Authentic Engagement Builds Power

A diverse group of Asian, Latina and white young people smiling. They are wearing white t-shirts with the words SF ONE and a map of San Francisco printed in orange. They are in an elementary school classroom.

When you’re an organizing leader, these frustrations come up a lot:

“We can’t get people to come out to a meeting.”

“Why don’t members vote? It’s their own jobs at stake!”

“It’s always the same people who do everything.”

“Why are members so apathetic?”

“Do they just want someone else to do it all?”

And worst of all, “are the current leaders going to burn out?”

The reality is, they’re not apathetic and they don’t want someone else to do it all.

A lot of organizing directors tell me that members or workers are reluctant to engage. But maybe there’s a reason: they don’t see their self-interest represented in the campaigns. Self-interest is more than how much money they make, their position on an issue or who to vote for.

Self-interest is also about values, experiences and relationships.

Self-Interest

Several years ago, I organized with teachers and former teachers who were trying to build momentum for education justice in their communities. They were having trouble engaging community members and parents in a campaign about the district’s school assignment system. (TL;DR – incredibly complicated, record segregation, inequitable distribution of resources.)

To better understand parents’ and students’ experiences, we began a series of canvas weekends. Leaders knocked on doors, prepared with a script that would launch conversations about what came to mind when residents thought about the education system in their city.

What did they learn?

Almost no one mentioned the school assignment system. Parents wanted high quality schools in their neighborhood. It didn’t matter if their kids got into the highest rated school in the city if it was all the way across town. 

When leaders started to talk about how to fight for higher quality schools in their neighborhoods, more parents and other teachers engaged.

When leaders create opportunities for members, activists and volunteers to build relationships and take action based on their values and experiences, more leaders surface. More members join. More volunteers engage for longer. 

Space to Build Relationships and Power

If we’re deliberate and intentional about creating space to build relationships, grow leadership and surface the issues that are most widely and deeply felt, then we can build power.

Erin vs. Norma: the Organizing Movie Throwdown

a horizontal mashup of movie photos from Erin Brockovich and Norma Rae. Top level: actor Julia Roberts as Brockovich talking with a neighbor. Bottom level: actor Sally Field as Norma holding a sign reading “Union”

Do you ever get this question? “What’s your favorite movie about [your work]?”

When people ask me about my favorite movie about organizing, they’ll often also say “I bet you love that movie Norma Rae!” (Depending on the questioner’s age. Norma Rae came out in 1979.)  

Norma Rae

In case you haven’t seen it, the movie “Norma Rae” is about textile organizing in the south in the 1970s. It’s a true story, if a bit Hollywood-ized. In one of the most dramatic scenes, Norma, played by Sally Field, climbs onto a table in the factory and holds up a big sign reading “UNION!” All by herself.  

She’s subsequently fired, walked out of the building and shunned by much of the community. That’s not organizing.  

Erin Brockovich

Organizing campaigns are more like “Erin Brockovich,” also a true story and also glamorized for the big screen. In the movie and in real life, the residents of Hinkley, CA are poisoned by a toxic substance called chromium 6, which leaks into the water supply from a nearby PG&E installation. (Californians’ motto for PG&E: the utility we love to hate.) Erin, played by Julia Roberts, goes door-to-door to build relationships with people affected by PG&E’s carelessness. She brings them together to share their stories and create trust among themselves.  

Only then do they take action. Together. They file a class action lawsuit, but the real movement comes from pressure they put on the company to force a settlement.

Organizing is Bringing People Together to Build Power

No one person could exert enough pressure on PG&E all by themself. It took the collective power of the residents of Hinkley to bring the company to the settlement table.

Just imagine what would be different if everyone at the plant stood on those tables with Norma.

The most effective organizing campaigns are about building relationships and taking action together. We build power by building relationships.

What could your community do with more relational power?

Root Causes and Organizing Strategy Coaching

tree silhouette with deep roots on white background.

Big news!

Starting this month, Organizing to Win’s (OTW) mission expands to include white supremacy disruption consulting and organizing strategy coaching.

If you read the Organizing to Win newsletter regularly (thank you!), you may have noticed an emphasis on what is sometimes called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). While DEI programs are important, I prefer to talk about disrupting the root causes of injustice – white supremacy culture. While none of us committed crimes against humanity like slavery or genocide of Indigenous people, many of us benefit from their continuing legacy. It is up to us to break down that white supremacy culture and begin building a culture of justice.

While each OTW white supremacy disruption program is customized for the organization, key elements include exploring identity, building relationships and an emphasis on unlearning and learning new. Caution: light bulb moments ahead! 💡

Throughout my organizing career, some of my best ideas came when I could “think out loud.” I’m grateful for the support of more senior organizers who offered feedback and gently moved me back on track when I got diverted.

I look forward to providing that support to others. Starting in June, I’ll offer one-on-one and small group coaching. In these sessions, we’ll focus on talking through challenges, building skills and applying new training to real life situations.

To learn more about these ideas for your organization, see the newly updated home page. Or contact me here!

Sustainable Futures

Organizing to Win has joined with a new venture called Sustainable Futures (SF) to organize with historically excluded communities in Atlanta. Founder Adrienne Rice’s dream is to build “green economy pathways for ‘Black’ and people of color in the South by using the foundational methods of relational organizing.” SF is a Black-woman-led collective of expert organizers and veteran community leaders working to build power in marginalized communities to advance an inclusive economy and environmental justice.

The history of systemic racism in our culture means that any new industry is built by and for white (mostly) men. To fight the double-headed dragon of climate change and system racism, we must build power to create a green economy that is inclusive and equitable. It won’t happen by magic, but the opportunity of a new economy offers a chance to build it right the first time.

The first step is a campaign of house meetings to bring together community members in three or four counties around Atlanta, GA. Next, we’ll work with those community members to measure Atlanta area residents’ understanding of environmental and climate justice issues.

Image of climate stripes representing temperature change in Georgia since 1895. Colors fluctuate between light and dark blue, red and white. Dark red in the last several years. Image credit: https://showyourstripes.info/s/globe/

As the campaign ramps up, it will also be a leadership development opportunity for multiple classes of fellows from historically excluded communities in the Atlanta region. Fellows will learn transformative organizing skills, while building a sustainable future in Georgia. We hope to also introduce the fellows to leaders in the energy, climate justice and business sectors. Fellows will come from partner organizations and the community at large. Unlike many fellowship programs, this program is not limited to students.

I started Organizing to Win with a vision of bringing people together to build power. The SF model is so exciting because we are focused not just on influencing a politician, electing certain leaders or influencing policy. We are creating an entirely new economy, led by the people closest to the problem of that double-headed dragon.

Check back here or on the Organizing to Win social channels for updates -including the launch of SF’s social media and website.