Reflections on My Participation at the 32nd IAFFE Annual Conference in Rome, Italy

I was invited to participate at the 2024 conference of the International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE), presenting a workshop in collaboration with other organizations that value and practice the popular education methodology. A group of women were interested in using the approach UFE has developed, which is our Popular Economics Education. We worked on a collective workshop proposal, spotlighting portions of UFE’s workshop curriculum, “Overworked and Undervalued: Women, Race, and the Economy.” It was accepted mainly for UFE’s approach which – according to notes we received back – “seems innovative.”

We were meeting for close to a year to prepare. The planning team was: 

• Carol Barton, Edelmira Nazombe, Mariama Williams, and Pamela Sparr – all from the Intersectional Feminist Popular Education Hub
• Edme Dominguez, Heike Wach, and Silke Steinhilber – from WIDE+ (Women in Development Europe+) and WIDE Switzerland
• Jeannette Huezo (me!)  – from United for a Fair Economy (UFE)
• Michelle Barrow – from Voices from the Shore Theatre Collective, Barbados

Popular educators at IAFFE, from left to right: Edme Dominguez, Silke Steinhilber, Jeannette Huezo, Michelle Barrow, Heike Wach

It was a big challenge to plan a workshop that can integrate the different approaches each of the organizations practice. But working with professional women with similar values made it an easy task. The product was a beautiful one.

Presenting: “Feminist Popular Economic Education for Organizing & Movement Building: a Hands-on Workshop”

We presented “Feminist Popular Economic Education for Organizing & Movement Building: a Hands-on Workshop” at the 32nd IAFFE Annual Conference in Rome, Italy from July 3–5, 2024 at the Sapienza Universita Di Roma. There were 30 participants in the room with us with the option to participate online with our workshop.

The workshop begins

Goals

Our GOALS for the workshop were to:

• Engage in hands-on Popular Education tools and learn about the context in which they are being used in Latin America
• Link academics and activists via Popular Economic tools
• Review the potential for Popular Economics Education methodology as a tool for organizing during this difficult time

Getting Started

The workshop started with UFE’s participatory approach – introducing the topic, goals, and doing an agenda review, sharing the principles and practices of Popular Economic Education, and starting the hands-on part with the introductions of the participants.

Signs of the Economic Times – A Pair Share

Then we organized participants in pairs working on one of UFE’s signature activities, “Signs of the Economic Times.” It was a generative theme to learn about participants’ economic experiences and concerns. We heard lots of similarities in what participants shared, even with the geographic differences (participants were from many different countries). 

The issues that had many mentions from participants included:

• Housing displacement and lack of access to affordable housing opportunities
• Salary stagnation
• Political leadership crisis
• Proliferation of mental health issues

Diving Deeper through Small Group Work

Based on the issues participants raised – working from their experiences of the economy and the things that matter to them – we formed four groups. In each group, people had a more in-depth conversation sharing their experiences.

Participants discuss economic issues in small groups

Report-back, Human Tableaux Style

Then, each group presented their conversation using the methodology of “tableaux” – using their bodies and expressions to make a picture or scene that conveys ideas and emotions. Each group presented one by one, and the rest of the participants analyzed what they saw or identified what they thought the images were about, opening a dialogue. It was a very powerful experience.

Participants portray aspects of our economies using “human tableaux”

What Can We Do? Surfacing Ideas for Action

The next step is to think of a place where they can take action to change the situation. Based on the economic issues identified through the stories, conversations, and tableaux, we posed a question:

“What experiences have you had, or what options do you know of, to change the situation?” 

We made circles on the floor, using string, for each of several sectors of the economy:

• Home
• State
• For-profit workplace
• For non-profit workplace
• Extra legal sector
• Informal sector

We asked the participants to share one experience where they have engaged in one of those sectors, and to stand (voluntarily) on the appropriate circle to share their story. While each volunteer explained, the others listened. Listeners could then choose to join the circle if they wanted to add their own story.

Reflections on Using Popular Education for Collective Learning and Community Action

After participating in the activities, we opened the plenary for participants to reflect on two questions:

1. How might these participatory analytical tools help address the situations you are facing in your community and with your activism?
2. How might such tools support alliance-building between academics, popular educators, and organizers?   

A great conversation happened, with a lot of insights and helpful feedback.

Closing

In closing the session, we asked participants to share one word that captures their experience. Participants shared: powerful, interesting, helpful, participatory, different, alternative, vivid, open mind, grateful, different approach, love it, and knowledge.

The Work Continues!

It was a great experience for me to work with other powerful women, supporting each other and complementing our own experiences with our different backgrounds and geographic areas, and to conclude with the very successful presentation and great feedback from participants.

Next, we have high expectations to be a part of the 33rd IAFFE Annual Conference 2025. It will be held at UMass Amherst, where my collaborators and I are building a new Intersectional Feminist Popular Education Hub as an impactful new resource for economic justice movement building.