As protests become a fixture, organizers are taking a long view on mobilizing.

Sara Rubin here, thinking about the many calls to action in this moment and beyond. There are all sorts of phrases about “doing the work,” and many protesters say there’s inspiration and energy that comes from gathering or marching. But what does that “work” look like after the gathering is over? 

Local chapters of Indivisible are offering an answer tomorrow, Jan. 31 in the form of an event called the We The People Teach-In. “We want to provide folks an opportunity to learn skills that will help them to make effective change in our communities and our country,” says Megan Whilden, a volunteer organizer with Indivisible Monterey. “No one is born knowing how to run for office or go canvassing or how to do an overpass brigade—those are all skills.”

The lineup tomorrow includes workshops on a range of topics. ACLU members lead a session on knowing your rights as protesters; the UFW Foundation leads a session on farmworker rights. One breakout focuses on how to organize an overpass brigade for more protest sign visibility. A Whistlemania session offers guidance on how to make your own event to distribute whistles to alert people to ICE presence; Indivisible has already organized at least five Whistlemanias in Monterey County. 

And there’s also an opportunity to look ahead to elections. One session focuses on local elections, either considering a run oneself or how to organize a campaign. A session focused on the midterms looks to swing districts in California.

A new generation is getting involved. Today, Jan. 30, students in at least four local schools—Salinas High, North Monterey County High and North Monterey County Middle (in Castroville) and Pacific Grove High—walked out in solidarity with a nationwide anti-ICE and anti-Trump protest.

“For people who are new to political activism, protests are exciting but getting out the vote isn’t,” Whilden says. “Traveling to Bakersfield and helping people register to vote will make a difference in the future of our country. That is an important message.”

More broadly, Whilden adds, just getting together in solidarity feels good and that is powerful in times that can feel bad: “Whenever you come together with a large group of people who are passionate about the same things, it’s really invigorating and inspiring and I think people need a lot of that as well.”

More than 300 people have already RSVP’d for the free event (and walk-ins are welcome but some workshops—like a training on how to be a legal observer and support the ongoing efforts of the Solidarity Network’s Rapid Response mission—are already sold out). 

The teach-in takes place from 1-5:30pm on Saturday, Jan. 31 at Monterey Peninsula College. This event was already being planned before current events in Minneapolis began unfolding, but the turmoil there offers some guiding principles Whilden says are worth keeping in mind here. Connecting with neighbors, building networks and getting trained before the worst happens is a good form of preparation—there is no need to wait for violence or massive ICE raids to learn specific, tangible techniques in how to protect your rights or those of your neighbors.