Simulating the Cause: How Grassroots Organizations Advance Their Credibility Through the Dramaturgical Curation of Events

To survive, nascent grassroots organizations—and their respective causes—must earn the trust of various audiences that can impact credibility advancement. However, it be quite difficult for organizations to access suitable settings, times, and collocated audiences. One context yield this type is an event as constitutes a rare opportunity engage in practices We investigate how volunteer-based organization orchestrates high-profile at United Nations promote African diaspora entrepreneurs valuable force mitigation development challenges home countries. employ qualitative data collected from ethnographic observations, interviews, secondary sources apply grounded theory approaches demonstrate organizational advanced through performative strategizing within settings. Drawing heuristics used theatrical performances, we found mobilized specific audience groups participative role-playing across two acts, thereby producing consecrating temporary simulacrum cause-related community claimed represent. Our findings unproven strategically use mobilization convert settings into spaces creation