Step by Step

STEP BY STEP ORGANIZING TIPS

Written by Jean Morrison and Frank Baird

Events do not have to be large to be successful. You can inform millions through mass communication with just a few committed people, an interesting message, and excellent organizing. Following are some tips to help you participate in every component of Walk a Mile in Her Shoes®: The Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault & Gender Violence. They are suggestions and helpful tips, not requirements.

General Event Planning Tips

Develop and stick to a realistic timeline. We have supplied one for you at the end of this section to facilitate your planning process.

Delegate . . . Delegate . . . Delegate. There are a lot of details and tasks involved in planning a March and/or public education campaign. We need dedicated people like you to continue working to end sexual violence. Do yourself, and your event, a favor and don’t try to do everything yourself.

Integrate media, volunteer recruitment, and fundraising into every public education effort.

Remember Murphy’s Law: What can go wrong will go wrong. Try to imagine everything that could go wrong and plan a solution to each potential problem in advance.

Before You Get Started

Sign and return the Organizer's Agreement to:

Frank Baird, March Founder

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes®

141 Duesenberg Drive #1A

Westlake Village, CA 91361

Phone: 818.865.2169

Fax: 818.889.3833

e-mail: frankbaird@walkamileinhershoes.org

Get your authorization to organize a Walk a Mile in Her Shoes®: The Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault & Gender Violence before you begin organizing. Remember, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® and Put Yourself in Her Shoes™ are trademarks and cannot be used without express written permission.

Organize a Men’s March Planning Committee

Form a Men’s March Planning Committee. In addition to your Men’s March Contact, you may want to include people to fill the following positions:

Media Coordinator – to distribute press releases, follow up with media representatives, and to coordinate media and granted interviews on the day of the event;

Public Education/Outreach – to coordinate distribution of flyers and posters, and to initiate brief presentations to interested organizations and groups

Volunteer Recruitment – to coordinate volunteer recruitment on the day of the event, and to coordinate follow up with volunteers after the march

Logistics – to oversee Men’s March physical site needs, e.g. permits and equipment

March Manager – to commence and manage Men’s March activities, e.g. manage the program, organize program participants, and to tell everyone when to start the march and when to clean up and go home

Security Manager – to help maintain safety and order along the March route, and handle any potential hecklers or agitators (this last concern is not necessarily expected to occur at this event).

If possible, fill Planning Committee positions with trusted members of other organizations and agencies; as support members if not coordinators. Assess the resources available to each organization and use them wisely. Resources include: volunteers, equipment, connections to funding sources or donors, connections to celebrities and/or the media, etc.

Contact like-minded organizations and individuals to be your organizing partners. Use the opportunity of planning this march to make some new friends and deepen existing relationships with friendly organizations. Think out of the box, and think diversity. Contact rape crisis centers, feminist men’s organizations, civil rights organizations, progressive religious organizations, unions, parent groups, student organizations, colleges and universities, professional organizations - everyone you can think of.

Get Large-Sized Women’s Shoes Early!

It is difficult to find women’s shoes in sizes large enough for most men. Most men and women do not know what size women’s shoe a man would wear. Many men wear a size 13+ in women’s shoes. Make sure you have a source for large numbers of large-size women’s shoes early. A Men’s March without enough men wearing high-heeled shoes will not have the community or media appeal to successfully transmit the Men’s March message. See our Store for shoe sources.

Depending on your organization's resources shoes can be provided as follows:

Organizers Provide Shoes.

We prefer this option because it insures the Men's March image (dramatic and uniform shoes) and makes it easiest for men to participate. We recommend having a minimum registration fee that can cover the cost of the shoes. See our Store for shoe packages. We recommend you have the men return the shoes at the end of the march so the shoes can be used again for the next Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® you organize.

Men Obtain Their Own Shoes

This is our least favorite shoe option because it makes it more difficult for men to obtain shoes and decreases the chances that there will be enough men in high-heeled shoes for the Men's March. There is a link in our Store, however, to a location where men can obtain indiviudal pairs of shoes.

