• GROW •
Grass Roots Organizing Workshop
Home of the SC Progressive Network and the Modjeska Simkins School
1340 Elmwood Ave., Columbia, SC
803-808-3384
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Mondays 6:30–8:30pm through the end of June: The Modjeska Simkins School spring session meets online and in-person at GROW in Columbia and the Charleston Worker Center. For registered students and alumni only.
May 2, 8–10pm: Jazz Workshop (1st and 3rd Thursdays). Join friends for a casual evening of live music. All are welcome. Got talent? Bring your instrument and sit in for a song or two. No cover charge.
May 5, 4-6pm, Deep Dive at GROW and on Zoom with Dr. Vernon Burton and attorney Armand Derfner, whose recent book Justice Deferred: Race and the Supreme Court exposes how SCOTUS rulings on civil rights cases between the 1930s and 1970s favored corporations over people. “From the Cherokee Trail of Tears to Brown v. Board of Education, to the dismantling of the Voting Rights Act, distinguished historian Dr. Vernon Burton and renowned civil rights lawyer Armand Derfner shine a powerful light on the Court’s race record, that for nearly a century, ensured that the Reconstruction Amendments would not truly free and enfranchise African Americans. And the twenty-first century has seen a steady erosion of commitments to enforcing hard-won rights.” (Harvard Press) This program, part of the Modjeska Simkins School, is offered free to the public. To join on Zoom, register HERE.
May 8, 6–8pm: Writers Bank Workshop with South Carolinians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Bring a writing device and help write media pieces against the death penalty. Free pizza! Register HERE.
May 11, 2pm: Jobs With Justice organizing meeting. JWJ is a 35-year-old national nonprofit with a record of successful grassroots organizing in communities in advance of employment opportunities. JWJ works to increase the rights of host communities, as well as the workers eventually hired from that community. Gov. Henry McMaster and the state Dept. of Commerce are promoting South Carolina as “the place to manufacture your Electric Vehicles,” with their standard pitch of low wages, a compliant workforce, and business friendly regulations. This affects workers and communities across the state where EV development is being planned. Nichel Dunlap is hosting the gathering to connect concerned citizens with each other and to brief them on the impact of hundreds of millions of EV infrastructure investment dollars in SC. Click HERE for a list of communities and environmental challenges coming with the EV boom.
May 13, 5pm: Campus Workers United (2nd Mondays) Organizing for fairness and living wages for employees of the University of South Carolina, one of the state’s largest employers. Open to all interested parties.
May 16, 8–10pm: Jazz Workshop (1st and 3rd Thursdays). Join friends for a casual evening of live music. All are welcome. Got talent? Bring your instrument and sit in for a song or two. No cover charge.
May 18, 10am: Adopt-A-Street clean-up. Meet at GROW, 1340 Elmwood Ave. The Modjeska Simkins School takes part in the city’s beautification program, and coordinates a quarterly sweep of Marion Street, from Elmwood to Taylor. We provide volunteers with gloves, pickers, and bags for the work, which takes about an hour. Want to help? Call 803-808-3384 or simply show up Saturday morning.
May 19, 6:30-8pm: Afrikan History series on Zoom. Lecture 7: Resistance to Enslavement. Despite the myth of the “happy slave,” there are many documented instances of the many ways that the enslaved Afrikans resisted their enslavement. Some methods were passive; others were deadly. This lecture explores some of these methods. Dr. Burnett Kwadwo Gallman, a Columbia physician, and Modjeska Simkins School board member, has been holding seminars on Afrikan history for 40 years. He serves on the National Board of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations. His lectures are open to the public. To join the online class, register HERE.
May 22, 7pm: The SC Progressive Network resumes monthly meetings! Find out what we’ve been up to and how you can get involved. To join the meeting online, register HERE.
May 25, 7pm: The UFO at GROW with music by Mind at Large, Death Ray Robin, and Sigourney Howell. Doors open at 7pm. $10 cover.
May 26, 6:30-8pm: Afrikan History series on Zoom. Lecture 8: What is Racism? This is the 8th in a 10-lecture series led by Dr. Burnett Kwadwo Gallman. Racism has been a major part of the world for some 700 to 800 years. This lecture will discuss some possible origins of racism, and its various types — which may make some participants uncomfortable. To join the class, register HERE.
May 30, noon–1:30pm: Food for Thought (last Thursday of each month). Join the lead instructors of the Modjeska Simkins School for a new lunchtime discussion series for Network members and allies to explore topics of historical or current interest. Bring your lunch or order take-out in advance from No Name Deli across the street.
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Please remember that GROW strongly advocates vegetarian/vegan fare, as it aligns with our core values of respecting the planet and its inhabitants, and resisting corporate control of our food. Even if you do not practice a plant-based diet, we ask that you respect our attendees who do.