Last week, the Center for Media Justice and our friends from Colectivo Flatlander and the Berkeley Media Studies Group hosted a first-ever “communications clinic.” The clinic happened as part of the Communities Creating Healthy Environments (CCHE) capacity-building initiative administered by the Praxis Project. Grantees from across the country called in for the first of these regularly scheduled clinics with questions about communications systems, like how to maintain press lists and logs, how often and what to blog about, and how to leverage social media to maximize your communications work.
These clinics are just one component of the technical assistance provided through CCHE, and they’re an opportunity for CCHE grantees to call in to troubleshoot, brainstorm, ask questions, or just learn about things strategic communications. Through CCHE, CMJ and other technical assistance providers work with grantee organizations to assess, develop, strategize and plan communications activities, along with a healthy dose of education and training.
Did you know the meme “Health Care is a Right Not a Privilege” came out of the national, inaugural gathering of free health clinics in 1972?
Like health care, the Center for Media Justice believes that the means and access to communication is a right, not a privilege. Hence, our slogan: “Because the power to communications should belong to everyone.” Movement-centered strategic communications can support organizing goals by encouraging dialog and recognition to shift public debate. Take a look at some of the Center for Media Justice’s free tools to grow and measure your own communications impact. If you’re interested in workshops and training, coaching, facilitation or press work support, don’t be a stranger! Hit me up at [email protected].