> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://handbook.proanimal.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://handbook.proanimal.org/other/archived-pages/archive-activist-steward-guide/archive-about-relational-organizing.md). # \[ARCHIVE] About Relational Organizing This guide is an example of what is called Relational Organizing. Relational Organizing simply means a strategy for organizing an activist community by investing in individual relationships. The following principles of Relational Organizing should guide you as you engage in the Activist Steward role: 1. **Relationships are the building block of the organization.** Research has shown that the single greatest factor in determining whether someone will get involved and stay involved in a social movement is whether they have friends in the movement. The steward’s job is to ensure every person who gets involved makes friends in our community so they can sustain over the long term. 2. **Take a genuine interest in people.** Relational organizers face a paradox. We’re trying to organize people to build a powerful social movement. However, if people feel that we’re only interested in them as pawns in our strategy, their motivation will fall apart. The solution is this: to succeed as an activist steward, you need to take a genuine interest in the people you are organizing. You have to connect with the part of you that genuinely wants to get to know them and see them grow as individuals through their participation in the movement. 3. **Communicate often, and not always about the campaign.** If every message you send someone has an ask, they’ll get tired of hearing from you. Make sure some of your conversations with your activists are mainly social. Ask lots of questions to keep the conversation going. It’s a good idea for your first message to a new activist to focus on starting a relationship. For instance, ask about their “animal rights story” or how they became interested in activism. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://handbook.proanimal.org/other/archived-pages/archive-activist-steward-guide/archive-about-relational-organizing.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.