Western States Center

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	The Center's affiliate organization, Western State Strategies, is continuing our traditional work on campaign finance reform, supporting voter-owned elections and promoting a more transparent election system that expands democracy.



	Help Western States Center support and grow the progressive movement in the West!

WESTERN INSTITUTE FOR ORGANIZING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (WILD)

The Western Institute for Organizing and Leadership Development (WILD) is Western States Center's intensive, year-long organizing and leadership training program. Through residential training sessions and field work, participants develop critical skills and lasting relationships with a network of colleagues that crosses constituencies, issues and geography.

This spring, The Center kicked off our WILD Class of 2009-10 with 17 new recruits from Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Read more...

The experience changed my life and gave me the tools, analysis and confidence I needed to carve out a career in the progressive movement. Western States has been the single most invaluable support system in nurturing my leadership to organize for human rights advances in Idaho.

- Amy Herzfeld, WILD class of 2003 and Executive Director of Idaho Human Rights Education Center.

WILD was a great way to feel confident about the work I do and to obtain skills that really make a difference in my everyday work.

- Ireri Rivas, WILD class of 2007 and Organizer, currently directs the civic engagement program at PLAN (Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada)

Ireri

WILD is designed for emerging leaders and organizers of social justice organizations. Participants are drawn from the staff and leadership bodies of racial justice groups, women's organizations, labor unions, low income groups, human rights organizations, environmental justice groups and progressive coalitions in our region. Western States Center covers travel, translation, lodging, and offsite child care for participants, organizations contribute $500 toward the cost of the program.

WILD is a key component of Western States Center's work to build the progressive movement in the West. The goals of WILD are:

To create a critical mass of organizers and leaders who share a

broad progressive analysis and have the skills to strengthen, lead and staff

essential organizations in the Western States region.
To connect progressive leaders and organizers to each other-across

issues, constituencies, and geography-and to a broader vision and movement.
To deepen organizers' and leaders' commitment to racial justice and

progressive social change.

Download Brochure

WILD uses an intimate, small-group format to provide participants with broad development of their skills and a deeper understanding of the political context of our region and our times. Three intensive sessions at a residential retreat center and interim field work create a learning environment where leaders and organizers can experiment with new ideas and strategies.