Dare to Run Women's Leadership Program Cohort #1: Fall 2019
Dare to Run launched the very first cohort of the Women's Leadership Training Program in 2019. The program, titled, "Running a Successful Campaign," went from from August 2019-December 2019. Pictured below are photos from each of seminars, including instructors, students and the activities conducted during each seminar.
Weeks #1 -3: Foundations of Your Campaigns
Instructor: Rachelle Suissa
During Weeks 1 -3, students covered topics in Foundations of Your Campaign, including: Theories of Political Mobilization and Change for Women Candidates, Identifying Your Target Audience, and 3 core issues. In the final week of classes, we had special Guest Speaker Amanda Farias, State Committeewoman for the 87th Assembly District in the Bronx, come and speak to students about what the essentials are for how to launch your campaign.
Week #4: Branding and Messaging
Instructor: Abiola Agoro
During Weeks 4, students covered topics in Branding and Messaging, including: How to Design a Campaign Logo that Adequately Conveys your message, why it's important to brand yourself well as a candidate. Students also examined samples of campaign logos that were successful, and those that were unsuccessful.
Week #5: Traditional Media in Political Campaigns
Instructor: Josephine Bosco
During Weeks 5, students covered topics in Traditional Media in Campaigns, including: what are they different kinds of traditional media used in political campaigns, who your target audience is and why they may utilize traditional media. Students also engaged in a role play activity where they took turns being the host of a television show and the candidate running for office. They practiced their 1-minute candidate elevator pitch and addressing questions they may receive from interviewers. In the second class, student's also designed their own campaign mailers to be sent out to members of their community.
Week #6: Public Speaking; Instructor: Sarah Blas
During Weeks 6, students covered topics in Public Speaking, including: deep breathing exercises, taking pauses at the right moments, what to say on the campaign trail v. what not to say, and public soeaking in different mediums and forums. For example, speeches, press conferences, rallies, town halls, one on one interactions with constituents in the community and tv/radio segments all merit different types of public speaking. Students learned which type works best for which medium, and why that should be employed.
Weeks #7-8: Field Operations/Opposition Research and Voter Acquisition;
Instructor: Martha Ayon
During Weeks 7-8, students covered topics field operations/opposition research and voter acquisition. Instructor Martha Ayon worked with students to help them set up their field campaign, GOTV tactics, how to do research on local, state and federal candidates online, work out their WIN Number (the number of votes they need in their particular district to win their respective race) and what steps they can take to acquire new voters. Students learned a massive amount of information in a short time about how to successfully stake out their opponents in a race, and utilize their strengths and weaknesses to their advantage.
Week #9: Planning/Budgeting a Political Campaign
Instructor: Sara Lind
During Weeks 9, students covered topics Planning and Budgeting a Political Campaign with instructor Sara Lind. Sara Lind, worked with students to help them carve out all of the necessary expenses for their campaign budget, including salaries, consultants, field operations, direct mail marketing, campaign literature, tv/radio ads., social media ads, and much more. Having run a campaign for City Council herself, Sara offered advice and insights as to what expenses were necessary - and which were not. Students appreciated these insights.
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Week #10: Fundraising and Political PACS, Instructor: Martha Ayon
During Week 10, students covered topics on Fundraising and Political PACS with returning instructor Martha Ayon. Martha worked with students to discuss the different types of PAC funding, as well as matching grants and other funding that's available to candidates who want to run for public office in New York State. Martha also dug deeper into the WIN number and how to calculate it, focusing on the step-by-step process to figuring out your WIN number and determining how many residents candidates need in their district to win the race. Students very much appreciated the deeper dive into this topic.
Week #11: Fundamentals of Grassroots Organizing
Instructor: Haili Copas-Starke
During Week 11, students covered the topic of Fundamentals of Grassroots Organizing with instructor Haili Copas-Starke. Haili taught students about what community organizing is, what the key roles are in a campaign, how we mobilize all types of voters to our campaign, how candidates can encourage volunteer engagement and support and leverage what they have received thus far.. Haili also discussed the importance of the field director and their role in determining which voters should be targeted throughout the race and leading up to the final days of the campaign. She closed out with what we do as candidates to close the election.
Week #12: Public Policy and Advocacy 101, Instructor: Patrick Senat
During Week 12, students covered the topic of Public Policy and Advocacy 101 with instructor Patrick Senat. Patrick worked with students to identify their vision for change as an elected official. He also reviewed Root Cause Analysis theory, which focuses on the fruit as the symptoms of a problem that impact people and environment in our communities; the trunk is the structures, practices and policies that institutionalize the issues, and the roots is the root cause of the problem; create the context that drives the institutions and policies in the TRUNK and allows for the creation of the FRUIT; root causes are usually historical, political, social system.
Week #13: Why Women Can Make a Difference
Instructor: Vanessa Aronson
In the final week of the Dare to Run Women's Leadership Program, instructor Vanessa Aronson discussed why women can make a difference at all levels of government. Women's voices are an essential part of the political process; the way women choose to work together, to lead, to collaborate and ultimately to govern are crucial for the representation of women and families. Students received their certificates for the completion of semester 1 of the program, Running a Successful Campaign. Instructors from previous seminars joined for the final celebration.