The importance of trust between disparate types of people within an organization; the need to follow your instincts, but also check your instincts with people …
Transition from Individual membership organization-based to institution-based created access to wider range of immigrant populations. Importance of cross-constituency collaborations/coalitions; need for flexibility and ability to …
Broad background in movement activism (civil rights, anti-war, black nationalism) led to openness to building permanent organizations run by their members. Realistic view of the …
Being open to the strengths of movement, community-based, single-issue, electoral, and identity-based organizing. Change depends on historical openings, elected leadership that is open, understanding the …
Contrast between organizing farmers in a highly rural area versus building organizations in urban centers; working as an independent organization versus within a structured network …
The contrast and similarities between organizing and movement-building. Individuals stay in community organizations because these organizations help their members flourish as people. Contributions of religion, …
Significant experience in both the ACORN and DART networks; extended campaign to greatly increase access to public transit. ACORN organizer in St. Paul, MN, and …
Organizer & Director of Northwest Community Organization (formed by Alinsky & Jack Egan), helped form National People’s Action, helped form and direct Metro Area Housing …
Importance of people’s stories; patience; curiosity. Good overview of issues that have affected the Boston area, including major conflict over school integration in the ‘70’s. …
Faith as a motivation for organizing; organizers develop skills that are useful and needed in other occupations. Worked for NPA in Chicago, Oregon Fair Share; …
Being formed by family’s values, patriotism, and sense of injustice. Taking advantage of many different types of learning experiences, both academic and real-life. What’s possible …
Good explanation of the rationale behind forming organizing networks: as support organizations for local community organizing and as coordinators of statewide and national campaigns. Initially …
Good and thorough description of her development as an organizer and her grounding in historical movements. Importance of seeing humanity in your opponents. Using anger …
Organizing experience that started with a faith-based network, moved to issue-based. He values movements, but sees that mobilizing overwhelms leadership development and ownership. “There is …
Organizing can offer a vision and agenda grounded in reality, but often prefers to pursue goals that their constituents do not share. Importance of institutions …
Detailed description of development from a very low-income leader in an immigrant community to a national-level organizer and trainer. Concerns about specific changes in society …
Long career beginning in Providence with a welfare rights organization, working there with Jim Dickson, Bob Cohen, Father Henry Shelton and Stan Holt. Moving on …
CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) in Buffalo, NY and several different IAF organizations – Chicago, Milwaukee, San Antonio (COPS) and Baltimore (BUILD).
