DeKALB – People Organizing Weekend Empowerment Retreat, or POWER, is hosting a virtual event about engagement in social justice Jan. 22 through Jan. 24 via zoom.

The event, sponsored by the U.S. Student Association and the Center for Black Studies, will cover activism and help students develop leadership skills and empower their voices. The three-day weekend retreat is dedicated to lessons for anyone with experience in participating in social justice events. Students will raise their skills in community organization. Participants will learn how to create spaces for culturally specific planning while adequately becoming allies and collaborators, according to the POWER website. 

The Office of Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion held a Community Organizing Retreat Experience, CORE, in 2017 that helped students pursue activism and focused on marginalized groups. POWER planned their weekend using these past events and many other sources to establish an action plan against social and economic injustice, according to the POWER website. 

The upcoming tentative schedule is as follows:

Jan. 22 – WHY?: 

“A conversation of why you should be engaged in social justice and coalition building.”

Jan. 23 – WHAT?: 

“Various sessions on skill building and providing you what you need for community organizing.”

Jan. 24 – HOW?: 

“A conversation of how you should engage in community organizing using hands-on and role-playing activities in the creation of specific work plans.”

Sign-up for the retreat is free and registration is open until Jan. 18. Students will be expected to answer a few short essay questions on the sign up page and provide details pertaining to their schedule.