On July 10, 2019, a group of 27 leaders from regional, and national worker center and community organizing networks gathered at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center in Silver Spring, MD for the fifth annual Build the Bench Convening. Hosted by the Center for Innovation in Worker Organization (CIWO), Build the Bench Convening brought together creative, passionate, and inspiring managing directors from across the country to support their growth as organizational and movement leaders through connection with CIWO and others in similar roles.
During the 3-day convening, participants connected with peers to build a network of leaders tasked with balancing available resources and high level vision in a turbulent culture of urgency. Participants shared ideas, strategies, challenges, and opportunities, learning from each other’s experiences and perspectives and reflecting on what they will take with them as they return to their organizations.
Build the Bench participating organizations:
- Food Chain Workers Alliance
- Jobs with Justice
- Center for Popular Democracy
- People’s Action
- Faith in Action
- Restaurant Opportunities Center (ROC) United
- Institute for Policy Studies
- Alliance for Youth Action
- Partnership for Working Families
- Los Angeles Black Worker Center
- Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
- Asian Pacific Environmental Network
- National Domestic Workers Alliance
- United We Dream
- Faith in Action
- Center for Community Change
- United for Respect
- Coworker.org
- Ballot Initiative Strategy Center
- 482 Forward
- Make the Road New York
- Raise the Floor Alliance
