For over 40 years, CTWO has trained leaders of color to drive social justice movements and win change for communities pushed to the margins.
The Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO) is a racial justice hub building movements led by people of color. As a training ground and resource for organizers, we strengthen community power while inspiring people to fall in love with the work—showing up with both rigor and joy.
In 2020, Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO) entered a strategic partnership with The Ruckus Society and The BlackOUT Collective, establishing all three projects under a central HUB– deepening its commitment to consolidating and streamlining training for communities of color. This formation has increased capacity across all programs, expanding training reach, boosting organizational efficiency, and strengthening leadership pipelines. Since its launch, The HUB has trained over 400 people through more than 20 trainings, collaborated with over 60 community partners, and enhanced the sustainability of BIPOC-led organizing through stronger operational systems and fundraising support.
Our Mission
CTWO’s mission is to help build and sustain a thriving racial justice movement led by communities of color.
Our Vision
CTWO envisions a future where communities of color lead the fights that shape their lives—centering the voices of women, queer and trans people, Black folks, immigrants, people with disabilities, and the formerly incarcerated. We believe in movements rooted in collaboration, deep strategy, resilience, and joy.
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Years of Training
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Theory of change
To build strong movements and support our vision, the CTWO centers its work on five elements. Together, each partner of the CTWO is committed to the following principles while maintaining their unique tactics and strategies:
Education: We utilize popular education to train and build grassroots leadership in organizing and direct action.
Experimentation: We are a think and do shop. We create vehicles for people to confront power and fully nurture their new ideas and strategies.
Incubation: We allow people to bring their whole selves and new ideas and work with new, growing, or struggling organizations.
Movement Accompaniment: We support the growth and infrastructure of grassroots movements.
Strengthen: We develop strong and thriving organizations that are sustainable and forward thinking.
We believe that in order to build strong movements, we must build power at various levels. We build strong social justice movements by focusing on 3 levels of organizing:
Individuals: Movements must grow and in order for that to happen we must create on-ramps for new organizers. We create spaces for new activists and those not yet involved to enter the movement, through training, public programs, and webinars.
Organizations: We believe organizations are the bedrock of sustained strong social movements. We support, train, and help build liberatory organizations.
Ecosystems and Networks: We build, support and are a part of networks and ecosystems.
We equip grassroots leaders and organizations with a toolbox of knowledge and skills through workshops, curriculum, intensive training camps, and access to a highly sophisticated network of practitioners and trainers. We also provide the tools, preparation, and support to craft strategies that win policy reform, directly challenge unjust systems, and offer resilience centered solutions.
Our history
Founded in 1980, the CTWO has trained and supported generations of organizers—continually evolving how we do our work. Our history is a testament to the power of reflection and transformation to create enduring impact and collective liberation.
Our team
CTWO is made up of organizers, educators, caregivers, and visionaries committed to collective liberation. Together, we bring decades of experience, creativity, and care to transforming our communities and movements. We are Bay Area-bred (since 1980) and focus on bringing radical organizing and training nationwide.