Shaping Seattle: Organizing Symposium

Shaping Seattle: Volunteer Organizing Symposium

What to Expect

The Volunteer Organizing Symposium is a half-day gathering designed to build skills, share knowledge, and spark collective action to make Seattle’s streets safer and more welcoming for everyone. Whether you’re a longtime advocate or just beginning to get involved, you’ll leave feeling energized and equipped to take action in your neighborhood.

Saturday, May 17, 2025
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Seattle Central College
Free to attend (donations appreciated)
Lunch provided
Childcare available

The day will begin with a short welcome, followed by your choice of two out of four hands-on, interactive workshops:

Organizing 101: How to Build People Power

Learn the foundational skills of grassroots organizing and coalition building. This session is perfect for anyone interested in leading change, not just for safe streets, but for any community movement.

Business Outreach: Cultivating Allies and Mitigating Concerns

Dive into strategies for building productive relationships with local businesses and addressing their concerns around walking, biking, and rolling infrastructure. A must-attend for advocates looking to build broad-based support.

From Idea to Asphalt: How to Influence an SDOT Project

Ever wonder how a street project goes from concept to construction?

This workshop demystifies SDOT’s project pipeline and shows you when and how to plug in as a community advocate.

Tactical Urbanism and Placemaking: Small Actions, Big Impact

Explore real-life examples of temporary or small-scale interventions that helped pave the way for larger change. You’ll walk away with practical ideas for creating joy and urgency in public space improvements.

After the workshops, we’ll come together for a community lunch — a chance to connect with other passionate people working to shape Seattle’s future.

Register now to reserve your spot! Space is limited, and advance RSVP helps us plan for food, childcare, and accessibility needs.

Let’s build the movement together. See you there!

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Thank you to Seattle Neighborhood Greenways' 2025 sponsors for helping make the Shaping Seattle series possible.

Top row: Washington Bike Law logo, The Bowline Fund, Fleming Law logo; bottom row: Commute Seattle