PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES
A collaborative work by Mariame Kaba and Andrea Ritchie, Interrupting Criminalization, and Aarati Kasturirangan and Sara Joffe, Dragonfly Partners
A FRAMEWORK FOR
CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION IN
MOVEMENT-BUILDING GROUPS
A workshop on navigating conflict, strengthening accountability, and building healthier movement spaces.
Movement-building groups are powerful spaces for change, but they’re also places where tension, misunderstanding, and harm can emerge.
In It Together is a workshop designed to help coalitions, campaigns, and organizations develop the tools, structures, and practices needed to navigate conflict without rupture. Grounded in abolitionist, feminist, and anti-oppression values, this workshop supports groups in creating principled communities of struggle where accountability, clarity, and care guide the work.
What Participants Learn
This workshop offers a deep dive into the framework’s most essential elements, giving groups both a conceptual foundation and practical tools. Participants will explore:
The Conditions We Are Organizing In
Understanding how systems of oppression shape our assumptions about power, leadership, communication, and safety.
Common Sources of Conflict in Movement Spaces
Including:
• the replication of harmful norms and structures
• the absence of clear group structure
• conflict avoidance
• punitive responses
• position-based advocacy
• scarcity mindsets
Grounding Agreements for Principled Communities of Struggle
Participants establish shared practices for:
• embracing differences
• engaging conflict directly
• supporting learning and unlearning
• setting clear participation guidelines
• resisting punitive cultural norms
• building accountability rooted in humanity
Creating the Container
How groups can build clarity around:
• purpose and membership
• roles and responsibilities
• decision-making
• communication flows
• conflict navigation
• evaluating what’s working
Tools for Conflict Transformation
Practical approaches to:
• emotional regulation and safety planning
• curiosity and inquiry
• direct communication and feedback
• interrupting punitive impulses
• acting with integrity
• supporting accountability without shame or blame
Diagnostic Tools
A structured set of questions to help groups assess:
• the nature of a conflict
• where it’s rooted
• which tools to use
• when outside support may be needed
Meet your Presenters
The Dragonfly Partners team brings a grounded mix of experience, clarity, and heart to every workshop. With backgrounds in leadership development, organizational strategy, and community-centered decision making, your co-presenters are skilled at helping groups navigate complex choices with confidence and care. Rooted in a collaborative, curiosity-driven culture, they create an environment where participants feel supported, challenged, and equipped to apply what they learn long after the workshop ends.
