Working Together to Make an Action Happen

When we see photos or videos of action on the news or on social media, we see people yelling into megaphones, holding signs, blocking entrances and doing any number of other exciting things. But we rarely see what went into making those actions happen. How did all those people get there? Where did those great looking signs and banners come from? And how did they end up so evenly distributed around the space? When folks got arrested, who picked them up at the jail? And who filmed (and edited!) the video you’re watching? 

Any action is going to rely on a strong team of people who are in the spotlight as well as people who are behind the scenes to come together. The more complex the action, the higher the stakes, the bigger and more specialized the team.  

Roles

With lots of different tasks that need to be done to make an action happen, it can be incredibly helpful to assign different jobs or “roles” to people who are part of the team making it happen. Having a role allows everyone to know what the rest of the team is relying on them for and what tasks they should prioritize as the action plays out.

It can help if the people taking on each role have some experience in the task that they’re taking on. For instance it would be nice if the person who was assigned to take pictures was an experienced photographer. But we don’t always have a full team of highly trained professionals available so it’s fine if the person who ends up being the photographer for the action is just somebody with a good camera phone who likes taking pictures of their cats. As long as they know that taking photos is their job for the day and they focus on doing that job, they’ll probably do a pretty good job. 

Different actions will require different types of roles. For example, if you’re having a big march or rally and inviting lots of people who weren’t part of the planning process, you might want to assign some people to be marshals or guides to greet people as they arrive, communicate about the action plan and help to answer questions. You can let everyone know that these people have information to share by giving them yellow vests or t-shirts that say “marshall” or “event staff.” If you’re planning a sit-in at a corporate office and everyone who is attending was part of the planning process, you probably don’t need to worry about assigning people as marshals.  

Besides marshals and photographers, some of the roles that are really common to assign people to in an action are:

Action Support Team 

An action support team helps to create the organizing space for everyone involved to take action. They communicate with law enforcement (as needed), develop a plan to welcome and support new people coming into the organizing space, coordinate between different groups taking action and work to ensure that everyone is able to stay healthy and safe in the streets. Roles on an action team include, police liaison, marshals, (or ‘guides’), a vibes watcher, worker/public liaisons, atmosphere team, and health and safety (or medics).

Police Liaison—The Police Liaison is the go-between between people participating in the action and the police.  This is the ONLY person in the action who should be talking with the police.  Generally, the police liaison is going to introduce themselves to the officer in charge of policing the demonstration and maintain an open line of communication about logistical and safety issues at the demonstration.  The police liaison is NOT ‘in charge’ of the event or action but they should be able to communicate quickly with people who can respond to the police’s demands.  

Marshals—Marshals help communicate with people participating in the action about what the general action plan is and how they can participate.   They’re available to help answer questions and provide logistical information—like where you might be able to find food or a restroom.  If action plans change, marshals will communicate that with people at the action.  

Vibes Watcher—Vibes watchers help to ensure that everyone is healthy, safe and comfortable at the action.  They’ll keep an eye out for people who seem lost, scared or confused and try to provide them with whatever support they need.  Organizing actions is stressful for organizers so vibes watcher also watches for emerging conflicts between different organizers and helps to de-escalate those conflicts.  Vibes watchers also often take the lead in de-escalating conflicts with people outside the action who don’t agree with what we’re doing.  

Worker/Public Liaison—The worker and public liaisons are responsible for communicating to people in the area who may come across our action about what the action is about and how it impacts them.  They should have copies of literature on the campaign and be able to provide some basic logistical information about how people can get involved in the action.  These liaisons should also be prepared to talk with workers who are frustrated that the demonstration is disrupting their normal day.  

Atmosphere Team—The atmosphere team is responsible for filling out the content of the action.  If we’re marching they lead chants, if it’s a rally they are responsible for introducing speakers and keeping the program running.  

Media Team

Our media team is responsible for helping to tell our story through the action. This involves coordinating with external news outlets and documenting the action to amplify out through our social media and other assets. Before the action they prepare press materials including a press release, backgrounder, shot list, social media toolkit, etc. During the action they work to document the action, helping external news media to experience the action the way we want them to experience it, and keep track of spokespeople who are prepared to tell our story. After the action the media team prepares an after-action press release or report back, collects social media posts and news hits, and follows up with reporters who have covered the action.

