<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Hi fellow activists and organizers,<br></p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"></p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Community leaders have the power to convene people. This is a
wonderful skill that comes with many responsibilities: logistics,
marketing, catering, volunteer coordination, etc. I believe that our
responsibilities as community leaders goes beyond these basic steps and
includes creating a welcoming and safe space for our community. </p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">When we help co-create those kinds of spaces, we help guard against
isolation, depression and burn out that many experience when they
operate for too long without a supportive community. Unfortunately, many
community leaders themselves feel this isolation because they lack a
strong peer network and are carrying on their shoulders all the pain and
suffering brought to their attention by their community members. </p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">To support my fellow community leaders, I'm offering a training on
how to deal with one of the hardest topics faced by any community. For
the purpose of these trainings, I've defined "community leader" as
anyone who regularly convenes groups of people. If that's you, I hope
you'll join me. If not, please share this with a community leader in
your life. </p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b>Register at </b><a href="http://www.suicidepreventionfortrainers.eventbrite.com/" target="_blank"><b>www.suicidepreventionfortrainers.eventbrite.com</b></a><b>. Fee $10<br>
</b></p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Thank you for helping make our collective communities healthier and stronger. Please share the following event description.</p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Best,<br>
Robbie <br></p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b><span>Suicide</span> Prevention Training for Community Leaders<br>Tuesday, May 8 - 6-8PM<br></b>City Year by Back Bay Station<b><br></b></p><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
Oftentimes, community leaders* are sought out for support in times of
crisis and are the first to become aware that someone is considering
killing themselves. Attend this training to gain the skills to handle
the "<span>suicide</span> question" and become knowledgeable about local resources for you and your community.</p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b>Register at </b><a href="http://www.suicidepreventionforleaders.eventbrite.com/" target="_blank"><b>www.suicidepreventionforleaders.eventbrite.com</b></a><b>.</b><i><b> </b></i><b>Fee $10.</b><br>
<i>Due to limited seating, this 2-hour training is being offered on
Monday, March 19 and Tuesday, May 8 - select May 8 when
registering.</i> </p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">QPR - Question, Persuade, Refer is modeled after the success of the
CPR medical intervention and is based on the following concepts:<br>
Those who most need help in a <span>suicidal</span> crisis are the least likely to ask for it. Prior to making a <span>suicide</span> attempt, a person typically sends warning signs.Asking "Are you thinking about killing yourself?" is a key step to preventing <span>suicide</span>. <br>
</p><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">This training will address: <br></p><ul style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><li>The anxiety we feel when we are talking to someone who is <span>suicidal</span>. <br>
</li><li>How
to specifically ask "the question". <br></li><li>How to persuade someone to seek
help. <br></li><li>How to make sure they get the referral they need.</li></ul><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"></p><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> *For the purpose
of this training, a community leader is anyone who regularly convenes
groups of people. <br>
</p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b>About the Trainer:</b><br>
<b>Robbie Samuels</b> has extensive experience as a community organizer, fundraiser and trainer. In 2011, his birthday, September 16, was declared <a href="http://www.robbiesamuels.com/2011/09/robbie-samuels-day-september-16-2011-in.html" target="_blank">"Robbie Samuels Day"</a>
by the Boston City Council. He is the Senior Manager of Events and
Donor Engagement at Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (<a href="http://www.glad.org/" target="_blank">GLAD</a>). He is a Co-Founder & Co-Organizer of Socializing for Justice (<a href="http://www.sojust.org/" target="_blank">SoJust</a>),
a grassroots, volunteer-run member-supported group, to build a
cross-cultural, cross-issue progressive community, network and movement
in Boston based on the philosophy of abundance. Robbie identifies as a
white, queer, feminist, trans man and lives in Jamaica Plain. He likes
burritos. </p>
<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Learn more about Robbie and his other trainings "Art of the Schmooze" and "Fundraising: Getting Past the Fear of Asking" at </span><a style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" href="http://www.robbiesamuels.com/" target="_blank">www.robbiesamuels.com</a><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> and view his </span><a style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" href="http://www.robbiesamuels.com/p/testimonials.html" target="_blank">testimonials</a><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">.</span><br style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
<br style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9pt;color:rgb(51,51,51)">________________________________________________</span></p><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
<b><span style="font-size:9pt;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><a href="http://www.sojust.org/" target="_blank"></a></span></b><span style="font-size:9pt;color:rgb(51,51,51)"></span></p><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
<b><span style="font-size:9pt;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><span>Socializing for Justice (SoJust) </span></span></b><span style="font-size:9pt;color:rgb(51,51,51)">is a grassroots, cross-cultural,
cross-issue progressive community, network and movement that's been growing steadily since
August 2006. We have 2000 members, hosted 120+ events and manage an
online hub of progressive events and resources at <a href="http://www.sojust.org/" target="_blank">www.<span>sojust</span>.org</a>. We also share resources via several projects: <a href="http://www.sojust.org/calendar" target="_blank">Progressive Events Calendar</a>, <a href="http://www.sojust.org/boards" target="_blank">Progressive Message Board</a>, <a href="http://www.campus2community.net/" target="_blank">Campus2Community.net</a>, <a href="http://www.progressivevoterindex.com/" target="_blank">ProgressiveVoterIndex.com</a>, <a href="http://www.bit.ly/BostonCalendars" target="_blank">Event Promo Resources</a> and <a href="http://www.bit.ly/BostonVenues" target="_blank">Venue Referral Resources</a>.</span></p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:9pt;color:rgb(51,51,51)"> SoJust is not a non-profit 501(c)3, has no paid staff and receives no outside funding.</span></b><span style="font-size:9pt;color:rgb(51,51,51)"> </span><span style="font-size:9pt;color:rgb(51,51,51)">If you've benefited from SoJust </span><span style="font-size:9pt;color:rgb(51,51,51)">please contribute the suggested annual membership fee of $25. You may do this <a href="http://www.sojust.org/dues/" target="_blank">online</a> or at any of our events. Thank you for helping us continue to provide a space for like-minded progressives of all stripes.</span></p>
<p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:9pt;color:rgb(51,51,51)">STAY CONNECTED!</span></b><span style="font-size:9pt;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><br>Become a member of Socializing for Justice at <a href="http://www.sojust.org/" target="_blank">www.<span>sojust</span>.org</a>.<br>
Join the <span>SoJust</span> Facebook group: <a href="http://on.fb.me/SoJust" target="_blank">http://on.fb.me/<span>SoJust</span></a><br>On Twitter? Follow <a href="http://www.twitter.com/sojust" target="_blank">@<span>SoJust</span></a> and <span>SoJust</span>'s Co-Founder <a href="http://www.twitter.com/robbiesamuels" target="_blank">@RobbieSamuels</a> #<span>sojust</span></span><br style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
</p>
<br>
<br>