Ahimsa Center K-12 Teacher Institute Lesson Plan Title: I Don't Like

Home , Chrisette Michele, Let Freedom Reign

Ahimsa Center K-12 Teacher Institute Lesson Plan

Title: I Don't Like It, But How Do I Change It?: Strategies for Nonviolence Change

Name, School Affiliation, Location: Caroline Hay, Tualatin High School, Tualatin OR

Grade Level / Subject Area(s): Advanced-level ESL and Spanish for Native Speakers (Spanish Language Arts)

Duration of Lesson: Approximately two ninety-minute class periods, with two additional weeks for students to complete the final project.

State / National Standards: ESL: Oregon - English Language Development, EP.EA.06 - Early Advanced: Retell and relate past events using the conditional (could, might) mood in complex sentences. Language Arts: Oregon - Language Arts, EL.HS.SL.05 - Speaking and Listening: Analyze the occasion and the interests of the audience, and choose effective verbal techniques and language. Career-Related Learning: Oregon - Problem Solving: Apply decision-making and problem-solving techniques in school, community, and workplace.

Lesson Abstract: In this lesson students will begin to identify problems in their lives and community. They will then examine strategies for nonviolent change, learning how those strategies were used by Gandhi and César Chávez. Using this knowledge of strategies, students will design and implement an action plan related to one of the issues they identified previously.

Guiding questions: What nonviolent strategies have Gandhi, Chávez, and others used to make change? What problem would I like to take action on, and which nonviolent action strategy could I use? Content Essay:

Nonviolence Many argue that nonviolence is for the weak and that it is not sufficient to bring about social change. Gandhi and César Chávez would disagree and instead state that nonviolence is "a truly powerful weapon to achieve equality and liberation . . . life is a very special possession given by God to man and no one has the right to take it for any reason or for any cause, however just it may be" (Chavez, 2008, pg. 159). Gandhi and Chávez would agree with Dr. King's belief that "Constructive ends can never give absolute moral justification to destructive means" (King, 1966, pg. 382). They argued that the easy way out is violence, whereas nonviolence "forces you to abandon the shortcut. . . . Nonviolence forces one to be creative" (Chavez, 2008, pg. 158). Nonviolent resistance is active, motivated by love, and is also strategic. Gandhi and Chávez explained to the world the justification for nonviolence as well as showed how to use a variety of methods of nonviolent civil disobedience effectively. The strategies they employed served to either coerce, convert, or persuade others (Orosco, 2011), and were always done with a mind toward using peaceful means no matter what, as Gandhi stated that "just goals require just means" (Sethia, 2012, pg. 91).

Education One nonviolent tactic that César Chávez used from the very beginnings of his work was that of voter registration, seeing the potential "political power of a Chicano voting bloc" (Ingram, 2003, pg. 99). Voter education was just one of many ways that Gandhi and Chávez employed education as a form of nonviolent resistance. Chávez taught reading and writing to the farm workers. Gandhi organized educational associations, adult literacy programs, encouraged his followers to learn English, and was himself a teacher of English and other skills to those who were interested. Gandhi believed in a holistic method of education that was “an all-around drawing out of the best in child and man – body, mind and spirit” (Sethia, 2012, pg. 175). These types of strategies focused on building individual capacity in people. This goal was also fostered by teaching strategies for nonviolent resistance to their followers so that the people would be prepared to respond nonviolently in tense situations. These kinds of methods helped people to feel empowered politically, educationally, and strategically. Gandhi and Chávez also used their own educational capacities to benefit the movement, whether Gandhi's training as an attorney or Chávez's self-education in philosophy, economics and nonviolence.

Noncooperation A very fundamental nonviolent strategy is that of noncooperation. While Gandhi was in South Africa, noncooperation was proposed as a means of defying "The Black Ordinance." This was one example of resisters choosing to not follow a law or policy deemed unfair or unjust, or refusing to cooperate with authorities of an unjust government. Noncooperation, like any other form of nonviolent resistance, has to be voluntary - "It could only bind those who were willing to take the vow" (Sethia, 2012, pg. 62). Some type of symbolic action often accompanies noncooperation, like the burning of the registration certificates after Indians in South Africa were deceived by General Smuts, or the burning of foreign clothes as a statement of noncooperation with imperialistic modern civilization. Another example of symbolic action is when the participants in Individual Civil Disobedience would walk and repeat the same slogan until they were arrested. Symbolic visual representations, speech, or actions reinforce and bring more public attention to the tactic of noncooperation. An extension of noncooperation is civil disobedience, in which resisters choose not only to refuse to obey a law but engage in an action that purposefully and publicly defies the law, like when Indian immigration was prohibited in the Transvaal region of South Africa and crossings were made by various people as a way to disobey the ban.

