Ruckus Society

We at The Ruckus Society work directly to empower impacted communities, helping them reach their goals by providing them with tools of nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience.These tools come from applying the lessons of nonviolent leaders in history such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi and Rosa Parks. The Ruckus Society transforms groups into effective organizers by working with them to help achieve their vision. Rather than developing campaigns for groups we teach them to advocate for themselves.

In recent years we have focused on working with groups whose goals include: environmental (ecological and climate justice, coal, water, stopping the Tar Sands) and economic justice (low-income tenants’ rights, empowering young women in the sex trade, organizing low-income gulf coast parents to demand better schools). We have also made expanding our network a key priority, building strength through connections of skill sharing and tactic learning.

Ruckus is a national network of trainers and action coordinators who respond to requests from communities all over the country (and beyond).We providing 1-3 day tailored trainings and strategy sessions, and action support on all levels – from action brainstorming, to providing gear, to providing coordinators and action team members, and/or helping the group build their own action team.In addition to fulfilling tailored community requests, each year we pull together activists from all over North America for our cornerstone week-long Action Camp, where participants learn hands on tactical skills like climbing and blockades in addition to nonviolence theory, action planning, and media/messaging.