How Third Act Converges—And Connects

Third Act brings its coast-to-coast volunteer leaders together in person to build relationships, sharpen skills, and deepen their organizing power. Last month, we hosted Convergences in Phoenix and Atlanta for leaders across ten states.

Why Convergences?

Third Act doesn’t have any offices—all of the staff work from home.

It’s logical; we started during the COVID pandemic lockdown and we stretch from coast-to-coast. But organizing is about bringing people together. Bringing people together to work towards, or protest against, something. Bringing people together so we can create something where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 

We do great work online and being together in person is special. One way we support that magic is when Third Act hosts “Convergences”. Convergences are where Third Act volunteers and staff come together in person to swap stories and skills, build relationships, problem solve, and meet each other as embodied humans (not just tiny Zoom squares). At a Convergence we gather about 35 volunteer leaders together and spend two days and two nights learning about resources, expanding organizing skills, and deepening campaign knowledge. Convergences are an impactful way to reach some of our top leaders and get people even more engaged. 

You have given us both the inspiration and the tools to be much more effective in all we are doing with TA at every level. There is great momentum for a big multiplying effect.

Over the last three years, Third Act has hosted five Convergences. Thus far, we have gathered about 175 volunteer leaders from 27 of our (currently 31) geographic Working Groups. Third Act Affinity Groups (Lawyers, Action Lab, Creatives, Educators, Union, and Faith) who live in the assembled states are also invited to attend. 

US states can be really big! Even within a state, many leaders have never been able to meet each other in person. “Thanks for bringing us together,” one organizer from North Carolina said, “We built relationships in two days that would have taken us 2 years online.”

Convergences are also a great way to foster regional solidarity. Certain states now feel more like a region and can work together closely on issues that cross their borders. Convergences are fun and joyful. Many folks report that meeting their compatriots and like-minded folks is a top highlight. 

Reflecting On the 2026 Convergences

Last month—March 2026—we hosted the SW and the SE Convergences. The SW Convergence was in Phoenix and included Third Act volunteer leaders from Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas and Nevada. The SE Convergence was in Atlanta and included the Working Groups of Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Florida. 

Our Convergences open with each Working Group getting a chance to share introductions in a fun way—skits or songs or gameshow quizzes—so that the assembled folks can learn a bit about their compatriots, the state’s issues and have a laugh together. While together we try to balance structured times with opportunities for singing or taking a walk or hosting an informal meal-time topical table. 

[The gathering] Brought me back to the joy of organizing, not just the paint-by-numbers of organizing.

While together, we engage with exercises that are useful for all organizers—like learning and practicing the Story of Self, Story of Us, Story of Now—a great tool for getting to know potential volunteers and communicating your Working Group’s mission. We talk about various theories of organizing and how we at Third Act view what we do. We break into tracks for campaigns, organizing and digi-comms so we can problem solve together. And we make sure Working Groups have group time together. In the evening we always offer an optional space to circle up about self-care and grief.

The Convergences are a shot of adrenaline for folks who are hard at work on difficult issues. Some of our volunteer leaders are new to organizing and some have had it as their career or life passion. After our most recent convergence, a professional union organizer from Tennessee wrote that the gathering had, “Brought me back to the joy of organizing, not just the paint-by-numbers of organizing.”

Third Act strives to be a welcoming organizing home for those of us over 60. We want to take care of each other while we grow our skills and make a real difference. After the SW convergence one attendee wrote that they felt a “sense of our power and influence in our TA movement. We are expanding, and ready to meet this moment”.