E-mail from our chapter coordinator

Note: I told her everything we're doing/have done thus far and she's really impressed.

Hi Anna!

I am so excited you are interested in starting a STAND chapter! etc. etc.

I first of all wanted to say thank you so much for your interest in starting a STAND chapter! As you may or may not know STAND is a student anti-genocide coalition with chapters at more than 800 schools around the world. Our organization is entirely student-led and is here to help you by providing the resources and support you need to take action to stop and prevent genocide.

I'm not sure if I have introduced myself yet so if I haven't, I'm Sarah Juster, the High School New Chapter Outreach Coordinator for STAND, and a Junior at Community High School in Ann Arbor Michigan. I started the Ann Arbor High School Chapter of STAND, so I know what it takes, and I will be here for you through each step of the process of bringing the anti-genocide movement to your campus. My job is to ensure that you have everything you need in order to accomplish all that you can at your school. So that means during the process if you ever have any questions or need help with anything you shouldn't hesitate to ask!

You're probably wondering what STAND chapters do. STAND chapters organize on their campuses and in their communities to raise awareness about genocide, advocate to elected officials for legislative action, pursue divestment campaigns, and raise funds for civilian protection. You can be part of this by choosing to start a chapter on your campus. By becoming a registered STAND chapter, you are building a framework for a permanent anti-genocide constituency in your area, as well as becoming a critical piece of the network of advocates you can connect with throughout the world.

What you get when you register:

Many people really care about Darfur. Unfortunately, caring isn't always enough. STAND is committed to training students to be the most effective advocates for Darfur. We rely on policy and advocacy research, experts, and the Responsibility to Protect Doctrine to guide all of our action. We don't just want to make noise. We want to make change.

As an official member of STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, you will receive:

· Action Ideas: Each semester STAND provides chapters with ways to take meaningful action for Darfur. In the past, these initiatives have included DarfurFast/STANDFast, an event that has raised more than $500,000 in the past three years for Civilian Protection. A Call to the Candidates and Ask the Candidates, where STAND students across the country challenged both Congressional and Presidential candidates to make Darfur a priority in the election. SEAL: The Executive Legacy, which called for President Bush to make Sudan a positive legacy for him by Sticking to his promises, Enforcing UNAMID, Applying an All-Sudan Solution and Lobbying China. STAND chapters also receive periodic action alerts when important local and national legislation related to Darfur comes up for a vote. All opportunities for action that STAND promotes come with strategies tailored by region, personalized guidance from your State or Regional Outreach Coordinator, campaign materials, press tips and contact info, and the strength and support of the national network.

· Tailored media and advocacy information, connections to local community groups, access to STAND's speaker's database: STAND has media and advocacy experts around the country to give you individualized information and advice whenever you plan an event or campaign. STAND can also hook you up with media contacts to get press for your event, put you in touch with nearby community groups, and help you find speakers for your campus and events.

· Invitations to attend important events, including National and Regional STAND conferences, lobby meetings, and exclusive opportunities with our partner organizations like the Genocide Intervention Network and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum: Watch for mailings and initiations to learn about these and other unique events that may take place in your area.

So, how do you get started?

First, we should set up a time to talk. Remember that you are not in this process by yourself. I would love to set up a time where we can talk about everything in this e-mail, answer any questions you might have about STAND and help you make a plan on how to make your chapter the most successful chapter yet! When you're done reading through this e-mail be sure to let me know a few times over the next week (including nights and weekends) when we could talk.

One important step is that you'll need to find other students on your campus who are interested in stopping genocide. Most STAND chapters have a core of 3-5 people coordinating the work and organizing the group's meetings, which are attended by anywhere from 5-50 people. So how do you do this? Finding help and support from others, and other organizations, will allow you to maximize your impact on your campus, in your community and on your members of Congress.

Lastly, educating yourself on the crisis is key! By signing up for STAND's News Briefs, sent out by our tremendous education Coordinator, Nina McMurry, you can receive up to date information about everything happening in the problem areas around the world, as well as important legislation coming up for vote, and much more! E-mail education@standnow.org to sign up!

How do you find people to be in the chapter?

Here are a few suggestions for recruiting, of course I will be there for you if you need any more ideas on how to recruit. There are a number of different ways to get a group together:

Of course, you can talk to people!

· This is where your friends and other interested people on campus can be a great help. Get them to help you organize your first event.

· Look for potential members in other clubs or classes based on human rights, cultural groups or politics. Remember – genocide is not a partisan issue! Try to avoid seeming partisan towards either side (despite personal political beliefs!). This is something everyone should be supporting whether they're a staunch conservative or committed liberal.

· Try to plan an event that will educate and engage people.

· Sometimes, even if you don't have a group of people together, you can simply plan to hold a teach-in, a speaker, event or a movie viewing on campus. Of course, STAND will be there with advice, and even speakers at times, to help you with these events. Reserve the space, advertise for the event, and get the people who show up to take further action by helping you to start the chapter! Be sure to have a membership interest sheet there for anyone who wants to get involved. This can be one of the most effective ways to get people involved!

· Come up with something yourself! Sometimes the best idea for your chapter is in your own head. Never think that simply because you're a new chapter, or new to the STAND community that you don't have good ideas. I guarantee that you do! You already have made the first great step towards making a tremendous difference on your campus. Your ideas might be just the thing they need!

Then What?

Once you have your group together, you are ready to start holding events and participating in STAND's national campaigns. These are a few easy steps to becoming an official STAND chapter. After you've organized your core group of advocates together, your chapter will take action, through advocacy campaigns, fundraisers and reaching out to your communities.

One of us on the New Chapter Team will walk you through every step of the way so that you can become a full-fledged STAND chapter, hooked into our network and capable of taking effective action. You will never be alone in this process! I always love hearing what chapters are doing so please keep me in the loop and let me know how things are going! If you'd like to share information or pictures from an event on your campus, just shoot me an e-mail so I can pass it onto others or visit our national blog. That way all of STAND nation can hear about the amazing things you're doing!

I am looking forward to helping you start your STAND chapter! Regardless of who you work with on the New Chapter Team, I will be in touch throughout the process. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you want! This is really the best part of my job and I love hearing from my chapters! As I said before, we will be here through the whole process to give you any support you need as you take action that will truly make a difference for the people of Sudan and the victims of all future atrocities!

Sarah