What can you learn about strategic creative nonviolent action in 90 minutes? If you said not much, you would be far off the mark! In this short amount of time, students at Loyola Marymount University went on a gallery walk through a museum of nonviolent direct action, shared best and worst action stories and their strategic implications, and dived into a whirlwind presentation of tactics, principles and action history.

Imagine taking the greatest movement victories of the last 100+ years and teasing out the core strategies and tactics that made them successful — then adding in the most contagious solutions people are working on today to make the transition to a just and sustainable society. That’d be a pretty great toolbox or two right there. Now imagine a deck of cards and an online gaming platform that allowed you to play with these ideas in different ways depending on the challenges you’re facing.

In a continued effort to get this information into the hands of troublemakers around the globe, Beautiful Trouble is available in seven languages (and counting!) Most of the foreign editions are initiated by local artist-activists and showcase the most creative social change efforts in each country.

On Wednesday, November 18th, the BTTN Hangout Live! series continued with Paris COP 21 artivistas and organizers.

Our allies have been keeping busy after the release of Beautiful Trouble’s Russian edition. Yuliya and Helen of 350.org recently organized an “Energizer Camp” for 20 environmental activists from Ukraine and surrounding countries.

The first BT TN HangOut, Live!, feat. the (sur)real Black Body Survival Guide took place Wed Aug 5th at 5 pm PT// 8pm EST.

This launched a BTTN LIVE! series showcasing the latest and greatest in creative action news from around the globe; & offer a platform for BT Trainers and allies to share current work and relay network info.

Are you a detail-oriented up-and-coming activist with a passion for social change, social media, and getting stuff done? Want to expand your skill-set and increase your organizing mojo? Here is an opportunity to work with a dynamic network of artist-activist changemakers as we continue to grow Beautiful Trouble.

Are you passionate about creative activism, social movements and Quickbooks? Are you a detail oriented, number-literate activist? Here is an opportunity to work with a network of creative changemakers as they build a more solid organizational foundation for either world domination or financial sustainability, whichever comes first.

Have you heard the news? The latest international version of Beautiful Trouble is hot off the press and stirring up trouble!

Hello Troublemakers,

Last week we reported on what turned out to be the inaugural gathering of the Beautiful Trouble Training Network. We promised a follow-up post to describe the new collective vision for the Network that is unfolding, and outline a potential path forward. Well, this is that post. But before we dive into our brave new future, a bit of back-story is essential.

Over Memorial Day weekend, 23 intrepid movement builders traveled by plane, train, automobile and bicycle (yes — bicycle! David Sievers from Avaaz rode his bike 14 miles from the train station) to the gorgeous Watershed Retreat Center in Millerton, New York for the first ever Beautiful Trouble Training for Trainers.

In early February, while on the train from Paris, members of the non-violent Basque action group Bizi devoured an early release copy of “Joyeux Bordel” (that’s French for Beautiful Trouble) that they had just picked up from the ATTAC France offices. Inspired, they thought up the action “requisition cityoenne” before they reached home in Bayonne.

If you’ve been to any of the #blacklivesmatter protests, you may have seen the slogan “Justice from Ferguson to Palestine” on a protest sign. You may have wondered: Really? How are these struggles really connected? This December, I was in Palestine, and I found out first hand.

“I don’t have the privilege of losing hope,” said Nabila Espanioly, a Palestinian feminist activist speaking on stage. “The urgency of action requires reflection to be more sustainable and effective.” In two breaths, Espanioly addressed two ongoing philosophic activism questions — How can we find hope in such troubling times? and How can we find time for thoughtful reflection amidst the chaos outside? — and poised herself as a beautiful troublemaker.

Hello Beautiful Troublemakers,

As my friend Max Haiven said this week, “Last year, we refused to keep losing. This year, we teach ourselves to win.”

And Beautiful Trouble is right in sync with the movements teaching themselves to win. In 2014 we re-invented ourselves — into something more ambitious, more diverse, and perhaps a bit extraordinary — three Beautiful(s) in one. 2015 is going to be 300% more Beautiful!

Beautiful Trouble is “A Toolbox for Revolution.” It doesn’t belong on the coffee table. It belongs in the hands of organizers and artists on the frontlines working to make the world a better place. This holiday season, you can help put one where it belongs.

The global south has long been at the forefront of creative protest tactics and strategies. Beautiful Rising, a partnership between ActionAid and Beautiful Trouble, seeks to document, systematize and share these innovations so that others can learn from them and apply them in their own contexts.

Hello Troublemakers!

We’re thrilled to tell you about Beautiful Trouble: Handbuch für eine unwiderstehliche Revolution—the brand-new hot-off-the-presses THIRD international version of Beautiful Trouble.

This past month was a big, big moment for the Climate Justice movement. And Beautiful Trouble was there. In fact, we were kind of everywhere…

Beautiful Trouble just completed our most ambitious training yet — and it was a smashing success!