The open spaces of democracy are closing at unprecedented rates by corruption, apathy, violence, and inequitY around the world.
But we have the most untapped resource on earth
to reverse this trend: People Power
Announcements
interested in partnering with Rhize? Reach out here
Why Rhize?
There are proven strategies and approaches for nonviolent civil resistance that fall under three core principles: (1) a strategic movement-building lens that allows leaders to think beyond any one victory, (2) an ethic of community-building and (3) an ability to effectively and strategically activate constituents using both grassroots and digital platforms. Yet impassioned activists rarely have access to these strategies, too often reinventing the wheel and repeating past mistakes. Rhize works with movements to build on their strengths and integrate these elements with the goal of creating sustained, strategic and impactful action that changes the status quo.
Movement-building is a great equalizer: it is proven to be one of the most effective strategies to preserve open civil society spaces by putting people’s voices at the helm of progress. Social movements force cultural, behavioral and policy changes that inherently subvert unequal power structures and transform systems from the ground up by enlisting people to demand agency and work collectively. Activists target local symptoms of broader problems that, when added up, shift and ultimately transform the status quo globally.
Who Is Rhize?
Allies lend their specialized skills to movements they believe in. If you're a coder, press guru, writer, photographer, graphic designer, strategist, philanthropist, or passionate mad genius,
then you're an ally!
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Catalysts are taking back democracy and challenging the status quo starting from the bottom up. If you're using people-power to fight injustices in your community, you're a catalyst.
Our coaches are practiced movement-builders and seasoned organizers.
Are you interested in mentoring Catalysts and creating the next generation
of activist talent?
What We Do
The Catalysts
Rhize identifies, amplifies and connects Catalysts who are using people-power to fight injustice in their communities, challenge the status quo, and build innovative alternatives—the change movements of today.
THE CATALYSTS
Zoe and Allie are student activists leading the fight to end sexual assault on college campuses across the US.
Mohammad Ayoub is fighting for access to public spaces in cities across Lebanon.
Lamin Saidykhan is a lifelong activist in The Gambia and is launching a national campaign for land rights.
Coaching & Capacity
Rhize’s Global Coaching Corps builds movements’ capacity with strategic support. Catalysts learn from and build upon expertise of past movements and eventually become Coaches themselves—perpetuating and strengthening people-powered systems.
Rhize in Action
COACHING & CAPACITY
Rhize connected Zoe and Allie with an experienced coach who had done student organizing in the women’s rights space. Together, they developed a strategy to take their campaign from Columbia University to over 150 other campuses in 5 countries in 1 month: the Carrying that Weight Together movement was born.
Mohammad received Rhize training in June 2014 and is now working to pass this training on to his core leadership team and guide them through a national campaign to open Horsch Beirut, the largest park in Lebanon.
Lamin turned to Rhize to lead a training for his organization’s top activists and help develop a strategy for their land reform campaign. The training was designed specifically for Lamin’s context and sparked the development of more activists who in turn are now training their peers who will help launch Lamin’s campaign.
Global Community of Allies
It will take all of us to level the playing field and put people at the center of global systems. Our Global Allies Network is made up of passionate global citizens to create an army of voices and a community of people poised to donate time, expertise, funds to accelerate real change from the ground up! Local change needs global support, Anyone can sign up to be an ally!
GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF ALLIES
Zoe, Allie and their Rhize coach had a whole community of Allies supporting them along the way. One ally designed them a logo. Another helped handle all of their media requests. Another stepped up to help them think about coalition building. Another connected them to major women’s organizations across the country who stood in solidarity and yet another donated funds so that they could build a website and obtain mattresses for students to carry. Thousands pledged online to join the fight.
Rhize reached out to its Global Allies Network to sign an online petition supporting Mohammad’s movement and putting more pressure on the Governor of Beirut.
Rhize continues to support Lamin’s land rights campaign in The Gambia by connecting them to a broader network of Allies who can help them face the uncertainty and challenges their movement might encounter.
It takes catalysts, coaching, and allies to grow a movement
