Community Engagement
AFIRE recognizes the importance of community engagement in growing the movement for liberation. AFIRE values the knowledge and experiences of all those interested in our work and offers multiple pathways to engagement. A tiered model of community engagement allows individuals to be in choice about how they engage with us.
How do we envision our community engagement structure?
Imagine a plant’s shoot system. This is how the plant absorbs and uses nutrients, reproduces, and continues the cycle again. The environment nourishes the plant while it grows and offers nourishment to the seeds and fruit the plant yields, as well.
Our engagement model includes:
Earth [Fiscal Foundation]
Includes sponsors, donors, or funders and opportunities for community partner collaborations.
Stem [Volunteers]
Includes community members who attend AFIRE events and show their support by offering to volunteer or make a donation.
Leaves [Extended Engagement]
Includes community members who continue to show up and volunteer at AFIRE events, and express interest in becoming a member. This tier also includes opportunities to provide support for volunteer outreach.
![Flowers [Members]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/661926df54e77829165861cc/4e00021f-234f-4e3d-bff3-80a227394f9b/noun-pollination-5088176.png)
Flowers [Members]
Includes community members and volunteers who attend a member orientation and activate their membership. Members can facilitate Membership Orientation for new members, table with staff at events, and attend General Member meetings to provide feedback and direction to the movement through facilitated discussions. Members can also sign on to advocacy opportunities.
Fruits / Seeds [Member Leaders]
Includes members who decide to grow in their leadership by attending trainings and exploring leadership roles based on self-interest, skills, or specialty. With opportunities to facilitate meetings, workshops and trainings, and taking up more space in the organization, members build up their power as a community leader.
Membership Dues and Process
To become a member, individuals begin by filling out our updated membership application. Applications are available online and in paper format at the AFIRE office and may be requested and submitted any time. Membership is renewed annually. New members receive an orientation in a group or one-to-one setting. Membership dues are $25 per year, but sliding scale options are also available on discussion with staff. Dues are collected on an ongoing basis.