Why are so many people apathetic and defeated? How can we bring more people into our movements—and stop burning out ourselves?

From November 14–17 2024, a group of 25 educators, artists, organisers and thinkers gathered for a three-and-a-half-day workshop led by me and Max Haiven to explore exactly these questions. Blending psychological insight, radical imagination, and strategic thinking, the workshop tackled some of the thorniest challenges in activism today—from fear and factionalism to fatigue and fatalism.

Through a mix of lectures, discussions, role-plays and creative exercises, participants learned what does (and doesn’t) change minds, how to build momentum and solidarity, and how to avoid common traps that derail movements. We explored the uses (and limits) of dissonance, how to create space for critical reflection, and how to stay in the fight without falling apart.