The Elements of Mutual Aid
SCREEN THE SERIES
This docuseries was created to be a conversation starter. We challenge communities, mutual aid projects, and neighbors to watch chapters together and spend time in conversation.
It’s difficult to carve out time from meeting the needs around us to reflect, build intention, onboard newer people into our values, and learn together. But if we want to work toward a more liberated world, prioritizing these conversations is essential. Let this series be a jumping off point for your community to dive deeper into this work.
Below you’ll find some tips for organizing screenings and discussion guides for each of the series’ chapters.
HOSTING A SCREENING
Who Should Host a Screening?
Anyone and everyone! The series and discussion guides are made for people fresh to the concept of mutual aid, seasoned organizers, and everyone in between. Here’s a couple inspiring ways we’ve seen it used:
- A neighborhood block or community center getting together to learn more about what mutual aid is
- A mutual aid group reflecting on certain aspects of their work and setting intentions
- Multiple mutual aid groups or a community coming together to make an analysis of their ecosystem of efforts
How To Organize A Screening
Organizing a discussion might seem a little intimidating if you haven’t done it before. But we hope to make hosting a screening and discussion as easy as possible!
A few first steps:
- Decide who you want to be in conversation with. Do you want to have a more public event to reflect on bigger concepts? Or do you have a distinct group of people in mind that you want to refine your practice with?
- Select a chapter. Each chapter can be watched as a standalone episode. You can also plan a whole series of watch events.
- Decide how long your event will be. Most communities watch one chapter and spend ~1 hour discussing it. You can also encourage people to watch the chapter independently and then come together for a discussion book club–style.
- Get the word out. If making a flyer, you’re welcome to use our promo assets. Encourage people to seize this as an opportunity to be in discussion, reflect, and learn together.
- Print out discussion guides. We recommend printing enough copies so that everyone who comes can have one.
Tips for creating a welcoming space:
- Provide snacks if you can—or better yet, have a potluck!
- Share accessibility information. Let people know about parking, steps or ramps, bathrooms, and other useful considerations.
- Test your equipment beforehand. Have everything ready to go before people arrive.
If there’s any other types of support we might be able to help with, don’t hesitate to reach out: [email protected]
DISCUSSION GUIDES
We’ve made a discussion guide zine for each of the chapters. These are made to be worked through together during the event. We recommend printing out enough copies so everyone who attends can have one.
It may be helpful for those organizing a discussion to read over the guide beforehand.
