Change happens at the Encampment
“Growing up, I got one perspective, but in the Encampment, I got to see what peers from different backgrounds are doing and feeling. It’s one thing to hear about Black Lives Matter in social media, but it’s so powerful when you hear what people are really going through — it changes you as a person.” — Moncerrat, 2020 Encamper
In this tumultuous, scary and very challenging year, I’m reaching out to speak to you directly and to include the voices of some recent Encampers — they give me hope and inspiration for the future. They remind me that they are depending on the transformative experiences, skills and support that the Encampment provides as they make their vision of a more just and inclusive world a reality.
The Encampment has adjusted and expanded our programming to keep people safe during COVID-19 and create more connections in the EFC community. This summer’s virtual intensive was different from the in-person experience, but provided the crucial community, skill-building and thought-provoking experiences that have always been a part of the Encampment
I attended the Encampment in 1971 in Great Falls, Montana, and experienced the deep transformation and inspiration that happens at the Encampment. We created our own world and addressed the conflicts and social divisions that emerged. This experience showed me that it’s possible to create a community of people from very different backgrounds that celebrates difference and addresses disparity and division as it emerges.
When I left the Encampment, I felt isolated and unsure of how to translate my experience into action, and I missed the intimacy, inspiration and open dialogue of my Encampment community. During COVID-19, we found that going virtual provides opportunities for the kind of post-Encampment support that would have made a difference to me and so many other alums back then — and to share our work with the larger EFC community.
The Encampment community is composed of individuals — like you — from all walks of life who have fought for and continue to fight for social justice in many different ways. Their expertise and example can support young people today who are confronted with systemic racism, sexism, climate change, economic inequity, trans/homophobia, and the increased authoritarianism and polarization that threaten the well-being of us all.
Given the urgency of these times, we have built in follow-up programming that supports immediate actions such as these projects that 2020 Encampers are working on: advocating for curriculum that portrays Native American culture in a local school district; setting up a recycling program at a school; and getting out the vote. “I’m working on a plan with my school to create more sustainability on our campus. Being able to talk with everyone and bounce ideas off each other [in Zoom meetings] really helps.” — Nicholas, EFC 2020
In addition, we have launched two year-round internships for post-high-school age youth that create next steps for their development as activists and a pipeline for greater youth engagement with the Encampment’s work — the Fellows Program and Youth Advisory Council (YAC) Internships. They join our successful Pesticide-Free Soil Project. (2020 Encamper and PFSP intern Lilia is featured in the video. You can learn more about EFC programs at http://encampmentforcitizenship.org.)
“The Fellows program helped me develop a very different skillset from when I went through [the summer program] as an Encamper … The work we did highlighted where power lives and how it moves through communities.” — Rachel Godfrey, 2020 Fellow
“The highlight has been initiating the Community Call-In, creating a space for 20 recent alums (2013–2020) to re-engage with the EFC. We also started a series of workshops on voting rights for Pace University’s Black Student Union that have generated a lot of energy for getting out the vote.” — Marquise Steward, YAC Intern/Advisor
These programs are part of the EFC’s expanded vision. As we look toward our 75th anniversary in 2021, the movement we continue to build is more important than ever for the future of our world.
Thank you for your support of the Encampment. We invite you to be part of our growing vision. Your financial contribution will ensure that the next generation of social justice leaders continues to strengthen their voices, build their skills and resilience, and provide the inspiration to grow the EFC community — and change the world.
As long as young people are showing up ready to make change, we must continue to support them and our collective vision for a better world. Let’s work together to make this happen!
Margot Gibney, EFC Executive Director
Ways to participate:
- Make a generous donation today or by the end of the year.
- Help us to reach out to your fellow alums who are not in contact with EFC.
- Provide virtual expertise and support to recent Encampers now or at next year’s Encampment.
- Help recruit 2021 Encampers.
- Join a board committee.
(Contact us at admin@encampmentforcitizenship.org or 831-515-6775.)
Clockwise from top left: Marquise Steward, Rachel Godfrey, Moncerrat and Nicholas.