Public Relations and Publicity Publicity is very important in nonviolence. Gandhi wrote numerous letters to newspapers and public officials. He wrote educational pamphlets, like Conditions of Indians in South Africa, and even started newspapers. Both Gandhi and Chávez gave speeches to various constituencies that were powerful and motivating. These communications were sometimes to build solidarity among oppressed peoples and other times to educate and try to persuade others to their cause. Gandhi and Chávez met with those in power when possible as well as with other potential allies to try and use personal relationships and persuasion to sway policy and decision-making.

Petitions, Mass Imprisonment and Marches Petitions were another method used often by Gandhi. In South Africa he petitioned the legislative assembly for Indians to be able to keep their right to vote and obtained 10,000 signatures. Mass imprisonment as a strategy was used widely by Gandhi and his followers, and Gandhi himself was imprisoned multiple times. This strategy was not as prevalent among the farm worker's movement because their end goals were often different, but it was a common practice among organizations like SNCC during the civil rights movement. The march was another strategy used in both Gandhi's movement and the United Farm Worker's movement. The Salt Satayagraha march, for example "electrified India and instilled among Indians a sense of fresh patriotism and hope" (Sethia, 2012, pg. 159). Chávez even connected the march to the Latin American practice of pilgrimage, thus strengthening its appeal and power for the people involved (Orosco, 2008).

Strikes César Chávez used the nonviolent strategy of the strike on various occasions. The first big strike took place in 1965 when the National Farm Workers Association joined already striking Filipino grape workers. Strikes like this one were difficult, especially when growers used intimidation against the striking workers and brought in scabs to replace the union workers, but they often produced results. Being able to strike is most often based on the foundation of unions, which Gandhi formed as well. However, Gandhi also proposed strikes in which workers were not unionized, like the strike of the mill-workers in Ahmedabad who could choose to strike or not, raising the question of whether or not an official union is necessary to carry-out collective action.

Boycotts César Chávez was also a believer in the power of the boycott. After several years of boycotting table grapes, growers finally "conceded the battle to the workers," and “millions of Americans showed solidarity with the workers and understood more about their conditions and suffering” (Ingram, 2003, pp. 102). Gandhi combined a strike and a boycott in 1919 when he called for a nation-wide cessation of all business, asking "everyone to devote the day to fasting and prayer" (Sethia, 2012, pg. 123). Both strikes and boycotts can be very effective because they have financial implications. While this may seem a strategy to be employed only against business injustices, it can also be used against governmental entities, as seen in the divestment movement against Apartheid or the Chicano student blowouts against educational injustices, which were types of boycotts.

Fasting Gandhi and Chávez both used fasting as another tactic of nonviolent action. Because the grape boycott had gone on for so long and the workers were feeling demoralized and were talking about using violence, in 1965 Chávez fasted for twenty-five days, "as a reminder to the workers of their commitment to nonviolence" (Ingram, 2003, pg. 101). Deeply concerned about the use of pesticides on crops, Chávez's fast in 1988 was a form of vicarious penance for those "who know they could or should do more, who have become bystanders and thus collaborators with an industry that does not care about its workers" (Ingram, 2003, pg. 102-103). Gandhi first began using the strategy of the fast in India, and from then on "Gandhi's fasts became a major source of his power as the freedom struggle advanced" (Sethia, 2012, pg. 118). Both leaders saw the fast as a way to appeal to the heart and soul of the people, but it is clearly a strategy that can only be effective on a large scale when used by a respected leader who is know and cared for. It can function as an attention-getting and consciousness-raising activity on a smaller scale, as has been done by college students conducting hunger fasts on their college campuses in support of immigrants’ rights.

Transparency In terms of strategy, Gandhi and Chávez may have disagreed somewhat in terms of the level of transparency required in nonviolence. Gandhi believed in always telling the enemy what he and his followers were prepared to do. Chávez followed this pattern as well, but in some cases, like when he stated that work slowdowns could be appropriate in some conditions, he might have advocated for more stealth. There were also UFW members who would get jobs in certain growers' farms to have access to the farm workers to talk to them about La Causa, and this required a degree of secrecy. Despite a slight difference of philosophy, for both men and their followers it was important to clearly communicate to the powers of oppression the demands of the people and what they were willing to do to have those demands met.

