The Hammer Museum presents a community gathering to explore nonviolent tactics, street smarts and strategies with the Rev. James Lawson and Nadine Bloch from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 9, at the Wiltern Theater.
Nonviolent action is a way that ordinary people throughout US history and around the world have fought for rights, freedom and justice. This free 3-hour workshop, taught by two of the nation’s leading nonviolent practitioners, will explore strategies and best on-the-ground practices for successful nonviolent action.
The speakers will identify what makes an action or movement effective and explore the history of nonviolent struggles. Audiences will learn legal and safety skills, and how to de-escalate conflict.
Lawson, a close associate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a leading architect of the nonviolent campaigns during the civil rights movement, has devoted his life to championing human rights and social change for all through the use of the nonviolent philosophy practiced by Mahatma Gandhi. He served as pastor at Holman United Methodist Church in Los Angeles for 25 years, and is currently a visiting professor at UCLA, Cal State Northridge and Vanderbilt University.
As an innovative artist, nonviolent practitioner, political organizer, direct-action trainer, and puppetista, Bloch combines the principles and strategies of nonviolent civil disobedience with creative use of the arts in cultural resistance and public protest. She has worked with diverse organizations, including Nonviolence International, Greenpeace, The Ruckus Society, The Labor Heritage Foundation, Health GAP, Housing Works, and the Bread and Puppet Theater. Her work has been featured nationally and locally in newspapers, including the Washington Post and national magazines.
The Wiltern is located at 3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010. The Metro Purple Line stops right across the street from The Wiltern and connects with Downtown L.A., Union Station, and Metro Red Line to Hollywood. Metro Purple Line operates until 2 a.m. on weekends.
