In an era defined by ongoing state terror, the criminalization of resistance, and the commodification of Black bodies, this workshop moves beyond symbolic protest toward strategic economic withdrawal — paired with electoral power. Activism alone raises the demand; only an elected office can enforce it. This session gives participants a blueprint for linking boycott targets to the specific municipal offices that control the outcome, and for recruiting Black candidates to run for those seats.

Participants will learn to identify boycott targets and trace them to the office that can actually enforce the fix (code inspectors, licensing boards, city councils, procurement offices), build a candidate-scouting pipeline from existing organizers, and use a Mutual Aid Blueprint to convert boycotted dollars into community trust and political power — all anchored in an independent Black political vehicle capable of holding elected officials accountable.

Presented by Philena Farley