Building the Movement A main principle that underlies all of the strategies discussed here is that of increasing the strength of the movement by building capacity among individuals and then persuading more people to join. "The process of igniting the spark must, therefore, begin within individual consciousness, then spread among the masses, before ultimately transforming the entire social order" (Iyer, 1998, pg. 2). This idea of individual consciousness applies not only to the nonviolent resister, but also to those involved in their oppression and the observers whose consciousness is also raised. It is not just about numbers or fundraising, but also about trying to reorient the perspective of a society toward nonviolence. The strategies used by Gandhi and Chávez were of course designed to bring about social change, but they started at the level of the individual involved in the movement. Those who participated in nonviolent voter registration efforts, marches, or boycotts became the small spark that contributed to a fire large enough to change laws and thaw the hearts of their oppressors.

Conclusion The strategies of Gandhi and Chávez's movements would have lacked much of their strength without being grounded in a strong philosophy of principled nonviolence - satyagraha. Sethia (2012) explains that "It is only when satayagrahi is imbued with courage and love and is devoid of fear that the force of satyagraha is effective in combating social injustice of any magnitude" (pg. 64). This seems to be a cyclical process - when a person participates in nonviolence resistance he or she gains love and loses fear, and when a person gains love and loses fear he or she can develop the truly powerful force that when joined with that of other like-minded individuals can more effectively change society. As happened during the protests against the Black Act, when "courageous behavior soon became contagious," (Sethia, 2012, pg. 66), so too can current acts of nonviolent resistance motivated by love become infectious and spread.

Bibliography: Chavez, C. (2008). An organizer's tale: Speeches. I. Stavans (Ed.). Lodon: Penguin Classics. Ingram, C. (2003). In the footsteps of Gandhi: Conversations with spiritual social activists. Berkeley: Parallax Press. Iyer, R. (1988). Truth and nonviolence. Hermes. King, M.L. (1966). Pilgrimage to nonviolence. In S. Lynd (Ed.), Nonviolence in America: A documentary history (379-396). Bobbs-Merrill. Orosco, J. (2011). Lecture. Proceedings from the Ahimsa Institute. Orosco, J. (2008). Cesar Chavez and the Common Sense of Nonviolence. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. Sethia, T. (2012). Gandhi: Pioneer of nonviolent social change. New York: Pearson Education. Teaching Activities: *Discuss: Which is easier - nonviolence or violence? Why?

*Define and discuss the word passive: accepting what happens without resisting or responding.

*Discuss: If you respond passively to a fight, what do you do? Is there a way to respond to someone trying to fight you that is neither passive nor violent?

*Show YouTube video of Jimmy Webb. Was he weak? Was he passive?

*Introduce and discuss term of satyagraha.

*Introduce MLK's 6 elements of nonviolent philosophy and discuss. Have students think of a scenario of a school rule that could be imposed that they would think was unfair (like prohibiting students from wearing a certain color because or gang concerns or not allowing them to speak any language other than English in class, etc.). Go through each of the six elements, discussing what would be a violent response and what would be a nonviolent response, and how each would affect the various parties involved. Have extended discussion about principle number five and the types of love and what true brotherly love means.

*For ELL students only, play song "Let Freedom Reign" by Chrisette Michele (music track of digital story) as a cloze activity. Discuss new vocabulary and meanings of the song.

*Play digital story, which includes Gandhi/Chávez/King using nonviolence, current examples of nonviolent action, possible issues to take action on, and strategies of nonviolent action.

*After digital story, lead class discussion of what problems in the U.S. or the world they care about and would like to change.

*In groups, have students brainstorm the places that they spend time (school, home, stores, library, etc.) Also have them brainstorm groups or institutions that have power over them (school/teachers, police, etc.). Discuss as a class which places they thought of and which matter most and why.

*Distribute "My World" sheet to students. For each category listed, students will brainstorm individually the problems that exist. Then have students share, discuss, and add ideas they agree with from others to their own sheets.

*Homework is to talk to at least three other people, using the same framework, and add at least 5-10 additional ideas to the list. Have people who contribute ideas sign their name to next to the idea contributed.

