TURNING CRISIS TO POWER: RAPID RESPONSE SYSTEMS FOR BASE BUILDING
In the face of escalating attacks on immigrant communities, the need for robust rapid response systems has never been more urgent. During Trump’s second administration, we must not only respond to immediate crises but also deepen our base building and develop the infrastructure to connect mass mobilizing with deep organizing.
Recently, PrYSM (Providence Youth Student Movement) and AARW (Asian American Resource Workshop) shared their hard-earned lessons and strategies for building rapid response systems that support grassroots organizing and membership growth. Here’s what we learned.
PrYSM: Building Impacted Membership Through Anti-Deportation Organizing
PrYSM’s Movement Mistake: We prioritized direct services over base building
PrYSM’s anti-deportation work began in response to the Trump first administration’s targeting of Southeast Asian communities, particularly Cambodian and Vietnamese individuals. Through their Rhode Island Civic Engagement (RICE) program, PrYSM provided critical support, including legal resources, financial aid, and mutual aid. However, in their urgency to meet immediate needs, PrYSM fell into a transactional model of organizing.
By focusing solely on direct services, PrYSM missed opportunities to connect these efforts to broader campaigns and leadership development. This approach left little room to build deeper political relationships with community members. Over time, this transactional dynamic weakened solidarity among members, who became less likely to support each other’s cases or engage in collective action.
Shifts Made: Centering Leadership Development and Organizational Infrastructure
PrYSM is now working to remedy these mistakes by:
Defining Boundaries and Priorities: PrYSM clarified the work they are committed to and the work they cannot hold, ensuring staff focus on long-term goals rather than just reactive responses.
Investing in Membership Development: PrYSM hired a membership coordinator and developing a theory of change to guide their programs and campaigns.
Legitimizing Organizers’ Work: PrYSM used the Participatory Defense Model to center community members as experts and leaders in their own cases, rather than relying solely on lawyers.
Building Intergenerational Leadership: PrYSM encourages impacted members to share their stories with their families and communities, creating a support system that extends beyond PrYSM staff.
AARW: Building Capacity and Collective Strategy
AARW’s Movement Mistake: We had too little staff and infrastructure to do anti-deportation work sustainably, while constantly feeling the urgency of our members’ needs.
AARW began their anti-deportation work in 2017 with limited staff capacity and no pre-existing infrastructure. Despite their commitment to base building, the organization struggled to balance rapid response with long-term strategy. Over time, this led to an over-reliance on individual staff members. This created a knowledge gap within the organization, making it difficult to sustain momentum during staff transitions.
Shifts Made: Building Collective Knowledge and Strategy
AARW has taken several steps to address these challenges:
Political Education and Skill-Building: AARW held regular strategy sessions to deepen collective understanding of anti-deportation work and build shared skills.
Criteria for Case Campaigns: AARW developed clear guidelines for taking on individual cases and ensuring they align with broader organizational goals.
Member-Led Structures: AARW created spaces for impacted members to lead and engage in the work, while providing training to prepare them for organizing roles.
Creating Rapid Response Systems for Base Building
Both PrYSM and AARW emphasize the importance of infrastructure, funding, and leadership development in building rapid response systems that not only address immediate crises but also grow and retain membership.
Invest in Infrastructure:
Have clearly defined staff roles and responsibilities.
Build a team dedicated to rapid response and membership development.
Secure Sustainable Funding:
Develop a fundraising plan that leverages storytelling to connect donors to your work.
Use narrative power to highlight the human impact of your campaigns.
Engage Impacted Members:
Create roles that center community members in case management, translation, childcare, and more.
Build leadership pipelines that empower impacted members to take on organizing roles.
Prioritize Political Education:
Provide training and skill-building opportunities for both staff and members.
Develop shared frameworks and strategies that align with your long-term goals.
Build Partnerships:
Collaborate with movement lawyers and other organizations to expand your capacity.
Create networks of support, such as sanctuary spaces and detention support systems.
The work of protecting immigrant communities from deportation is urgent and necessary, but it cannot stop at rapid response. By learning from the mistakes and shifts of organizations like PrYSM and AARW, we can build systems that not only address immediate needs but also transform moments of crisis into opportunities for base building, leadership development, and long-term power. As we navigate the challenges ahead, let us commit to organizing that centers impacted communities, builds collective knowledge, and sustains our movements for justice.