LCN, because of its unique root of in-person and online teaching at Harvard Kennedy School, students, organizers, and educators who were inspired by the power of people for social change have continued to teach and practice organizing in their own regions. LCN emerged through the evolution of such a worldwide network. However this “globality” and ongoing growth poses challenges. We have so many people who have never met in person, multiple time zones, own projects or unique political and societal problems that keep us occupied and away from our global colleagues. We are also “a network” and a membership organization, so in addition to LCN staff, members all over the world need to engage in developing and enriching this network. To sustain and develop LCN’s work enabling people to organize for social change, it is crucial to create interdependent learning venues enabling people to form diverse communities rooted in shared values. 

In February 2023, during MLD377, a core team from the Practicing Democracy Project and Leading Change Network, namely Emily Lin, Mais Irqsusi and Marshall Ganz started conversations on bringing this group together for online conversations. They brought Bob Rebitzer in as an outside facilitator in May 2023. A group of educators, organizers and researchers of organizing located all over the world were invited, and started a conversation on how they can work and learn together, their first online meeting was on August 14, 2023. From various online conversations facilitated by Bob Rebitezer the group thought an in person conference is due to take this conversation to a deeper level. The Leading Change Network  formed a leadership team to plan this conference, hired Cynthia Jaramillo Carvallo as the Global Partnerships Lead and made the dream conference a reality. 

In January 16-20, 2025, 23 organizational leaders from 10 countries got together for three days (and additional/optional two fun days!) in Cuernavaca, Mexico. 10 countries are Australia, Canada, Denmark, India, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Pakistan, Tanzania, and the United States. The attendees are Ana Haule, Andrew Crespo, Anita Tang, Aprajita Pandey, Art Reyes, Dan Grandone, Emily Lin, Jacob Waxman, Kanoko Kamata, Kortni Malone, Mais Irqsusi, Mariali Cardenas, Marshall Ganz, Mike Perry, Nisreen Haj, Nneka Akubeze, Noorulain Masood, Pedja Stojicic, Reem Manaa, Rune Baastrup, Sarah ElRaheb, and Tanvi Girotra.

This three-day conference was driven by the dedicated leaders with thoughtful planning and resourceful improvisation. On Day 1, they spent almost all day for relationship building, consisting of story-telling, multiple one-on-one conversations prompted by provoking questions, identifying shared values and elements of beloved community as a group, and even surfacing controversial and conflicting interests. On Day 2, they reflected their interests further, then discussed how they want to structure themselves in order to reach their ideals, values, and shared purpose. Day 3 was the biggest challenge, as they had to decide on their structures, goals and activities. However, thanks to the effective facilitators, the group came up with the following structures, basically, they decided to launch three teams which will continue to work until the next conference in two years. 

Pedagogy Team (led by Jake and Tanvi) aims to advance global organizing by fostering an inclusive, empowering culture that promotes freedom, justice, equity, agency, and learning. To achieve this, the group will create an infrastructure for sharing innovations, update resources, build partnerships, encourage mutual learning, develop tools, document impacts, and align practices with values, supported by research and evaluation for continuous growth. Other members are Sarah, Nneka, Kortni, Dan, Marshall, Abel, and Rosi. 

Strengthening Organizations Team (led by Reem, Pedja, and Noor) is building collective power to create a better world, starting locally but extending globally through organizations. Grounded in real communities and human potential, the group is developing a framework that builds on existing foundations to drive meaningful change. Many members have their own organizations in their region and run or coach organizing campaigns. They focus on issues to develop leadership of their own organizations and campaign members for sustainability and growth. Other members are Marshall, Mais, Ana, Kanoko, Dan, Aprajita, and Tanvi.

Global Movement Team (led by Aprajita and Nneka) is a collective of organizers, activists, educators, organization builders and innovators committed to building people power and driving change through solidarity in local and regional contexts. Their goal is to promote freedom, justice, equity, and life by shifting power from money, arms, and domination to people-centered systems. They will achieve this by learning from global political-economic trends, social movements, and experts worldwide, strengthening their base, organizations, and coalitions to foster collaboration and transformative change. Other members are Nisreen, Emily, Mike, Art, Noor.

All three teams will get together twice a year regularly until the next dream conference. A half-year check-in meeting will be June 25, 8am EST. One year check-in meeting will be December 11, 10pm EST.