My 2025 A to Z Challenge theme is activism. I’ve been a Black Lives Matter activist for over a decade. I’m not an expert. I do have experience to share and I’m hoping to learn from your experiences, too. We’re all in this together.

The flashy parts of activism look like large crowds holding signs in public spaces or standing in front of a city council meeting to make a public statement.

The lion’s share of the work, though, happens in small groups around tables in coffee shops, church basements, and community or library meeting rooms. A group of five or six is the perfect size for getting things done. There’s enough people for a decent brainstorm, to choose an idea, and to make a plan to implement it.

Another advantage that I find with small meetings is that it’s the perfect way to build relationships. We all need people that we can trust in our lives. Serving on a committee is a great way to build a circle and find ways for that circle to intersect with other circles.

Larger meetings have their own purposes. A group of between 10 and about 16 is great for discussion. This is the size of the book group I attend where we specialize in books about race in America. We’re reading our 156th book together (The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration by Jake Bittle). We have learned a lot from the books and from each other.

Here’s a pro tip for meetings when the attendance is less than about 25 people or so. Use nametags! If people object, tell them that it’s an anti-ageist technique — as we get older, it gets harder to remember new names. Maybe it’s because our brains are failing, but I like to think it’s because our brains are already full!

Giant meetings are great for learning from speakers or for gaining motivation and energy from a crowd. These are my least favorite types of meetings (I’m an introvert) but even I know how meaningful it can be to sit with a hundred people or stand with a thousand who care about the same issues.

What meetings do you find most effective?