Photos of Men in Heels

We appreciate the courage it can take for men to take a stand and walk in women's high-heeled shoes. Photos of these men can encourage other men to take up the cause and take a stand against gender violence. We hope you'll take photos and share them with us.

Some organizations have used wording such as that below when men are signing up to march to remind themthat they will be photographed and to obtain permission. It is also helpful to post signs around the march reminding men that photographs are being taken.

Disclaimer Wording

Consider using wording such as this for your registration forms. We reccomend consulting with a lawyer before using such wording.

In consideration of my entry in the Walk A Mile In Her Shoe®: The International Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Violence, I, for myself, my heirs, my executers and administrators, waive and release any and all rights and cares for damages I have or may hereafter have against the organizers of this event., its principals, its employees, all sponsors, and their representatives and all claims of damages, demands, actions, whatsoever in an manner as a result of my participation in the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® event, including travel to and from the event. I attest and verify that I am physically fit and have sufficiently trained for completion of this event and I have not been advised otherwise by a qualified medical person. Further, I hereby grant full permission to any and all of the foregoing to use my name and likeness in any broadcast, telecast, video or print media of the event without compensation.

Select and Secure a March Site and Route

Select and secure a Men’s March site and route as soon as possible after forming your Planning Committee. This detail is important to take care of early in your planning process because you may need to obtain official permits, and your outreach materials need to include where the march will take place.

Before beginning your search for an appropriate Men’s March site, have your Planning Committee envision every aspect of the day of the march, from start to finish. Imagine:

Volunteers coming to set up the stage and sound
Placing your signature logo on the front of the podium
Representatives from other agencies arriving to set up information tables
Spokespersons arriving wanting to go over the program
Media arriving and looking for the best place to set up and for people to interview
Music playing while marchers park and make their way to the march site
Signing marchers in and getting them ready to go
Giving media interviews
Delivering the opening program
Organizing people in order of men in heels, other men, women, youth and children
A drum core motivating marchers and increasing the excitement
Walking along the march route
Documenting the march.
Responding to cheers and jeers along the march route
Welcoming the marchers back with cheers, cameras and music
Giving your closing remarks
Massage for aching feet
Cleaning up and going home

Now that you’ve seen the entire march take place in your mind’s eye, you’ll be better prepared to select an appropriate march site and move quickly through the rest of the planning process.

Choose a location that is centrally located, easy to get to by bus or car, and will help you achieve all elements of your Men’s March vision. Site considerations include:

Handicap accessibility
Parking area, or street parking, large enough to handle your expected audience/marchers
Accessible electricity (or you may need to rent a generator – which is noisy but efficient)
Restrooms and their location
A space large enough to accommodate your stage area, audience and tablers/vendors adjacent to the point where your march will commence
Roads or footpaths that circle back to a starting point and are about (or at least) one mile in length (preferably visible to the general public). In most cases, your marchers will proceed spread out along footpaths or two-by-two along public sidewalks. If you are planning a larger march, you will need to arrange for road closures for the greatest degree of public safety.
A suitable staging area that will look good through the lens of a camera (video and still)

Contact a friendly City Councilmember’s office for assistance once you have determined your Men’s March location and route. Present the Men’s March idea. If they are amenable to it, they may be able to help you to:

Obtain necessary permits for use of the location
Waive permit fees
Liaison with police officials regarding the march route
Secure risers and/or podiums.

Be sure to thank elected officials publicly during your program (and any other reasonable way possible) for any assistance they are able to offer.

Obtain a Permit. If an elected official is not supportive of the Men’s March, their deputies or field representatives may still be able to help you identify where to obtain proper permits. In this case you will need to follow up with the government agency in your area that is responsible for issuing public use permits for the location you have chosen. In most cases, you will need to fill out a relatively simple form and may need to pay a small fee. Again, take care of this early to avoid any problems further along your planning process.

