This past weekend, a brave group of people came to NationBuilder HQ in downtown LA for our first ever NationBuilder Adventure – a unique mashup of training, storytelling, and community organizing designed to help folks become certified NationBuilder experts.
Attendees came from a wide range of backgrounds, so their plans for using NationBuilder varied greatly. According to Ria Fay-Berquist of Prizefight Films, the diversity of participants only enriched the learning experience. “It was a really dynamic group with a lot of different perspectives and wanting to use NationBuilder for very different things. This allowed us to get a more comprehensive view of what the system is capable of.”
But the weekend wasn’t just about learning the technical ins and outs of the system. It was also about understanding NationBuilder’s core philosophy and vision. “I learned that NationBuilder is about an idea,” said Fermin Vasquez of Community Coalition. “It’s about using community organizing to help people achieve their goals. That is the work that I do every day.” Fermin plans to use NationBuilder to advance the goals of his campaign, help tell its story and influence public policy.
Ria also came away with a better sense of what NationBuilder is all about. “Spending time at NationBuilder headquarters with the team, it’s clear that the idea of leadership and empowering people with tools to make measurable change is something that everybody there believes in. That really stuck with me."
Entrepreneur, DJ, and digital media expert, Troy Nalls, came away from the experience excited about NationBuilder's potential. “It took years before I could say I was a DJ. I had to save up for turntables and collect records. Using NationBuilder is like getting an iPod. The technology allows my vision to go forward without any hurdles. I don’t need Wordpress or Eventbrite experts. All I need are graphics and a good template and I’m on my way.”
Thanks to everyone who joined us on this adventure! To see more pictures from the weekend, visit our Flickr page.