Media Wrangler—The media wrangler is responsible for tracking down media who are covering the action and directing them to spokes people.  They can also help photographers figure out where they may want to stand to get the best images of the event.  The media wrangler is also sometimes responsible for trying to guide media away from problems or incidents that we don’t want the media to see.  The media wrangler should be clearly visible and should have copies of press releases and other background materials.  

Media Spokes Person—Media spokes people are designated ahead of time as people who will be giving interviews and statements to the media.  These people can speak from their own experience about why they’re participating in the action. 

Off-Site Media—The off-site media team will take reports from the ground and quickly circulate press releases, photos, and other documentation of the action.  They’ll also monitor social media and corporate media to learn how the action is playing in the public dialogue.  

Photographer—A photographer is responsible for documenting the action and quickly working with the offsite media team to make sure that high quality photos are loaded online and made available to any media outlets.  Photographs are shared most widely when they are posted online during an action or immediately after the action.  

Videographer—A videographer is responsible for documenting the action and quickly working with the offsite media team to make sure that high quality photos are loaded online and made available to any media outlets. Alternatively a videographer may live stream the event to the organization’s social media pages. 

Logistics Team 

The logistics team handles the nuts and bolts of an action. They make sure that we all get to where we need to go, have the materials we need to be safe and effective, and help us respond to real time changes in plans or the conditions we may be experiencing.

Materials Team—The materials team is responsible for getting materials (signs, banners, megaphones, PA system) to the action, set up, and then tearing them down after the action.  Sometimes the materials team pairs up with the marshal team to help with things like parking, directing busses, and other day-of-event logistical needs. 

Health and Safety—The health and safety team ensures that everyone stays healthy and safe in the streets and are on hand to address any action-related medical issues.  They also remind people participating in the action to take common-sense precautions to stay healthy like drinking plenty of water and avoiding long exposure to cold. 

Drivers—Drivers are available to move people and materials to and from the action.  Drivers are not needed in every action, although it is often helpful to have someone on call who can quickly run to pick up any needed supplies.  Scout—A scout arrives to the action well before the action starts to observe any unplanned or unanticipated changes to the landscape including changes in the presence of law enforcement or security.  The scout reports back what they hear to organizers coordinating the events.  Once the action starts, scouts usually step back and watch from a different vantage points to note any changes or developments that people participating in the action can’t see for themselves—for instance police massing in riot gear a few blocks away.  

Legal Support

The legal team supports us in navigating legal challenges and risks we may face as part of the action. In the lead up to the action, the legal support team can find out what permits to apply for, what law enforcement agency we are likely to encounter and what legal risks, if any, people are likely to encounter during the action. If the action is likely to result in arrest, the legal support team can brief participants on risks and outcomes, collect legal support forms from participants, and train people on how to keep each other safe through the legal process.

During the action the legal support team should document any interactions with law enforcement and identify anyone who may be arrested (including names and birth dates) and find out where they are being processed. After the action the legal support team can work to facilitate a process for securing representation for anyone facing charges, and create space for people who have been arrested to organize to support each other (fundraising, call-ins days to prosecutors, court solidarity, etc).

Legal Observers—Legal Observers observe the action and document any relevant police activity including police misconduct and arrests.  They are on site to observe, not negotiate with law enforcement or represent people participating in the actions.  They are clearly marked with green National Lawyers Guild hats or Orange ACLU hats.  Both the NLG and ACLU offer periodic trainings on becoming legal observers for actions like this.  

On-Site Legal Support–The on-site legal support team is responsible for keeping track of any arrests that may happen during the action, finding out where those people who have been arrested are being transported to, and making sure that there are people ready to meet arrestees when they are being released. If arrests are planned, the on-site legal support team can collect phones, keys and other personal property that people may have taken to action but do not want to take with them when they are being arrested

Off-Site Legal Support—Off site legal support stays away from the action and communicates with lead marshals and other action coordinators about any legal issues arising during the action.  They then communicate, as needed, with our lawyers and legal team.  If people are planning for the possibility of arrests they will keep legal support forms at an off site location. 
In the event of arrests, off-site legal support will take the lead in tracking any arrestees through the booking process and securing bail and legal representation for anyone who is arrested.