Lead! Organizing skills for grassroots advocates is a monthly webinar series designed to provide organizing and advocacy skills. Each webinar focuses on one skill through interactive discussions. Whether you are a seasoned advocate or new to organizing, there is something to learn for everyone in our Lead! webinars. Watch the recordings to learn a series of new skills.

Influencing Policy Through Administrative Advocacy

What is administrative advocacy and why is it important? How does NCJW use administrative advocacy to affect change? How can NCJW advocates engage in efforts to impact the decision-making of unelected government officials?

The Power of Storytelling in Raising NCJW’s Visibility

Storytelling – the way we convey fact and narrative to an audience – is at the heart of everything we do at NCJW. In this session, NCJW/Cleveland’s Becky Brouman, Director of Volunteers, Community and Program Development and Jen Boroff, Director of Communications will talk about the elements of a good story. They will also explore how to use section stories to convey messaging to new members, to the media, and to outside audiences-and how to bring to life, through stories and messaging, the important things your section is doing.

Special Lead! Webinar: A Snapshot of Abortion Rights & Access on the 47th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

In 2019, the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) fought back as an unprecedented wave of 25 bans on all, most, or some abortions were enacted across the US. In total, 58 abortion restrictions purposefully designed to give the US Supreme Court the opportunity to chip away at or overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that cemented the constitutional right to abortion, were signed into law. However, as we look forward to 2020, we are inspired by the power of advocates (that’s you!) who helped to enact 36 measures that protect abortion rights, more than in the entire previous decade!

Abortion& Immigration

Are abortion rights and immigration policy related? Why is it important to link these issues in our advocacy? What can we do to lift up those impacted by restrictive abortion laws that target immigrants? This is the continuation of our special series of Lead! Organizing skills for grassroots activists webinars focusing on the intersection of Abortion& other critical issues. This training on Abortion& Immigration was led by Jaclyn Dean, Policy Manager at National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) and Sonya Schwartz, Senior Policy Attorney at the National Immigration Law Center.

Abortion& the Supreme Court

Is the Supreme Court’s holding in Roe v. Wade still the law of the land? What is at stake with the continued passage of restrictive abortion laws? What can we do to advocate for a judiciary that will protect the constitutional right to abortion? NCJW and Kate Ryan, Legislative Director at NARAL Pro-Choice America, Lead! the third part of a special summer series of webinars focusing on the intersection of Abortion& other critical issues.

Abortion& Voter Suppression  

Are voting rights and abortion rights related? Why is it important to link these issues in our advocacy? What can we do to lift up those most impacted by policies restricting these critical rights? NCJW and In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda Lead! the second part of a special summer series of webinars focusing on the intersection of Abortion& other critical issues.

Abortion& Faith Messaging

How do we use our faith values to further our activism? How do we break through false narratives and rhetoric surrounding abortion? When should we use faith messaging in our reproductive health, rights, and justice advocacy? NCJW and Catholics for Choice Lead! the first part of a special summer series of webinars focusing on the intersection of Abortion& other critical issues.

Digital Activism Through Social Media

How do we use social media to further our activism? What are the components of a good tweet or Facebook post? How do we target the right people to take action with us? Join us for this intermediate training on using social media for activism. Led by NCJW’s very own Communications Team.

Leadership Development

To Be of Use, Part 2

How to Have a Successful Advocacy Visit

To Be of Use, Part 1*

How do we connect our social justice work to our own personal vision and passion? Join us to explore several different methods of social change, including direct service, advocacy, and community organizing, and discuss the pros and cons of each method.  We will also look at how different organizations and groups have used these methods alone and in combination with one another to create change and how they might use their passions in service of their achieving their vision of a changed world

Responding to Anti-Semitic Comments

Anti-semitism comes up in our work all the time. It’s particularly disheartening when it comes from our partners and allies. Through understanding the systemic and pervasive nature of antisemitism, we can move forward with learning tools to respond to it. With this training, we can learn how to hold partners accountable for their hurtful remarks without breaking our relationship so we can continue to work together to build a more just world. This will be a 90-minute training featuring Cherie Brown the Founder and CEO of the National Coalition Building Institute.

Telling effective stories

Storytelling is a powerful tool that helps us educate our communities, sway public opinion on our issues, and garner public support for our efforts. Join West End Strategy, our public relations firm, to learn how to tell an effective story, understand your target audience, and tailor your story to them.

How to build a relationship with a lawmaker

Build relationships with lawmakers new and old, regardless of whether they are champions on our issues or not. Why? Because have more power to advance our policy agenda when we gain our lawmakers’ trust and respect through frequent interactions and communication. Legislative relationship experts Heather Silverman, Program Director of NCJW St. Louis, and Dianna Fine, Missouri State Policy Advocate discuss building relationships with lawmakers beyond an advocacy visit.