🛠️ Deploying a Community Defense Center

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CDC Quick Start

• Pick a spot: Visible, shaded, low-police presence
• Bring gear: Table, QR codes, KYR cards, signup sheet
• Assign roles: Outreach, Safety, Logistics
• Start with: “Want to learn how to protect your community in 5 minutes?”
• Next steps: Log contacts, send follow-ups, debrief

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Goals of a CDC

A CDC is not just a table — it’s a community infrastructure hub. You’re creating a physical space to:

• Onboard people to ICE Tea Watch, Dispatch, and Academy
• Provide safety training and Know Your Rights resources
• Help folks form or join Pods in their area
• Offer immediate mutual aid support (legal, medical, communications)
• Make power visible — show that the community protects itself

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CDC Setup Tiers

Tier	Setup	Ideal For
Micro	Backpack + flyers	Street canvassing, drop-ins
Mid	Table + signage	Markets, protests, mutual aid
Full	Tent + tech + power	Mass gatherings, ops deployment

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CDC Gear Checklist

Essentials:

• At least one person trained in safety, de-escalation, or pods
• Table or stable surface
• "Community Defense" signage
• Flyers with QR codes (Watch, Dispatch, Academy)
• Pod-building guides
• KYR cards or zines
• Stickers or cards as takeaways
• Clipboards + pens

Optional Tech:

• Tablet or laptop with hotspot
• Charging station (power bank / solar)
• Radios or scanner (legal use only)

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Optional Tech Module

If you have space and power:

• Tablet or laptop with hotspot
• Show live Watch heatmap
• Enroll folks in Academy
• Run demo Dispatch scenarios
• Charge station for radios or phones
• Handheld radios or scanner monitor

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Activity Stations (Pick What Fits)

Station	Purpose
🧭 Tool Table	Teach Watch & Dispatch, how to report securely
📚 Rapid Academy	Enroll people, preview trainings
🛡️ KYR / Raid Help	Teach basic rights, build defense plans
🌱 Pod Builder	Form or join pods, swap Signal contacts
📍 Threat Mapping	Drop pins for ICE/police sightings or safe sites

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CDC Roles & Skills

Role	Focus	Skills Needed
Outreach Lead	Greets people, gives intro	Friendly, persuasive
Academy Coach	Enrolls, explains training pathways	Clear communicator
Tactical Coordinator	Radios, secure comms, pod routing	Calm under pressure
Safety Watcher	Monitors environment, de-escalates	De-escalation trained
Logistics Lead	Gear setup, restock, contact tracking	Organized, adaptable

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Picking the Right Location

Priority	What to Look For	⚠️ Avoid
Visibility	High foot traffic, community gathering	Isolated alleys, dead zones
Accessibility	Shade, ADA access, nearby restrooms	Steep inclines, tight corners
Safety	Familiar spaces, mutual aid presence	Known cop hangouts, ICE parking
Power	Optional (for tech) — solar or outlet	Gas generators (loud, risky)
Connection	Where your people already gather	Corporate or anti-immigrant orgs

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Example Layouts

These layouts help you adapt the CDC + Rapid Academy setup based on space, team size, and the kind of event you’re supporting.

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Micro Deployment (Backpack)

• Setup Style:
  Ultra-portable. Just a backpack, clipboard, phone, and flyers.

• Where It Works:

  • On foot at protests
  • Door-to-door pod outreach
  • Transit hubs or food distribution points

• Core Tools:

  • Laminated QR code sheet or zine
  • Pocket-sized KYR cards and pod starters
  • Pre-loaded phone or tablet to demo Watch/Dispatch
  • Signup clipboard or tiny paper form

• Workflow:

  1. Approach with calm intro: "Want to know how to protect people from ICE without calling cops?"
  2. Give 2-minute Rapid Academy script
  3. Offer QR code and card takeaway
  4. Log interest with paper or Signal

• Attention Catchers:

  • "👀 You don’t need permission to defend your community."
  • "⚡ Got 2 minutes? We’ll train you to resist."
  • "📱 This QR code could save someone’s life."

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Mid Deployment (Tabletop)

• Setup Style:
  One table with collapsible chair, compact display, and signage.

• Where It Works:

  • Farmers markets
  • College quads
  • Art/craft fairs
  • Union or tenants meetings

• Table Zones:

  • Left side: Watch & Dispatch QR code display + demo device
  • Center: Rapid Academy script printout + signup form
  • Right side: Zines, pod cards, KYR sheets

• Extras:

  • Banner or tablecloth
  • Folded sandwich board or crate with hand-drawn sign
  • Extra pens, clipboards, water, and snacks

• Attention Catchers:

  • "📚 Learn how to protect your neighbors in 5 minutes."
  • "🚨 ICE sightings don’t wait — you shouldn’t either."
  • "🌱 Build a pod. Grow protection."

