Political Education Charter

Working Group / Admin Committee Name: Political Education
Contact Information rc_programming@proton.me
Date Charter Ratified: XX/XX/2025 (to be filled in once charter is ratified)

Connection Statement: 

The Political Education working group will cultivate a vibrant, politically engaged community at Ridgewood Commons via projects including, but not limited to:

• Sunday evening talks from 5-7 featuring lectures, panels, and reportbacks from organizing efforts both local and (inter)national
• Weekly classes focusing on radical history and theory such as the ROSA curriculum
• One-off events related to political organizing

This programming will give voice to a diversity of left tendencies and projects. Our aim is not to push one specific perspective but rather open a dialogue between organizing efforts in the hopes of composing a more powerful movement. This intellectual energy will additionally make RC a hub for political activity in the city which in turn will help grow our community.

Powers & Rights:

The Political Education working group will have a default hold on programming Sunday evenings between 5-7pm. There may be exceptions to this but other groups will be expected to reach out in advance to confirm a booking has not already been made for that day. Conversely the PoliEd group will inform the RC community if there is an open Sunday as soon as that vacancy has been confirmed. We also request access to the space between 7-9 one night per week for classes, but are agnostic to which night that is. Neither activity will interfere with the gym or basement.

Responsibilities & Liability

The Political Education working group will have minimal responsibilities and liability other than ensuring the space is cleaned after events. We expect PoliEd events to be a major source of fundraising for RC, both by soliciting one-off donations from attendees but also by bringing more people into the community that donate on a regular basis. While initially we do not intend on using any of those funds, in the future we may set aside some percent of donations to help pay for speaker travel. We may also record Sunday talks and make them available to donors on the Patreon as a means of increasing RC revenue. 

We do not anticipate much conflict with the Spokescouncil but will inform the community of programming as it is booked, making sure to give ample notice about any potentially contentious speakers so that the community can provide feedback. We will also ensure at least one PoliEd group member is present at every event to ensure smooth operation and teardown.