What could growing our movement look like? In this post, we hear from an Integrated Schools chapter leader, network contact, and board member about their experiences tabling in their local communities.
Spoiler alert: Tarah (chapter leader, Hamden, CT), Jessica, (network contact, Wilmington, NC) and Jana (board member, Oakland, CA) all found this a rewarding use of their time! To make it easier for you to try your own hand at tabling, we’ve included links to the materials they used along with tips for what to bring and how to make the most of an opportunity to take your Integrated Schools conversations public!
Why table?
Jana: When Integrated Schools launched the Public Schools Save Democracy campaign in spring 2025, I decided to try tabling at my local farmer’s market one Sunday last May to spread the word about the campaign. As a White mom of two students enrolled in an integrating school, an Integrated Schools Board member, and a former public school teacher, I’ve been looking for ways to push back against the growing efforts to defund and privatize education at the federal level, while also connecting it to the local decisions we make about where to send our kids to school and how we can all (whether or not we are parents) support our public schools.
In that spirit, I decided to leverage the Public Schools Save Democracy campaign as an opportunity to move my conversations about the importance of supporting and protecting public schools, and actively choosing integrating schools, from my inner circle into the public.
Jessica: In September 2024, I heard about a unique local event relating to racial justice (The Long March for Unity and Justice) through friends and ed justice folks in Wilmington. (I did have to sign up and pay a small fee.) I knew the event would attract people interested in social justice and racial justice, and I saw it as an opportunity to make contact with local folks who share Integrated Schools’ values.
Where can I table?
Jana brought a folding table to her local farmers’ market in Oakland, CA. Jessica heard about a “Unity & Justice” event being organized in Wilmington, NC. And Tarah joined forces with teachers’ union and the Democratic Socialists of America in Hamden, CT.
Regularly scheduled events such as farmers’ markets, street fairs or summer park concerts provide an evergreen opportunity. Be sure to check with the organizers as to whether there are any requirements or fees for participating. You may be able to get any vendor fees waived since you are not selling goods or services. (Integrated Schools is fiscally sponsored by the nonprofit Social Good Fund; let us know if you need to provide proof of nonprofit status.)
What to bring?
Tarah: We made a large homemade banner that I just love: it says ‘Tax the Rich, Fund Our Schools.’ It gave us a really grassrootsy vibe. I ordered stickers* with the Public Schools Save Democracy graphic and integratedschools.org URL from VistaPrint. In addition to the stickers & placards, we just had a big bowl of candy. It was a really low-cost effort.
Jana: In addition to wearing my own Public Schools Save Democracy t-shirt, I decided to order a few different pieces from the Bonfire shop in a range of colors, styles, and sizes to use as samples. (I wouldn’t say this is necessary, but I figured that I could easily sell or give any extras to people I know.) I made a printable flyer with screenshots of the merch options and prices, with a QR code people can scan to order clothing directly from the Bonfire shop. Don’t forget tape to affix the flyer to your table, and some kind of paper weight to keep hand-outs from blowing away!
I made a mini-flyer about the Public Schools Save Democracy Campaign with the IntegratedSchools.org URL, printed four-to-a-page on my home printer and cut them out, creating an easy hand-out for people who walked by my table. Other supplies included a folding table and a clipboard with a sign-up sheet for people who either might want to join our local chapter or be added to the Integrated Schools listserv.
Jessica: I brought signs with the Integrated Schools logo, a handout with information from the IS website as well as info relevant to our local area, a sign-up sheet and some big QR codes for people interested in learning more about Integrated Schools.I also made signs with questions to spark curiosity and conversations:
- Have you wondered why our schools are so segregated? Me too, come join us!”
- Choosing a school? Me too – let’s talk about it!
I printed some square paper coasters* with a couple of designs that I found on the Integrated Schools website and Insta posts. (I printed materials – including the coasters – at Walgreens, mostly when it was 50% off!) To round out the display I brought books and articles from my education justice collection.
I also brought materials for a simple “make a card for someone” craft activity (not shown in photo). Did I overpack? Yes, but it helped me feel more comfortable and now I have all this in one place for the next time.
What kinds of interactions did you have?
Jessica: It was a great experience and I look forward to doing it again. There was not a big crowd, but I had good conversations with about 10 people. I made some key contacts with local organizers that were interested in this work and wanted to know more, as well as people interested in educational justice, and was able to spread the word in a unique way to families choosing schools.
Jana: It was a great morning! A number of people expressed support, some purchased shirts; the conversations allowed me to feel more connected with other people in our community. Although I was only able to be there for two hours (it’s hard to work around kids’ birthday parties!) I felt like I was able to have a meaningful impact in a short amount of time.
Any tips or suggestions?
Tarah: Most people stopped by and asked “Where do I sign up?” So having a sign-up sheet to collect emails was also helpful. (If you’re not affiliated with a chapter, you can send emails to hello@integratedschools.org for us to add to The Integrator mailing list.)
Jessica: It really doesn’t take much except the willingness to talk with people about your personal experience and a few pieces of back-up info, like the website or materials from the website and what to do next. Remember a water bottle and snack! I used a wheely suitcase to bring everything to the tabling site.
A small craft for all ages – I brought simple card-making materials – can really help people feel comfortable hanging out.
Jana Luft: I plan to table again, using the start of the new school year as a frame to start conversations. This time, I’ll try to pick a date when another Integrated Schools member can join and hopefully convince my kids to join me for the whole time since kids are sometimes the best voices for why our public schools matter!
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As we head into the new school year, think about where you might try tabling for Integrated Schools! We’ve collected most of the printable materials mentioned in this post in a Google folder, which you can access here. *Check with us (hello@integratedschools.org) for updates on pre-printed “swag” items such as stickers and coasters.
This is great, and inspiring!