Contact Local Law Enforcement to inform them of your Men’s March route. If you live in a large urban area, you will need to contact the law enforcement division that is responsible for policing the area that includes your March site and route. Inform them of your Men’s March route. In most cases, law enforcement will want answers to the following questions:

Q: Will you be able to ensure that marchers will obey all traffic lights and laws

A: (When you are not requesting road closure)

We will have trained volunteer security to assist marchers along the Men’s March route. Marchers will stick to the sidewalk or posted walkways (optional as needed: and will march double file) in a way that will allow other pedestrians to use the walkway as well.

A: (When you are requesting road closure)

We are requesting that the roads along our route be closed for the duration of the march (have times available). Marchers will stick to the road on the stated route and will be managed by trained volunteer security.

Q: Are counter-demonstrators expected to show up and oppose the Men’s March message?

A: Extremely unlikely. The message is simply that men can be more involved in helping end sexual violence.

Q: What organization is sponsoring this march?

A: Name of your organization.

Q: What is the name of the contact person, or person responsible for this march?

A: Name of the authorized contact person and how they can be reached on the day of the Men’s March.

Reserve or Secure Equipment

The next step in your planning process is to obtain, reserve, or make arrangements to borrow all of the equipment you will need to support your march. More specifically, you will need:

Raised Stage – large enough to accommodate the maximum number of people you will have on stage at any given time
Sound System – able to project sound in an outdoor area setting to the number of people you expect to attend the march; e.g. two raised speakers, amplifier, microphone, and a sound generator (if necessary)
Podium – sturdy enough to hold your signature/logo sign on the front (a music stand or the like is not recommended)
Chairs – for speakers
Tables and Chairs – for march check-in, media check-in, march merchandise and flyers, representatives from friendly agencies who are tabling your event.
Bull Horns – one for about every fifty to seventy-five people.
Walkie Talkies or Personal Communicators – for March personnel, including security.
Clip Boards – one for each coordinator present on the day of the event, plus additional clipboards to be used to sign up volunteers and/or document your march.
Poster board and poles or stakes for signs
Duct Tape
Scissors
Rope
Safety Pins
Pens
Extension Cords
Security Identification (arm bands, sashes, etc)

There are many ways to creative ways to minimize the amount of money you need to commit to equipment needs. We recommend that you attempt to secure these items without paying for them (legally, of course). As mentioned above, friendly City Council members in your area may be able to provide you with a raised stage and podium free-of-charge. Look to friendly civil rights organizations, other community leaders, churches and friends to help you locate the other items on your list.

Arrange for the delivery and/or pick-up of all equipment both prior to and following the march. Your Logistics Coordinator will be responsible for checking and double-checking that each item will responsibly show up when and where it is required.

Build March Attendance — Get the Word Out to the Community

Asking men to march in high heels may sound like a daunting task. No problem. No harm in asking. After all, the main point of the Men’s March is to help build a united gender movement to stop rape, sexual assault & gender violence. Not all men will be prepared to go that extra mile in a pair of high heels, but many men are interested in demonstrating against rape and sexual assault. When getting the word out, emphasize that everyone wishes to help stop rape is welcome to join the march. Then, gain their commitment and sign them up to attend the march.

It will be important to find a contingent of men (even 10 – 15) who will march in high heels. These men are not only making a serious statement with their feet about ending rape, sexual assault, and gender violence, they will be the main attraction for local media.