*Watch digital story again, this time with students writing down the action strategies that are shown in the last section. This can be done of the back of the “My World” sheet. Show last section multiple times if needed, then have students compare with a partner to see if they captured all of the strategies.

*Distribute list of nonviolent actions. Have students read and mark: nothing = I don't know what it is one check mark = I know what it is two check marks = I know what it is and I've seen it done or know an example of it three check marks = I know what it is and I've done it myself Discuss with groups, then discuss as whole class. Highlight examples from the work of Gandhi and Chávez in which they used the strategies, also refer back to the digital story of how students around the country have used the strategies. Discuss the last photo in digital story of José Hernandez's graduation - How is being successful in school and continuing your education a form of resistance?

*Explain that for Experiments with Truth Part 2, they will choose one of the problems they identified, find out more about it if needed, then choose one of the actions from the resource list to try. Outline the process with students and have them write down the steps, modeling an example. Students may choose to work together on a common problem.

*Work with students to decide a format for their product about what they did and how it went, and create a class rubric for how the entire project will be assessed.

*Over the next two weeks, check in frequently with students about progress, as well as share what I chose and the progress I am making.

*Upon completion of projects, give students part of class to prepare a presentation about their work for the class. Work together to create a class rubric for how the presentation will be graded.

*Presentations of experiments and discussion. Beforehand, tell students that we will be choosing two class representatives to share their work with another class of mine (or possibly with another teacher's class). Decide as a class how we will choose the two representatives. At the end of presentations, choose two students/groups and coordinate with them to come in during another class and share their experience.

*Class discussion about the positives and negatives of Experiments with Truth Part 2. Possible class celebration?

Definitions and Resources: Definition of satyagraha = insistence on truth, firmness in a true cause (nonviolent resistance) rooted in truth-force, soul-force, love-force refusal to act against the voice of one's conscience

Nonviolent Philosophy (adapted from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Pilgrimage to Nonviolence") 1. Nonviolence is not a method for cowards - it resists. ". . . while the nonviolent resister is passive in the sense that he is not physically aggressive toward his opponent, his mind and emotions are always active, constantly seeking to persuade his opponent that he is wrong. The method is passive physically, but strongly active spiritually." 2. Nonviolence does not try to humiliate the opponent, but to win his friendship and understanding. "The end is redemption and reconciliation." 3. Nonviolence is directed against the forces of evil, not against the persons doing the evil. "Is is evil that the nonviolent resister seeks to defeat, not the persons victimized by evil." 4. Nonviolence is willing to accept suffering without retaliation or revenge. Suffering can educate you and change you as a person. "The nonviolent resister is willing to accept violence if necessary, but never to inflict it." "Things of fundamental importance to people are not secured by reason alone, but have to be purchased with their suffering." [Gandhi] 5. Nonviolence avoids not only external violence but also internal violence of spirit. "The nonviolent resister not only refuses to shoot his opponent but he also refuses to hate him. At the center of nonviolence stands the principle of love." Nonviolence is "really nothing else but the teaching of love" [Gandhi]. "True pacifism is not nonresistance to evil, but nonviolent resistance to evil. Gandhi resisted evil with as much vigor and power as the violent resister, but he resisted with love instead of hate." "True pacifism . . . is . . . a courageous confrontation of evil by the power of love, in the faith that it is better to be the recipient of violence than the inflicter of it, since the latter only multiplies the existence of violence and bitterness in the universe, while the former may develop a sense of shame in the opponent, and thereby bring about a transformation and change of heart." 6. Nonviolence has faith in the future. "In his struggle he has cosmic companionship."

Discussion of love: Not sentiment, affection Eros - romantic love Philia - love between friends Agape - love for all people, individual seeks good of his neighbor, doesn't worry about who is worthy and unworthy, not weak or passive - love in action "When I am commanded to love, I am commanded to restore community, to resist injustice, and to meet the needs of my brothers."

Adaptation of CORE Rules for Action: Investigate facts carefully to determine if there is an injustice. Try to understand the person responsible for the injustice and the systems that caused him or her to be unjust. Avoid bad feelings or hate toward any other person or group. Never use unfair or mean words against the opponent. Be willing to admit mistakes. Never use violent words or actions in revenge

MY WORLD Step 1: Brainstorm as many problems as you can think of for each of the following categories. A problem is something you think is unjust, not fair, that would be better for you and for others if it were different. Step 2: Talk to at least three other people (at least two adults) and have them add problems to your chart. Your goal is to get at least 5-10 more ideas from relatives or others in the community.

