Overview

The Midwest Academy Strategy Chart is one of the most widely used organizing tools in social justice movements. It helps campaigns turn big goals into concrete, winnable plans by breaking strategy into five key parts:

1. Goals
2. Organizational Resources & Considerations
3. Constituency, Allies & Opponents
4. Targets (primary + secondary)
5. Tactics (ordered by escalation)

The chart forces organizers to slow down and think strategically:

• What are we trying to win?
• Who has the power to give it to us?
• Who are we organizing with and against?
• What resources do we have?
• What actions will move decision-makers?

Movements use this tool because it is simple, adaptable, and works across issues—from criminal justice to housing, education, workers’ rights, and climate justice. For this toolkit, the chart is the backbone of strategic planning, especially in blended digital + on-the-ground campaigns.

Power mapping is a strategic tool that helps organizers identify who holds the power to give you what you want, who influences those decision-makers, and how your organization can shift the balance of power.
It is used in advocacy, community organizing, labor campaigns, and political strategy to determine the most effective points of pressure.

A power map answers three questions:

How can your organization increase your power relative to theirs?

Who has the authority to make the decision you need?

Who influences them?

Primary Decision-Maker (Primary Target)

Who has the direct power to make the change you want?

Examples could include:

A city commissioner

A school board member

A CEO

A university president

A state agency

A local landlord or developer

Your map should clearly state who must take action for your campaign to succeed.

2. Secondary Targets (Influencers)

These are people or institutions who influence the primary target.

Examples:

Their advisors

Political supporters

Donors

Religious leaders

Community organizations

Media outlets

Neighborhood associations

Labor unions

Student groups

Secondary targets matter because they can pressure the primary target when your organization cannot reach them directly.

3. Allies & Potential Allies

Individuals or groups who:

Support your issue

Could be persuaded to support it

Have shared interests or overlapping goals

Examples:

Community organizations

Advocacy groups

Student organizations

Parent associations

Faith communities

Local activists

Professional networks

This helps you identify who to mobilize and how to broaden your base.

4. Opponents & Potential Opponents

Groups or individuals who:

Disagree with your goals

Benefit from the status quo

Could mobilize against your campaign

Understanding opponents helps you anticipate challenges and develop strategies to neutralize or counter their influence.

5. Constituency (Your Base)

Who are your people?
Power comes from organizing the people most impacted by the issue.

For example:

Residents

Tenants

Students

Workers

Families

Patients

Volunteers

The stronger and more organized your base, the more effective your power strategy.

6. Influence Paths (How Pressure Flows)

Show the connections:
Your base → Allies → Secondary Targets → Primary Decision-Maker

This is the heart of the power map:
It tracks how influence actually moves in your local political or social landscape.

7. Strategy Insights (What the Map Reveals)

After mapping, you should answer:

Where are your strongest points of leverage?

Which secondary targets matter most?

Where is the primary target weak?

What alliances should be strengthened?

What tactics will move the decision-maker fastest?

This section translates the map into actionable strategy.

Overview

Long before social media existed, organizers in the American colonies used strategic communication techniques to build mass public support against British rule. Samuel Adams—one of the most effective movement strategists of the 1700s—developed a simple but powerful playbook based on symbols, slogans, and staged events.
These principles remain fundamental to modern grassroots and digital advocacy.

Today, the same ideas guide successful campaigns on TikTok, Instagram, in protests, and in community organizing spaces. The strength of Adams’s strategy is its clarity:
Powerful movements use powerful symbols.
Powerful movements use memorable slogans.
Powerful movements create events that force public attention.

⭐ 1. Symbols

Purpose: Make your movement instantly recognizable.

Why symbols matter:

Symbols create a shared identity

They communicate values at a glance

They inspire emotional connection

They allow supporters to signal membership publicly

They travel across platforms—signs, shirts, memes, emojis, banners, profile pictures

Historical example:

The Liberty Tree became a rallying symbol for the Sons of Liberty. Everyone knew what it stood for.

Modern equivalent:

Raised fist emoji ✊

Black Lives Matter yellow-and-black text

Sunrise Movement’s yellow flame

Pride flag

TikTok profile frames

Canva-made campaign colors and templates

Iconic visual branding (Freeze the Rent posters, etc.)

What to include in your toolkit page:

How to choose a symbol

How to keep it consistent

How to use symbols on social media graphics

How symbols help build belonging and identity

⭐ 2. Slogans

Purpose: Compress your message into a short, emotional, repeatable phrase.

Why slogans matter:

They create message discipline

They’re easy to memorize

They travel fast online

They unify supporters

They shape media coverage

They reinforce campaign demands

Historical example:

“No taxation without representation”
—a short phrase that summarized a complex political conflict.

Modern equivalent:

“Freeze the Rent” (Mamdani)

“Defund the Police”

“Water Is Life”

“Cancel Student Debt”

“We Keep Us Safe”

“Stop Cop City”

“Housing Is a Human Right”

Mamdani’s campaign succeeded partly because his slogans were memeable and policy-based, not vague vibes. They were crafted to spread online and be repeated at rallies, in videos, and in press coverage.

What to include on your page:

How to craft a winning slogan

Why slogans must align with real policy

How slogans move across platforms (IG, TikTok, canvassing scripts)

Examples of effective vs. ineffective slogans

⭐ 3. Staged Events

Purpose: Create public moments that generate media attention and shift public opinion.

Adams understood that politics is theater. Today, the same principle applies:
A well-planned event can force journalists, elected officials, and the public to pay attention—even with a small budget.

Why staged events matter:

They create visual stories for media

They attract supporters and volunteers

They demonstrate community power

They produce footage for digital content

They pressure decision-makers indirectly through public narrative

Historical example:

The Boston Tea Party—a symbolic, theatrical action designed to reshape public opinion.

Modern equivalent:

Citywide scavenger hunt launched by Mamdani’s mayoral campaign (Barnett, 2025)

Marches, rallies, vigils, sit-ins

“Die-in” or symbolic protest formations

Art drops, banner drops, murals

Public hearings with organized turnout

Viral street interviews or short-form video stunts

Press conferences staged at symbolic locations

These events work because they combine offline spectacle with online amplification—photos, livestreams, TikToks, and Reels that spread rapidly.

What to include on your page:

How to design a staged event

How to connect online buildup → offline turnout

How to ensure events have a clear demand

How to capture footage for digital advocacy

Examples of low-cost but high-impact events

⭐ How These Principles Support Blended Organizing

Samuel Adams’s communication model remains effective today because it naturally combines message clarity with mass participation.
For digital organizers, the formula becomes:

Symbols → brand your movement

Slogans → control your message

Staged events → create content + pressure points

These components work best when woven together into a consistent strategy that moves supporters from online interest to real-world action.