Use Multiple Modes of Communication to Get the Word Out. Here are a few suggestions for spreading the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® message:

Post Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® Flyers On: College Campuses, local businesses and professional office, bookstares, elected official's offices and anywhere else you think people will see them
Distribute Flyers/Posters to Civil Rights Organizations, Unions, Violence Prevention Organizations, Crisis Centers, Law Enforcement, Religious Organizations, Churches, Mosques, Temples, etc. by:
Fax
Personal Delivery – Save these for those organizations whose members are most likely to attend
E-Mail
Mail you pay for
Mail others pay for – Distribution to members of coalitions, civil rights organizations, etc. by agreement with those coalitions or organizations. For example: the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Council will often include flyers about anti-violence events free-of-charge as long as it is approved by the group’s Executive Director. The list contains thousands of names.
Newsletter Stories/Ads that focus on or mention the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes®: The Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault & Gender Violence. Example: Valley Trauma Center publishes The Advocate and distributes it to volunteers, members of its Advisory Board, and its friends in the community.
Calls to Volunteers and Supporters. This is something that every organization involved in March planning can do to help generate Men’s March attendance. Remember, people often need to hear about an activity several times before they decide to go. If possible, plan to make a couple rounds of calls to sign marchers up, and to identify volunteers necessary to run the march. Then make sure you conduct reminder and follow up calls to confirm participation.
Announce at Meetings, Town Halls, and other Community Events. Remember to bring plenty of flyers to pass out.
Post info on a web site and link to www.walkamileinhershoes.org.

Line Up March Personnel and Volunteers

You are going to need volunteers to support your march, no matter the size. All volunteers should be provided some level of training prior to performing their jobs. Some jobs require little training, and, if absolutely necessary, can be plugged in on the day of the Men’s March.

Volunteer jobs on the day of the march may include:
Registration – Checking in marchers
Logistical Coordinator/Logistical Support – Setting up chairs, podium, and tables, signing in exhibitors (tables), picking up and/or setting up sound and other equipment
Security Coordinator/Security Volunteers– Making sure marchers observe traffic laws (when marching along public sidewalks without street closure). Making sure that hecklers or ill wishers don’t interfere with the course of the march.
March Documentation – It’s very important to document your success. Take your own pictures and videotape your activities. Don’t rely on the media to document your event for you. You’ll end up with some precious moments, and some interesting ones too, if you have a good photographer (amateur or professional) and a few volunteers walking around with disposable cameras. Videotape from your march can be shown at you next open house, Board of Directors meeting, or spliced into your public relations video project.
Media Coordinator/Media Intern – Your Media Coordinator will interface with all representatives of the media on the day of the event, documenting their coverage, arranging interviews, and helping them set up to capture some great images of your march. It helps if there is also a Media Intern present who can handle the media check-in and serve as back up when the Media Coordinator is occupied.
March Manager/Program Volunteers – The March Manager will coordinate your program and all of the people in the program. S/he will make sure the march and other program elements are integrated, and will manage volunteers to help her/him in that regard. Program Volunteers will help the March Manager to: greet, orient and place program participants; make sure marchers are in the right order (men in high heels, men in sensible shoes, women/youth/children); and, interface with the Media Coordinator/Intern re: the presence of spokespersons and their location.
Clean Up – don’t forget to sign up volunteers who are dedicated to this task. It is important to follow the scouting motto to “leave a place better than when you found it.” This will ensure a good reception from public officials the next time you need their help with an event.

Inform the Media

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes®: The Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault & Gender Violence is a media-ready campaign. Who would want to pass up a bunch of men walking in high heels carrying anti-rape signs and wearing PUT YOURSELF IN HER SHOES® tee-shirts? Not many . . . even in large media markets like Los Angeles. The 2001-2005 Men’s Marches garnered coverage in major newspapers (Los Angeles Times and L.A. Daily News and others), news radio, and most local and national television news outlets.

This guide contains a ready-made press release, and public service announcement (read only) to help interest media about your local march. Contact supportive reporters and talk show hosts first to give them a scoop or first opportunity for the story. Then, make sure to distribute media materials at least six-to-eight weeks in advance. Materials can be faxed or mailed to media representatives. Once sent, follow up with every media outlet to make sure your materials were actually received. Do this by checking with the media outlet’s City Desk Editor (print media) or Assignment Desk (electronic/radio and video/television).

Encourage local media to include a spokesperson from Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® headquarters in their story whenever possible. Contact Frank Baird, the Men’s March Founder, @ 818/865-2169 for information or to schedule interviews. Frank Baird will be on call and available for comment regarding the March, its origin and purpose.