School Tualatin Stores / Businesses Oregon (rules, building, teachers, (laws, services, police, library, principles, activities, classes, facilities, parks, etc.) environment, opportunities, etc.)

Where I Live My Family My Friends United States

Other Other Other Other

MI MUNDO Paso 1: Como una lluvia de ideas, escribe todos los problemas que existen según las siguientes categorías. Un problema es algo que tu crees injusto, que sería mejor para ti y para otros si fuera diferente. Pasto 2: Habla con un mínimo de tres personas más (por lo menos dos deben ser adultos) y pídeles que agreguen ideas a tu hoja. La meta es de agregar 5-10 ideas más al hablar con famliares u otras personas de la comunidad.

Escuela Tualatin Tiendas / Negocios Oregon

El lugar donde vivo Mi familia Mis amigos Estados Unidos

nothing = I don’t know what it is ✓= I know what it is ✓✓= I know what it is and I can think of an example I’ve seen or heard of ✓✓✓= I know what it is and I’ve participated in it myself

NONVIOLENT ACTIONS *Speech *Meeting with those in power *Letter against or in support *Social media action *Web-based action *Formal declaration or statement *Statement with signatures of support *Proposal with signatures (petition) *Symbol, slogan, banner, poster, flag, symbolic colors *Flier, pamphlet, information sheet or packet *Newspaper *Radio *Television *Noncooperation *Sidewalk writing *Picket *Mock award, election *T-shirt *Prayer vigil / candlelight vigil *Delivery of symbolic object *Protest disrobing *Destruction of one's own property *Symbolic lights *Mural / painting *Changing names of signs *Skit, play, music performance *March *Parade *Pilgrimage *Honoring the dead *Protest meeting *Informational meeting *Dialogue / conversation meeting *Film screening and discussion *Teach-In *Walk-Out *Silence *Boycott *Sit-In *Strike *Hunger strike / fast *Freeze mob *Blockade (Adapted from Gene Sharp's The Politics of Nonviolent Action, aforcemorepowerful.org) nada = no sé que es ✓= sí sé que es ✓✓= sé que es y puedo pensar en un ejemplo que yo he visto de esa acción ✓✓✓= sé que es y yo mismo he participado en ese tipo de acción

ACCIÓNES NOVIOLENTAS *Discurso público *Reunión con los agentes de poder *Carta en contra o a favor *Acción a través de los medios sociales (como facebook) *Acción basada en Internet *Declaración oficial *Declaración junto con firmas de apoyo *Propuesta con firmas de apoyo / Petición *Símbolo, lema, letrero, poster, bandera, colores simbólicos *Volante, folleto, hoja o paquete de información *Periódico *Radio *Televisión *Rechazo de cooperación *Mensajes en las aceras *Piquete *Reconocimiento o elección fingido *Camisa *Vigilia *Entrega de un objeto simbólico *Desvistimiento simbólico *Destrucción de un objeto del protestante mismo *Luces simbólicas *Mural / pintura *Cambiar nombres de letreros *Satírico, obra de teatro, presentación musical *Marcha *Desfile *Peregrinaje *Rendir homenaje a un muerto *Mitin de protesta *Reunión para informar *Diálogo *Proyección y discusión de una película *Teach-In *Walk-Out *Silencio *Boicot *Sit-In *Huelga *Huelga de hambre *Freeze mob *Bloqueo (Adapted from Gene Sharp's The Politics of Nonviolent Action, aforcemorepowerful.org)

FOR ELL ONLY: "Let Freedom Reign" Lyrics [Chrisette Michele feat. Talib Kweli & Black Thought]

Oh American citizen, come collect your freedom No matter what you're living in No more giving in Oh American citizen, come collect your freedom No matter what you're living in It's time to win

Keep us in the four walls of our churches, we'll be quiet Most of us ain't even Democratic or Republic- can, and by coincidence we love the elected until they're detected of being human American falls, minorities lose war But if we unite we would have won the war On poverty War on drugs War on Medicaid War on love

Freedom isn't given it is taken Freedom isn't free it's earned I know it's learned Been hung and burned, Yet rest in peace, resurrected plea This ain't black or white, it's grey This is not about my face Most of us don't know what to say Right from wrong, or free from slave