Start a Campus Chapter

Students have historically played a crucial role in social movements for land justice, from the early days of the United Farm Workers to today's struggles against land consolidation and dispossession. The Plurinational Land Reform in CA Working Group invites students across California to build a statewide network of campus chapters dedicated to advancing agrarian reform through research, education, and action.

By founding a Students for Agrarian Reform chapter on your campus, you'll join a growing movement that connects student organizers with farmworkers, indigenous communities, and small-scale farmers to transform California's relationship with land.

Why We Need Student Organizers

Campus chapters provide crucial support for land justice movements by conducting research, raising awareness, mobilizing resources, and connecting academic knowledge with on-the-ground organizing. Students bring fresh perspectives, technical skills, and institutional resources that strengthen broader movement-building.

Chapter Goals and Activities

Student chapters pursue various activities based on local context and member interests, while contributing to the broader goals of the Plurinational Land Reform Working Group.

Research & Mapping

Conduct participatory research on land ownership, agricultural practices, and ecological conditions in your region. Student chapters can tap into university resources to support the working group's mapping initiatives and land identification projects.

Coalition Building

Create connections between campus communities and local land-based movements. Chapters can facilitate partnerships between university departments, student organizations, and community groups working on food sovereignty, indigenous rights, and climate justice.

Political Education

Organize study groups, workshops, and speaker series exploring plurinationalism, land reform history, and agroecological practices. Develop educational materials connecting campus communities to broader movements for land justice.

Practical Skills

Develop hands-on training in agroecological farming, cooperative governance, and land stewardship. Chapters can organize skill shares, field trips to community farms, and apprenticeship programs with local practitioners.

Campus Advocacy

Advocate for university land policies that support regenerative agriculture, indigenous access, and student farming initiatives. Engage with university administration on issues of institutional land holdings and relationships with agricultural communities.

Solidarity Action

Support community-led land defense and acquisition campaigns through targeted fundraising efforts, volunteer mobilization, and amplification. Develop creative fundraising campaigns and grant proposals to provide direct financial support for landless peoples' movements and community land acquisition initiatives. Connect campus resources to on-the-ground movements fighting for land justice.

How to Start a Chapter

Building a Students for Agrarian Reform chapter is straightforward. Here's how to get started:

  1. Form a Core Group

    Find at least 3-5 dedicated students who share an interest in land justice and agrarian reform. Look for people with diverse skills, majors, and connections across campus.

  2. Register with Your Campus

    Follow your university's procedures to become a recognized student organization. This typically involves finding a faculty advisor, writing a constitution, and completing registration paperwork.

  3. Connect with the Working Group

    Fill out the form below to officially register your chapter with the Plurinational Land Reform in CA Working Group. We'll provide an orientation, resources, and connect you with other chapters.

  4. Create a Chapter Plan

    Develop a strategic plan for your chapter's first semester, including regular meeting times, initial projects, and outreach strategies tailored to your campus context.

  5. Launch with a Public Event

    Organize an inaugural event—such as a panel discussion, film screening, or workshop—to introduce your chapter to the campus community and begin building your membership.

Resources We Provide

The Plurinational Land Reform Working Group supports student chapters with various resources:

Educational Materials

Access to curated readings, curriculum guides, and presentation templates on:

  • Plurinational framework and theory
  • California land history and analysis
  • Agroecological principles and practices
  • Cooperative and indigenous governance models

Organizing Support

Practical support for chapter development:

  • Chapter start-up toolkit
  • Leadership development trainings
  • Regional coordinator mentorship
  • Inter-chapter communication platform

Technical Resources

Specialized tools for research and mapping:

  • GIS mapping templates and datasets
  • Participatory research methodologies
  • Data visualization tools
  • Land identification frameworks

Network Connections

Links to the broader movement ecosystem:

  • Community partner introductions
  • Statewide gathering opportunities
  • Practitioner speaker network
  • Internship and field experience placements

Ready to Start a Chapter?

Fill out the form below to register your interest in starting a Students for Agrarian Reform chapter. Our organizing team will follow up within one week to provide next steps, resources, and connect you with nearby chapters.

Register Your Chapter

Chapter Registration Form

From Existing Chapters

"Our chapter at Stanford University began with a small group of students from environmental science and ethnic studies departments. We've organized a successful symposium on land rematriation that brought together indigenous leaders and campus administrators. Our chapter also collaborated with the Law School to develop legal frameworks for community land trusts in the Bay Area."

— Stanford University Students for Agrarian Reform

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