Plan Your Program

Make your program dynamic, inspiring, and relatively brief. Remember, the march is the point of the event and will take some time to complete. Try to limit your program to about 20 minutes in length MAX.

Identify public figures and organizational leaders who are charismatic speakers and invite them to speak on one of suggested topics. Be specific about their suggested topic area and the length of time they will have to speak.

Once your speakers are confirmed verbally, confirm them again in writing. Make sure you include the date, time, location, parking arrangements, who they should meet on site, and any other important information they need to know to be able to participate in your event. Clarify if the speaker will also be participating in the March, and how they will be participating (i.e., if a man, will he be wearing high heels?).

When contacting elected officials, discuss the possibility of a proclamation in support of the Men’s March. Sample proclamation language is included with this kit. Mention all proclamations received, along with the official or official body issuing the proclamation, from the podium during the program. Make sure that there is someone checking the crowd and the registration area for elected officials so they can be mentioned from the podium – thanked for their participation.

Select a strong emcee to make sure your program moves along smoothly. Someone who can start and end the program on time, and who can diplomatically, but resolutely, help a lengthy speaker draw his or her remarks to a close.

Be kind to your speakers. Make sure there is water on the podium, and a place for them to sit on or near the stage when they are not delivering their remarks. And, CHECK THE SOUND SYSTEM IN ADVANCE.

Countdown to a Successful March (Organizing Timeline)

ASAP

Review and sign Organizer's Agreement.

4 Months Before

Form a Planning Committee
Choose a site and time
Contact local City Councilmember’s and/or other elected officials who might help with equipment, permits and other needs

3 Months Before

Apply for permits on your own as needed and necessary
Contact law enforcement re: date, location, numbers expected to attend, security
Contact potential speakers and emcee
Contact potential entertainers
Request proclamations
Order personalized flyers, posters, banner and other march merchandise
Reserve necessary equipment you haven’t otherwise secured (to arrive on site 1-1/2 hours prior to start time)

2 Months Before

Report Progress to Campaign Headquarters
Start recruiting volunteers
Contact Friendly Press Contacts and Talk Show Hosts
Commence community outreach/crowd building – distribute flyers, post posters, announce at community, business, organization, union and other meetings
Send flyers to coalitions and other groups with request to distribute to their membership via mail
Week 4 Send Press Advisories and Public Service Announcements
Conduct initial media follow up to check receipt and assess early interest
Confirm emcee, speakers and guests
Set program

1 Month Before

Train volunteers
Make “Stop Rape Now” “Put Yourself in Her Shoes” and “Rape Affects Us All” Signs

Month Of

Send Follow Up Press Release – Re-contact media
Reconfirm Emcee, Speakers and Guests – check content of remarks to talking points
Reconfirm Entertainment and Equipment
Report Progress to Campaign Headquarters

Day Of

Assemble and orient volunteers on-site (1-1/2 hour prior to start of event)
Commence Set up (erect tables, chairs, stage, hang banners/signs, place podium, set out flyers)
Check/Test Equipment (sound, still and video cameras)
Site check volunteer capabilities (registration, speaker greeters, media intern, logistics support, etc.)
Check-In Tablers from Friendly Organizations
Check-In Marchers/Sign Up Movement Volunteers
Check-In Media and Conduct Interviews
Start Program on Time
Line up Marchers
Start March on Time
Security accompanies marchers with bull horns (if using public sidewalks, this is extremely critical)
Ready Massage Stations and Welcoming Entertainment (optional)
Clean Up
Return Equipment
Videotape news coverage

Week After

Meet with Planning Committee and evaluate event
Fax post-event release
Clip news stories
Write and send thank yous to Speakers, Volunteers and Marchers
Copy taped coverage and news clippings, send with report to Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® Headquarters

Donate

Join the March and Help Men Make a Difference

STEP BY STEP

General Tips

Timeline