Thank you to everyone who came out for the first in-person event of our 12th Anniversary Speaker Series—it meant a lot to gather together again. We were honored to host Alexandra Piñeros Shields and Tom Piñeros Shields for a deep and energizing conversation about Participatory Action Research.
They helped ground us in the idea that research doesn’t have to be distant or top-down—it can be a tool for collective liberation when communities shape the questions and define the process themselves. It was a powerful reminder of how people can take ownership of the stories and knowledge that shape their lives.
We’re also really looking forward to what’s next. This conversation is part of a larger journey. As we continue our free and public speaker series, we’ll keep building on these ideas with more opportunities to learn, reflect, and take action together. We’d love for you to be part of it—our next event is coming up on April 15, and you can find all the details below.
Fierce Vulnerability Book Launch & Workshop
with Kazu Haga
We’re thrilled to welcome our longtime friend and collaborator Kazu to share from his upcoming book, Fierce Vulnerability (2025). Kazu’s work in Kingian nonviolence has been a guiding light for many of us, and this new book is full of wisdom for the moment we’re in - and a powerful resource for evolving our movements.
Join us for two special in-person gatherings: 📖 Book Launch – April 15 📍 Day-Long Workshop – April 16 – where we’ll reflect on the book’s themes and start conversations about building for a local chapter of the national, decentralized Fierce Vulnerability Network.
This is for anyone thinking seriously about how we hold both strategy, justice, and healing in our organizing.
We'll be hosting these two events at our Movement Training Center in Revere, MA
We’re also excited to welcome James Hayes and Stuart McIntyre for a timely discussion on political dealignment and realignment.
Since 2008, we’ve witnessed a deep crisis of legitimacy—eroding trust in institutions, fracturing traditional party loyalties, and fueling the rise of new political movements. Now, in the wake of Trump’s 2024 election victory, the rightward shift of Silicon Valley, and the intensification of MAGA 2.0, the stakes are higher than ever.
🗓 Workshop: Living in Populist Times 📍 Join us as we explore the forces reshaping power in the U.S. and what this realignment means for progressive movements.
This conversation is especially relevant for organizers, activists, and anyone thinking about how to respond to this political moment with clarity and intention.
Finally, to round out the month, join us for a free workshop on Movement Ecology, a framework that helps us understand the five key strategies that drive social change.
Collaboration is key in our movements—but it only really works when we understand the different strategies people bring to the table. This workshop offers a framework for making sense of those approaches - what we call the Foundational Theories of Change, so we can work together with more clarity and purpose.
If this sounds useful, we encourage you to invite others in your organization or network—this workshop is a great space to learn together and build shared language across different approaches to change.
Our 12th Anniversary Speaker Series and workshops is an invitation to learn, reflect, and act in community. The next event is right around the corner—April 15—and we’d love to see you there.
In reciprocity,
The Ayni Team
Ayni Institute, 240 Harris Street, Revere, MA 02151
