In-Person Chicago | Foundations of Institutional Organizing | December 12th, 2026

Good intentions don't transform institutions. Organizing skills do. Marshall Ganz defines organizing as "leadership that enables people to turn the resources they have into the power they need to make the change they want." For forty years, Crossroads has been building exactly that capacity—equipping people inside institutions with the skills to drive real, lasting change. This workshop is for people who are already working for change—and are ready to organize others to do it with them. You'll leave with frameworks, tools, and hands-on practice for:

• Building collective power
• Creating shared vision
• Driving institutional change toward antiracist practice

This is a Practice & Action workshop designed to equip participants with concrete skills to organize and sustain change—in their personal lives, institutions, and communities. Although no prior experience with Crossroads is required, participants who have attended the following workshops will gain deeper insights from this session:

• Animating Antiracist Ways of Being
• Introduction to Antiracism (2020-2023)
• Introduction to Systemic Racism workshop (pre-2020)
• Understanding and Analyzing Systemic Racism workshop (pre-2020)
• Toward Liberation: Building Shared Analysis to Transform Institutions
• The Values Gap: Moving from Symbolic Gestures to Lasting Transformation
• Beyond Diversity: A Roadmap for Organizational Transformation

THE FEES

Are You Paying for Yourself?

We know cost can be a barrier, so we've set affordable rates for individuals. Choose the fee that works best for your situation. If you have the financial means, we encourage you to pay the full price to help keep our programs accessible to others.

• Minimum Fee: $35 — For individuals with modest resources
• Half-Price: $90 — For individuals with moderate resources
• Full-Price: $180 — For individuals able to cover all their costs

Is your Organization Covering your Registration?

If your employer or organization is covering your registration, select the rate based on your organization's annual budget.

• Equity Rate: $120 per person — Budget under $400K
• Sustainer Rate: $180 per person — Budget $400K to $2 million
• Supporter Rate: $240 per person — Budget $2 million to $16.5 million
• Builder Rate: $300 per person — Budget over $16.5 million

THE LOGISTICS

📍 Location

Friendship Community Place, 5150 N Northwest Hwy, Chicago, IL

Date - Saturday, December 12th, 2026 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm CT

Arrive on time. You must join before the Community Agreements Process is complete — usually within the first 30 minutes. Late arrivals can't be admitted, in order to protect the group's confidentiality.

Stay for the full workshop. We ask all participants to attend from start to finish. Moving in and out isn't permitted, since it disrupts the shared experience for everyone.

Breaks & Self-Care

• Workshops under 6 hours: Regular stretch and self-care breaks included.
• Workshops 6+ hours: Regular stretch and self-care breaks, plus a 60-minute lunch break.

Location