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Tent Setup CDC (Full Deployment)

• Tent Size:
  10x10 canopy (or larger if space allows)

• Layout Strategy:
  Use the outer edges of the tent for clearly defined activity stations, and keep the center open for support crew or visitor flow.

• Station Layout (clockwise):

  • 🧭 Tool Table (Front Left)
    Overview of Watch + Dispatch tools
    Demo QR codes and how to report safely

  • 📚 Rapid Academy (Back Left)
    Explain the Academy path
    Enroll people live with a device or paper

  • 🛡️ KYR / Raid Defense (Back Right)
    Give out zines, run simulations, practice refusal and rights

  • 🌱 Pod Builder (Front Right)
    Help people form pods, collect Signal handles
    Pass out pod starter cards

• Optional Center:

  • Power stack (solar or battery)
  • Radio gear and comms support
  • Chill zone or mutual aid table

• Tent Walls:

  • Hang banners, maps, QR signs, safety visuals
  • Use binder clips or string with clothespins

• Attention Catchers:

  • "🛠️ This isn’t a booth. It’s a resistance hub."
  • "📡 Report ICE. Get trained. Build a pod. Right here."
  • "🔥 No cops. No compromise. All community."

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CDC Safety & Security

CDC deployments should always center collective safety:

• Make a team safety plan (who handles what)
• Use de-escalation tools over confrontation
• Never collect more personal info than needed
• Pre-set comms: Signal groups, call trees, or radios
• Avoid language like "surveillance," even if mapping threats

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Print Toolkit (Recommended)

Bring printed resources people can take with them:

Material	Purpose
QR Code Posters	Watch, Dispatch, Academy — bilingual if possible
CDC Handouts	What is a CDC? How to get involved?
Pod Starter Cards	Pod basics + blank space for contacts
Raid Response Charts	Visual flowchart: what to do, who to call
Crew Role Sheet	Who’s doing what today? Post it clearly

You can get these as a printable pack or request delivery from the ICE Tea team.

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Follow-Up System

Use a single QR code or form that:

• Collects name, Signal/email, city or zip
• Tags by interest: Watch, Dispatch, Pod, Academy
• Sends automated follow-up with resources (Make.com compatible)
• Adds to a CRM system (Airtable, Supabase, etc.) for pod-building and alerts

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Mobility Options

Deployment Style	Notes
Backpack CDC	Ultra-mobile. Great for protests, actions
Bike or cart CDC	Rolling toolkit with banners or panels
Vehicle-based CDC	Van/bus with solar = rolling ops HQ
Full tent (10x10)	Great for events, markets, mass protests

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Optional: CDC Simulation Training

Before deploying your first CDC, do a dry run with your crew:

1. Assign all roles
2. Set up a sample CDC in a safe area
3. Simulate 3 scenarios:
   • Visitor with basic questions
   • Request to join Dispatch or Watch
   • Sudden local threat report

Debrief after: what worked? What felt shaky? Adjust before field deployment.

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Practice Scenario: De-escalation

🧠 "What would you say if someone said: 'Why are you defending illegal immigrants?'"

Suggested response:

“We believe no one should live in fear. People deserve safety, community, and dignity — no exceptions.”

📌 Encourage your team to practice responses before deployment.

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Bonus: CDC Stamp Program

Create a Community Defender Passport — stamp or mark progress:

• Visited a CDC
• Completed training
• Formed a pod
• Took on a CDC role

After 3–5 stamps, they become a Verified Community Defender. This builds trust and culture over time.

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CDC Deployment Checklist

Before You Go:

• Confirm space and location
• Print flyers, QR posters, handouts
• Charge gear / pack batteries
• Prepare signup or intake form
• Review your safety plan

On-Site:

• Set up signage and tables
• Run demos of Watch, Dispatch, Academy
• Invite folks into pods or training
• Track contacts, feedback, patterns

After:

• Upload contact info securely
• Send follow-ups with tools and training
• Debrief with your team — what worked, what didn’t
• Restock and prep for next deployment

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Your Role

You don’t need permission to start building safety. A CDC is how we occupy space with care, tools, and coordination. It can look small — a backpack and a smile — or large — a solar van running a local dispatch hub.

Ready to Deploy?

• Grab a buddy.
• Print these flyers.
• Charge your gear.
• Hit the streets this weekend.
• Tag #ICETeaCDC to share your setup!

No cops. No compromise. All community.

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Need support? Post in your pod or ICE Tea Academy channel and we’ll help you build your first CDC.

Quick Glossary

• CDC — Community Defense Center: mobile mutual aid and training hub
• Watch — Public, anonymous reporting of ICE/police activity
• Dispatch — Secure coordination for trained responders
• Pod — Small trusted crew trained in safety, reporting, and support
• KYR — Know Your Rights: key legal protections for direct action and immigration defense