at once to show their opinion on an issue
• A work slow-down happens when many people who work at a place slow down doing work or making stuff to show their opinion about an issue
• A sick-in strike happens when people who work at a certain place all call in to say that their sick to stop work at the place to show their opinion about an issue
• A general strike happens when people who work from different businesses stop working all at once to show their opinion about an issue

Not Getting Along with the Government

• Boycotting elections is when a lot of people together do not vote in an election to show that they disagree with something about the government or election
• A group of people may refuse to leave a public place when they are told to leave by the police or others to show they disagree with something about the government
• People may refuse to go to war or leave the country because they disagree with something the government is doing
• Civil Disobedience is when people refuse to obey a law to protest it
• Many people may try to sign up for something that the government is doing to show that it isn't working

Using Your Body to Protest

• A sit-in happens when a group of people just sit in a place like a business or a government office and refuse to leave to show their opinion on an issue
• A stand-in is like a sit-in, instead of sitting a group of people stand up and refuse to leave a business or a government office to show their opinion on an issue
• A ride-in happens when a group of people ride a vehicle like a bus and refuse to get off of it to show their opinion on an issue
• A wade-in happens when a group of people go into something like a fountain and refuse to leave in order to show their opinion on an issue
• A pray-in happens when a group of people pray and refuse to leave a place like a business or government office in order to show their opinion an issue
• A speak-in happens when a group of people take turns talking at a place like a business or a government office and refuse to leave to show their opinion on an issue
• A hunger strike happens when a group of refuse to eat for a long time in order to show their opinion on an issue

Make Your Own Ideas Work

• People trade work. For example you can baby-sit for someone and then they could help you fix your car
• Set up team bike rides or car pools where people ride together to a certain place
• Make a website that gets your opinions out there