Help the Encampment to Plant and Nourish the Seeds of Democracy

My name is Alex Tom and I participated in the Encampment for Citizenship more than 32 years ago at Point Bonita in San Francisco. I’m writing to ask you to invest in our future and the future of democracy by supporting the Encampment’s work.

The Encampment transformed my world view and continues to plant the seeds of justice, resistance and change. It’s one of the reasons that I’m still in the movement today. To put it simply: We are here to build a better world and we need each other. As you know, the need is especially urgent in these times for all of us to work together to defend and strengthen our democracy and prepare future leaders.

In 1992, I was an angry 16-year-old Asian-American who had experienced racial injustice and bullying. Now, I’ve been working in the social justice field for more than 25 years, and I’m the executive director of the Center for Empowered Politics Education Fund, a capacity-building organization where we build and develop leadership of movement leaders and organizations across the country at the intersection of racial justice, grassroots organizing, and power building.

It’s been a long journey, but those first seeds were planted at the Encampment. The EFC has a profound approach to social justice education that is not theoretical but experiential. The EFC taught me praxis. I learned how to build relationships and understand folks across race, class, gender, sexual orientation, geography. I learned how to handle conflict. We learned about systems of oppression and ways to address them.

I still remember going to the fields to pick lettuce with an organization that gleaned lettuce for the local food bank; a role reversal exercise in which the males pretended to walk down a street and listened to the sexist comments that girls and women would typically hear; holding a youth conference called Empowered Youth Educating Society (E.Y.E.S.) that later became a project of the Encampment that developed local leadership ... and more.

Most importantly, EFC gave me the tools of deep listening, critical thinking, humility, and patience to build toward the self and social transformation we all need and deserve.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but the Encampment is a bold program: It is not a prescriptive place where you need to do x, y and z but is one where you deepen values and empathy for others. I still remember trying to do consensus decision-making and that being a painful experience. I don’t think I made the connection that that was democracy. The way I do that now is by embodying“governing power” work — I remind everyone that it’s not just about the government. That we need to learn how to self-govern in our families, organizations, and communities and movements. Everything takes some level of leadership and governance to be effective.

As a movement “yelder,” I often share with young people about the seeds planted during the Encampment. My EFC experience has shown me that a lot of social justice learning happens through intergenerational spaces. It’s not just about older people telling the younger people what to do or what happened; it’s bi-directional. Every generation has a lot to learn from each other. My social justice work has affirmed and confirmed that that is what preserves the inspiration, the hope, and the long arc.

In the short run, here is just a sampling of what 2024 Encampers are doing with their recent Encampment experience.

“They Encampment encouraged me to share my passion for my culture with my school and community. I am advocating for our school to have more traditional Native activities, such as hand-game tournaments, sweat lodges, and sewing ribbon skirts.” — Evangeline

“As someone deeply affected by police violence, I found a safe space to practice sharing my story and raising awareness about this issue, and I am working on a short documentary about my father's case.” —Nicolas

“This spring, I will be leading a pre-law course at my school focused on the causes of mass incarceration. At the EFC, I practiced articulating my thoughts and ideas, which was essential in getting the course approved by the administration.” — Brooklynn

I'm helping to kick off the Encampment's year-end fundraising campaign. Please join me in affirming the inspiration, hope, and long arc of justice that the Encampment represents by making a generous contribution today. Our goal is to raise $35,000 from individuals by December 31 — our fiscal year end. Did you know that the Encampment is funded primarily by people like you giving whatever they can afford to keep the EFC's work alive tor the newest generattion of social justice leaders? Your gift of any amount makes a difference in the EFC’s ability to keep providing the kind of profound social justice education that plants and nourishes the seeds of democracy. To have an even greater impact, consider becoming a monthly, quarterly, or annual sustainer.

In solidarity,

Alex Tom

Our Federal EIN is 30-0694938.