Corpus christi Democratic Socialists of America hosted event for activities
The Corpus Christi Democratic Socialists of America hosted a protest safety and de-escalation training on Feb. 22. The training aimed at equipping protesters with tools for managing conflict and ensuring safety during demonstrations.
The training session was led by Meira “Gumbo” V, a member of Austin DSA, Jewish Voice for Peace Austin, and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 1624. Known for their extensive experience in protest and movement safety, Gumbo shared personal insights from their years of organizing and de-escalation work.
“I’ve been doing protest/movement safety work and conflict de-escalation going back to at least 2020 when I organized in North Louisiana,” said Gumbo.
Gumbo emphasized the need for preparedness in challenging environments.
“Organizing in such a hostile part of the Bible Belt meant that true few socialists around had to be equipped to handle conflict without violence, which we took very seriously,” they explained.
Gumbo’s remarks reference their previous work with protests, particularly highlighting a recent protest in Corpus Christi against the Trump administration and its immigration policies that was organized by a Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi student with no prior experience in activism. Despite being led by a first-time organizer, the event remained peaceful.
Gumbo stressed that the core of the skills taught at the training revolved around conflict de-escalation and self-defense.
“I’ve personally used these skills alongside comrades to defuse agitators at events ranging from massive protests to simple tabling setups on college campuses. The point is to practice situational awareness and de-escalation in a safe environment to build the muscle memory needed for a high-stress situation,” said Gumbo.
In addition to de-escalation techniques, the meeting covered the basic police formations and defensive postures when facing a police line – an increasingly vital skill in today’s protest environment.
Participants practiced techniques to defend themselves while maintaining the focus on non-violent approaches to conflict resolution.
The event was a valuable resource for both experienced activists and newcomers, providing them with practical tools to ensure their safety and effectiveness in protest settings.
The Corpus Christi DSA hopes to hold more of these events in the future. Anyone interested in participating or learning more can visit their website at http://www.corpuschristidsa.org/.